[V_Ben]

Update:

THQ is notably cagey about the MMO, instead of just outright saying it is still for sure in development.

THQ:

THQ has not cancelled its 2014 line-up, and has not made any decisions regarding the planned MMO. As part of the ongoing review of our business, we have made decisions to ensure that the company is strategically addressing the most attractive markets. As we have previously announced, we have dramatically reduced our commitment to the kids' boxed games sector which leads to a significantly more focused release schedule moving forward. Our slate for calendar 2012 and beyond is focused on high-quality core games and continues to build our digital platform and business. We are excited for our pipeline of original and high-quality content along with our relationships with some of the best talent in the industry. Additionally, we are thrilled with the great performance of Saints Row: The Third, which on a like for like period in North America has tripled in sell-through from Saints Row 2. In addition, WWE '12's worldwide sell-through sales are up almost 40% year-over-year for the same sales period with fewer platforms. According to NPD, for the month of December and the 2011 year, THQ was the #5 publisher overall, #4 third party, with reported sell through growing over 18% in a market that was down almost 6%. And coming up next, we have two great titles for the first half of the year including UFC Undisputed 3 and Darksiders 2. Ignore the second paragraph, it's all marketing. It's the first you should focus on. Specifically, the first sentence. One thing, the fact there'll be some kind of 2014 lineup, is very clearly stated. No room for argument. The exact future of Dark Millennium, the forever-in-development MMO based on Warhammer 40K, is not clearly stated. It's downright ambiguous. From Kotaku

GamesIndustry.biz:

Sources speaking to GamesIndustry.biz have suggested Dark Millennium Online, which was first announced in 2007, is currently being offered for sale to other companies. At least one THQ project based on a Disney licence to be released in 2014 has been given back to the media firm even though the publisher has paid an advance on the IP, according to Dent. Industry chatter suggests THQ is looking for a sale. The company has a market cap of just over $45 million - trading in the company was at a new low on Friday of $0.65. CVs for established talent at the company are said to be increasing in the recruitment market.

Source: http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...or-2014-rumour

Original:

Just for clarification: MMO = Warhammer 40K: Dark Millennium Online

Source:

Apparently, The Game Workshops MMO has been cancelled by THQ

https://twitter.com/#!/TheKevinDent/...54721651277824

@PeterSkerritt they cancelled all of their 2014

https://twitter.com/#!/TheKevinDent/...55824543531010

Also heard that THQ are offering themselves to Asian firms to increase value!

https://twitter.com/#!/TheKevinDent/...60060090114049

In addition, word is spreading that THQ has returned IP to Disney AFTER paying the advance, with no refund.

Jesus. Umm, hope the people working on the Warhammer MMO aren't fired and are moved on to Darksiders 2. What 2014 titles does THQ have? INsane is 2013, right? Same with Devil's Third? Hmm, what about Homefront 2?

Edit: Shit me, entirely forgot about THQ's new Canada office, the fuck are they working on, and when is it due? They hired Patrice for that...

Edit 2: Editing: I'm going to put Nirolak's post here, as people need to understand what this means;

I don't think people quite understand. This is it. They canceled all projects targeted for 2014. They only exist right now for the purposes of trying to sell the company.

[Lyphen]

Yeah, I often wondered what place Dark Millennium would have in the current MMO/F2P market. Poor THQ.

I really want the 40K brand to continue.

[ezekial45]

Ok, just to clarify; the games workshop MMO is Dark Millennium Online, right?

[1-D_FTW]

Sucks there doesn't appear to be any position for them in today's publishing structure.

Selfishly, I hope Darksiders 2 and Metro both make it out. I've got both of those coming free from my Wishlist and don't know how Valve would handle replacements if they got canceled.

[V_Ben]

Ok, just to clarify; the games workshop MMO is Dark Millennium Online, right?

Indeed.

[Kifimbo]

Wow.

You also forgot Patrice Désilets' new game.

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

Let's hope WB is in the buying mood.

Sucks there doesn't appear to be any position for them in today's publishing structure. Selfishly, I hope Darksiders 2 and Metro both make it out. I've got both of those coming free from my Wishlist and don't know how Valve would handle replacements if they got canceled.

10% off Valve games token.

[sixteen-bit]

Hope Devil's Third is safe.

[Nirolak]

It was just a matter of time unfortunately.

[Moaradin]

The sucks about the 40k MMO. The market for new MMOs is pretty harsh right now.

[animlboogy]

No World of Darkness due to money problems, no 40,000 MMO due to money problems. Rough translating tabletop to the MMO space these days.

[inky]

It was just a matter of time unfortunately.

Yep. It's been a long time coming.

[Nirolak]

I've updated the title a bit.

This is essentially them going bankrupt and trying to sell out.

[ezekial45]

Indeed.

That sucks. Not surprising though. It's a bit sad to see THQ turn out like this though. Just last year, they rebranded themselves as being one of the industry leaders. Now look at them.

Yeesh! I wonder how Del Toro's and Patrice's new games is going to turn out.

[perfectnight]

Yeah, I often wondered what place Dark Millennium would have in the current MMO/F2P market. Poor THQ. I really want the 40K brand to continue.

Never mind with Titan being revealed this or next year. Between GW2 and Titan it would have been DOA.

[crimsonheadGCN]

No World of Darkness due to money problems, no 40,000 MMO due to money problems. Rough translating tabletop to the MMO space these days.

World of Darkness is still coming though. The development of it was just halted till the end of year, so they could focus on fixing EVE and getting Dust out.

[V_Ben]

It was just a matter of time unfortunately.

