Shiny Entertainment was established in Laguna Beach, California, and quickly gained industry recognition for its highly animated and humorous platformer Earthworm Jim. The studio went on to develop innovative 3D titles including MDK, Messiah, and Sacrifice. After acquisitions by Infogrames/Atari and Foundation 9, the company was merged with The Collective to form Double Helix Games in 2007.
Industry veteran David Perry founded the studio in October 1993 after departing Virgin Games. To secure creative freedom and financial backing for its debut projects, the developer partnered with toy manufacturer Playmates Interactive Entertainment. This collaboration led to the release of
Earthworm Jim in 1994 and its sequel
Earthworm Jim 2 in 1995, both of which received widespread critical acclaim and spawned a successful toy line and an animated television series.
In the early 2000s, the studio transitioned to high-profile licensed properties, collaborating closely with filmmakers Lana and Lilly Wachowski. This partnership resulted in
Enter the Matrix in 2003, a massive commercial success that sold millions of copies by tying directly into the feature film's storyline with exclusive live-action footage. The studio followed this with
The Matrix: Path of Neo in 2005, which allowed players to experience the film trilogy's narrative. Perry resigned as president in 2006 during a period of corporate restructuring, shortly before the studio's eventual consolidation.