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{{advertisement|date=February 2008}} '''Foundation 9 Entertainment''' (sometimes abbreviated as F9E) is an entertainment products developer, which works on properties for multiple media, including [[video game]]s, [[comic book]]s, [[film]] and [[television series]]. The company is currently the largest independent [[video game developer|game developer]] in the world,{{According to whom?|date=August 2010}} and has more than 650 employees working in its various studios in [[California]], [[Massachusetts]], [[Washington (U.S. state)|Washington]], [[Oregon]], [[U.S]], [[Sheffield, UK]], and [[Pune|Pune, India]]. ==History== With divisions founded as early as [[1992]], Foundation 9 Entertainment grew through a number of strategic mergers and acquisitions. It owns 6 core brands and 7 separate studio locations, as well as a minority stake in a production management company. The company was formed on March 29, 2005 through the merger of [[Backbone Entertainment]], [[The Collective, Inc.|The Collective]].<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/news/6121251.html The Collective, Backbone laying Foundation 9]</ref> and [[Oregon]]-based developer [[Pipeworks Software]].<ref>[http://www.gamezone.com/news/04_12_05_01_56PM.htm Foundation 9 Entertainment, Inc. acquires Pipeworks Software]</ref> Subsequently, on May 26, 2005, F9E announced a partnership with [[Circle of Confusion]].<ref>[http://www.gamezone.com/news/05_27_05_09_59AM.htm Foundation 9 Entertainment Announces Equity Stake and Strategic Partnership with Circle of Confusion]</ref> Unlike F9E's other studios, which generally specialize in software development, Circle of Confusion is a production and management company that represents creative staff in the entertainment industries. On June 1, 2006 Foundation 9 secured an investment of up to $150 million by private equity investment firm [[Francisco Partners]].<ref>[http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=9552 Foundation 9 Gets 'Significant' Funding Investment]</ref> Subsequent to this investment, Foundation 9 announced the acquisition of [[Shiny Entertainment]] on October 2, 2006,<ref>[http://kotaku.com/204735/foundation-9-buys-shiny-entertainment-but-not-earthworm Foundation 9 Buys Shiny Entertainment, But Not Earthworm]</ref> [[Amaze Entertainment]] on November 14, 2006,<ref>[http://gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=11704 Gamasutra - Foundation 9 Acquires Amaze Studios<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> and [[Sumo Digital]] on August 17, 2007.<ref>[http://www.gamespot.com/news/6176808.html Foundation 9 wrestles with Sumo Digital - Wii News at GameSpot<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> On May 25, 2007, the [[Charlottetown]], [[PEI]] studio of Foundation 9 constituent Backbone Entertainment was [[Spin out|spun off]] to become independent developer [[Other Ocean Interactive]].<ref>[http://www.gamepro.com/article/news/113968/foundation-9-says-goodbye-to-charlottetown Foundation 9 says goodbye to Charlottetown]</ref> Additional studios under the umbrella include [[ImaginEngine]] (part of [[Backbone Entertainment]]) and [[Griptonite Games]] (part of [[Amaze Entertainment]]). [[Digital Eclipse]] is not a studio under the Foundation 9 hierarchy, as all games under the Digital Eclipse brand were developed at the Backbone Entertainment studios. Digital Eclipse was originally one of the constituent companies that came together to form Backbone, the progenitor of F9E. Two of its California-based studios, The Collective and Shiny, were merged in late [[2007]] and relocated to a new {{convert|60000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} headquarters in [[Irvine, California|Irvine]]. The resultant studio was eventually named [[Double Helix Games|Double Helix]] in early [[2008]].<ref>[http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/double-helix-is-new-foundation-9-studio Double Helix is new Foundation 9 studio]</ref> In May [[2009]], Foundation 9 completed the closure of its [[Vancouver, Canada]]-based studio of Backbone Entertainment, after a series of staff cutbacks beginning September [[2008]].<ref>[http://www.theesa.ca/news_article.php?id=14 Vancouver's video game family tree.]</ref> Subsequently, in July [[2009]], Foundation 9 closed [[The Fizz Factor]], its [[Texas]]-based studio under the Amaze Entertainment umbrella.<ref>[http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/29/foundation-9-closes-fizz-factor-studio-cuts-back-at-double-heli/ Foundation 9 closes Fizz Factor studio, cuts back at Double Helix]</ref> Amaze was consolidated under Griptonite at the same time, and Double Helix scaled back its operations.<ref>[http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/foundation-9-scales-back-development-capacity Foundation 9 scales back development capacity]</ref> For the most part, Foundation 9 has allowed each acquired entity to continue to operate their separate studios, and to pursue projects of their own choosing. Through these studios and core brands, F9E has worked with some of the largest names in game publishing, including [[Eidos Interactive]], [[Hudson Soft]], [[Midway Games]], [[Majesco Entertainment]], [[Electronic Arts]], [[Microsoft]], [[Nintendo]], [[Sony Computer Entertainment]], [[Activision]], [[Vivendi Games|Vivendi]], [[Take-Two Interactive]], [[Sega]], [[Capcom]], [[Harmonix]], [[Square Enix]], and [[Konami]]. At its inception, the company was helmed by CEO Jon Goldman, who came from Backbone (and was founder of ImaginEngine). Upon the acquisition of Amaze, he was joined by COO David Mann, a co-founder of Amaze, who, on January 16, 2008, assumed the position of President.<ref>[http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/foundation-9-promotes-three-execs Foundation 9 promotes three execs]</ref> As of March 17, 2008, James North-Hearn, one of Sumo Digital's founders, has assumed the CEO position.<ref>[http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/north-hearn-named-foundation-9-ceo North-Hearn named Foundation 9 CEO]</ref> ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.f9e.com/ Foundation 9 Entertainment site] [[Category:Video game companies of the United States]] [[Category:International Game Developers Association members]] [[Category:Video game developers]] [[pt:Foundation 9 Entertainment]]
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