Foundation 9 Entertainment announced that it has combined Shiny Entertainment and The Collective, two of its subsidiaries, into a single development studio in Irvine, California. The company claims that there will be no layoffs as a result of the move and that the new studio will be headed up by Shiny studio head Michael Persson. It is not currently known whether the Shiny and Collective brands will be retained in any way.

Shiny is known best for the MDK and Earthworm Jim series, as well as Enter the Matrix and The Matrix: Path of Neo. It is currently working on The Golden Compass, the game adaptation of the film adaptation of the first book in His Dark Materials series.

The Collective is known for creating Marc Ecko’s Contents Under Pressure and Wrath Unleashed; they are currently working on Silent Hill 5.

The Collective has announced that the the official website for Harker, its forthcoming action-horror game, has been launched. The site features new screenshots, concept art and an all-new gameplay trailer.

Inspired by the classic horror novel Dracula, Harker has players donning the role of Jonathan Harker who takes it upon himself to eliminate all vampires after his “beloved Mina” falls prey to Dracula. The game has been marked for release next-gen consoles sometime in 2008.

Get ready to dig your teeth into next-gen consoles, all thanks to The Collective who announced Harker, a vampire-hunting game for the PS3 and Xbox 360.

Inspired by ‘Dracula’, the classic horror novel, the game has players take on the role of a “very different” Jonathan Harker, who is vengeful against the creatures of the night after his wife falls victim to Dracula. The gameplay will see players tracking down and hunting these ferocious killers, making use of an “up-close and personal” combat system, using a variety of weapons and environmental factors.

“‘Harker’s’ goal is to bring an in-your-face, visceral, and personal style of combat to the survival horror genre,” said Nigel Cook, producer. “None of these vampires are going to die with one shot. They’re going to fight for their survival, which will give the player a huge level of satisfaction when they successfully execute one.”

“Harker” will bring to life the underbelly of the 18th Century World, taking players into diverse locations, areas never explored in history books, in a gritty, realistic art style that will fully immerse players in their environments. The game also features an incredible roster of blood-thirsty, shape-shifting vampires each with their own savage abilities, sometimes hiding in plain sight; the player may never know just how close they are.

Harker is set for release sometime in 2008. The Collective, a division of Foundation 9 Entertainment, is also working on Dirty Harry, as well as other unannounced projects.