News THQ dead - RIP

[pantskyle]

They have been on deaths door for a while.

 

[MarcusP2]

Saints Row is developed by Volition.

They could just get someone else to publish it, no?

Volition is owned by THQ.

THQ have been haemmoraghing money for years. This is unsurprising. I expect an IP fire sale is incoming.

 

[twce13]

Volition is owned by THQ.

THQ have been haemmoraghing money for years. This is unsurprising. I expect an IP fire sale is incoming.

IGN thinks microsoft would make a push for south park. Which would really suck for ps3 folk.

 

[pantskyle]

IGN thinks microsoft would make a push for south park. Which would really suck for ps3 folk.

Pre-orders already been taken on PS3 version though. You would think this would still be available on all.

 

[Groupie_]

Who will now publish the wrestling games?

 

[HBK619]

THQ have been picked up in the mean time by investment firm Clearlake. They're going to help them out to continue development on all games currently going under THQ.

They were picked up for a mere $60 million (there can be higher bids however). To compare this to some companies purchased over the years, Bioware (Mass Effect, Dragon Age, KOTOR) were purchased by EA for $900 million. Rare (Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Banjo/Kazooie, Conca's Bad Fur Day) were purchased by Microsoft for $340 million, and that Rare purchase was without most of Rare's big IP.

Microsoft won't be buying the South Park game, that's a poor attempt at putting two and two together by IGN. The simple fact is that Microsoft published the downloadable games because there's low buy in and not a lot of risk if it doesn't sell. Predicted sales of 3 million units means Microsoft would likely have to purchase a fair bulk of the expectations of revenue for that number, and then those sales numbers would be cut either by 1 or 2/3rd's if they chose to make it 360 only or 360/PC only.

Hopefully Saints Row goes to Take2 and then Rockstar can share their RAGE engine with Volition. There's no real need to worry about Saints Row's future, it's the biggest IP that THQ have, so it's not going anywhere.

Would expect EA Sports to pick up the WWE titles, after they grabbed UFC off THQ for nothing.

 

[JR#8]

Conca's Bad Fur Day

Reece?

 

[Donners]

I guess the Humble THQ Bundle didn't save them...

 

[MarcusP2]

When you lose 600 million dollars in a year, 5 million from the HB isn't going to save you.

 

[Mighty P]

Never good to see a company like THQ go down, but one must think what the funk were they thinking, didn't they bloody realise they were losing millions and millions? Which begs the question, what did they do about it to try and stop the hemorrhaging?

Some of my favourites have been made or published by THQ, certainly shite news.

 

[HBK619]

Never good to see a company like THQ go down, but one must think what the funk were they thinking, didn't they bloody realise they were losing millions and millions? Which begs the question, what did they do about it to try and stop the hemorrhaging?

Some of my favourites have been made or published by THQ, certainly shite news.

The uDraw was what really ****ed over THQ. Before that they were actually doing well as a company, focusing on the more core games, trying some new IP and overall doing relatively well at it.

Then they hit paydirt with uDraw on Wii and thought it'd translate over to the PS3/360 audience. They ordered 2 million units and sold about 500k and lost $100 million from it, so all the good work they had done was negated.

Darksiders and Homefront were missteps that didn't help but it didn't lead to their downfall.

 

[MarcusP2]

Darksiders was actually a decent game. Certainly much bigger turds have been produced.

 

[HBK619]

Darksiders was actually a decent game. Certainly much bigger turds have been produced.

The problem wasn't necessarily quality, it was that THQ put a lot of money behind it being a big series (advertised it massively - same deal as Homefront) and it just didn't sell well at all.

Darksiders didn't break a million units on 360 (no numbers on PS3 version - but is likely lower). Darksiders 2 has barely sold a million over 360 and PS3 combined.

Wouldn't expect a Darksiders 3 regardless of where THQ and it's assets end up after this.

 

[Mighty P]

The uDraw was what really screwed over THQ. Before that they were actually doing well as a company, focusing on the more core games, trying some new IP and overall doing relatively well at it.

Then they hit paydirt with uDraw on Wii and thought it'd translate over to the PS3/360 audience. They ordered 2 million units and sold about 500k and lost $100 million from it, so all the good work they had done was negated.

Yeah, true, I remember reading a heap of features about the uDraw before it went bust, most gaming mags were writing about it and talking it up (or rather THQ were). And then a short while later all those same mags were writing about its demise and utter failure. These are the breaks I guess.

I wonder why they thought that uDraw was actually a good idea in the first place?

 

[HBK619]

Yeah, true, I remember reading a heap of features about the uDraw before it went bust, most gaming mags were writing about it and talking it up (or rather THQ were). And then a short while later all those same mags were writing about its demise and utter failure. These are the breaks I guess.

I wonder why they thought that uDraw was actually a good idea in the first place?

It sold 2 million units on Wii, I guess they thought even if they got 50% of that market on PS3/360 they'd come out on top. That was far from the case.

 

[BotsMaster]

So this means no more Company of Heroes 2?

 

[Jimmy Yamazaki]

So this means no more Company of Heroes 2?

All current games in development will get done. The news blog on THQ said future games should still come out. So guess it still will.

 

[Feraligatr]

I like most THQ games so it's a shame too see them go under.

 

[JR#8]

Ubisoft the front runner now apparently.

 

[Mighty P]

So this means no more Company of Heroes 2?

That was my first thought too, but have heard it will get made, thankfully too, cos COmpany of Heroes is an awesome game, would be a shame not to get a 2nd.

 

[sacka]

Ubisoft the front runner now apparently.

Im guessing that wouldn't go down well with pc gamers lol, but us console folk couldnt care less.

 

[Bobby P]

COH is a really fantastic game. Lets hope COH2 can bring them back.

 

[twce13]

looks like that titles could be auctioned of separately.

 

[Mighty P]

looks like that titles could be auctioned of separately.

Yeah, will be interesting to see who picks up what. Game of wait and see which IPs survive now I guess.

 

[HBK619]

EA or Warner Bros. look like being the one's in the hunt for Saints Row.

The auction for the assets of THQ will go on bid on January 22, so 23rd for us following in Aus.