UPDATE: Inside sources have informed 1UP that Eidos's entire PR, marketing, and sales department has been laid off as part of the deal with Warner Bros. We'll update with more information as it becomes available.

ORIGINAL STORY: It hasn't exactly been sunshine and roses lately for British publisher SCi. Last time we checked in, the beleaguered company was firing 25% of its staff and canceling games left and right in a bout of extreme cost-cutting measures designed to keep the company afloat.

Over the last month or so SCi has been treading water and restructuring its operations in the hopes that increased focus on recognized properties like Hitman, Deus Ex and Tomb Raider might convince a kindhearted investor or two to swoop in and take pity. Over the last few days we've been hearing rumors that SCi has been entertaining suitors to its house, particularly Time Warner and NBC Universal.

And lo, it has come to pass. Today SCI reports that it has in fact just signed a deal with the entertainment wing of Time Warner -- Warner Bros. Home Entertainment -- to the tune of $170 million USD. The cash infusion will take the form of 171,605,424 recently created shares, placed on the market by SCi as a method of raising funds.

This new cash will no doubt be a big shot in the arm for the struggling publisher -- doubly so when added to the previously collected $50 million in "debt facility" previously set aside by SCi to pay its creditors. This isn't the first time that Warner Bros. has stepped in to pay SCi's debts either. Back in 2006 the entertainment giant ponied up and bought out 10.3% of SCi's outstanding debt in a deal that saw Warner taking over a greater share of the Tomb Raider business and SCi getting the rights to some weird properties like Batman, Looney Tunes and old Hannah Barberra cartoons (including Huckleberry Hound, Yogi Bear and Tom and Jerry).