Yeah... I don't think THQ could have supported a MMO launch.

Also, god damn American spelling :P

[BY2K]

Hey hey hey hey hey, not before Darksiders 2 is out! Got that, THQ!? Don't let Vigil down on this!

[Yo Gotti]

Hope Devil's Third is safe.

Basically.

[Petrichor]

Does THQ have any good IPs?

[Nirolak]

Hey hey hey hey hey, not before Darksiders 2 is out! Got that, THQ!? Don't let Vigil down on this!

I don't think people quite understand.

This is it.

They canceled all projects targeted for 2014. They only exist right now for the purposes of trying to sell the company.

[V_Ben]

I've updated the title a bit. This is essentially them going bankrupt and trying to sell out.

Cheers, I didn't think of the wider implications.

[animlboogy]

World of Darkness is still coming though. The development of it was just halted till the end of year, so they could focus on fixing EVE and getting Dust out.

Ah, that's good to hear. I was under the impression that it was being shoved under the rug indefinitely. Nice that there's a solid plan in place, we could use another game in that setting, especially a hardcore MMO.

[ghst]

and so dies gaming's traditional middle class.

show's over folks.

[crimsonheadGCN]

I have a hard time believing DMO was cancelled. Thought it was nearly completed.

Does THQ have any good IPs?

Darksiders, Homeworld, Saint's Row, Red Faction, etc.

[Y2Kev]

goodbye, thq~

[Nirolak]

Cheers, I didn't think of the wider implications.

Yeah, it can be a little confusing at first.

Especially given the nature of the tweets not just stating "THQ is dead."

[ghst]

World of Darkness is still coming though. The development of it was just halted till the end of year, so they could focus on fixing EVE and getting Dust out.

that's if dust doesn't sink the company, first.

[sphinx]

wait, so this means, they still plan to publish games this year and 2013 but afterwards they are done with the business and want someone to buy them?

[ezekial45]

Does THQ have any good IPs?

Saint's Row, Red Faction, Darksiders, and Homefront (which Crytek is making the sequel to). Plus the new games from guillermo del toro and patrice desilets.

[PsychoRaven]

That's sad to hear. It really is. However it's not surprising. When you manage your company into the ground and then embrace anti consumer practices you tend to run out of money eventually. I really hope someone who hasn't adopted anti consumer practices manages to pick them up and use their franchises wisely and that everyone that works for them lands on their feet.

[-Pyromaniac-]

Ah yes, this was inevitable at this point. Interesting to see what happens.

[SpacePirate Ridley]

But Saints Row and Darksiders :(

[Yenrot]

Crap! InSANE :(:(:(

[Herbspicesoy]

Too bad, I was hoping Dark Millennium would fill the large-scale (open world) pvp/rvr gap in the current MMORPG market.

[crimsonheadGCN]

Saint's Row, Red Faction, Darksiders, and Homefront (which Crytek is making the sequel to). Plus the new games from guillermo del toro and patrice desilets.

THQ also owns the Homeworld IP.

[Alrus]

Damn Desilet must feel a bit stupid about jumping ship right now...

[Nirolak]

wait, so this means, they still plan to publish games this year and 2013 but afterwards they are done with the business and want someone to buy them?

Well, they don't want to stop working on their immediate projects because someone who wants to buy them will probably want those.

They don't want any long term projects though because they don't want those lowering their value to buyers and they probably can't stay alive even through 2012 as it stands, so keeping the other projects going is mostly in name only unless they get a buyer.

[Uriah]

I hope Metro: Last Light is still coming.

[ezekial45]

This is fucked UUUUUUUUUP.

Hopefully, Saint's Row, Red Faction, and Darksiders can find good homes. WB Games seems like a pretty cool publisher.

[EatChildren]

Could see it coming from a mile away.

[BY2K]

I don't think people quite understand. This is it. They canceled all projects targeted for 2014. They only exist right now for the purposes of trying to sell the company.

Well, Darksiders 2 is coming out in 2012 unless they push it back and Vigil can still find another publisher after this, I think Darksiders has proven it's a franchise worth the trouble. So I'm good on that side.

But goddamn, THQ? I knew they had trouble recently, but damn.

[perfectnight]

that's if dust doesn't sink the company, first.

And If I were to guess, that's exactly what is going to happen unless they can get a bunch of those eve fanatics to also subscribe to Dust.

[Razorskin]

Wow. You also forgot Patrice Désilets' new game.

They always come crawling back



ahahahahahahaha

[herod]

HD consoles claim another victim.

[Ether_Snake]

Imagine if Square Enix buys them too.

HD consoles claim another victim.

Yeah, sure, the Wii would have saved them!

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

I have a hard time believing DMO was cancelled. Thought it was nearly completed. Darksiders, Homeworld, Saint's Row, Red Faction, etc.

Darksiders to WB
Homworld to 2K
Saint's Row to Majesco

[TreIII]

Hope Devil's Third is safe.

Same here. The fact that it's not even coming out until next year is painful enough. Now it's got the death of its publisher looming.

[sphinx]

Well, they don't want to stop working on their immediate projects because someone who wants to buy them will probably want those. They don't want any long term projects though because they don't want those lowering their value to buyers and they probably can't stay alive even through 2012 as it stands, so keeping the other projects going is mostly in name only unless they get a buyer.

sounds terrible, they really are knocked out.

I didn't own many THQ games but this is sad news anyway :S

[Phonomezer]

But Saints Row and Darksiders :(

God, I want to buy SR3 this week, just finished Darksiders and currently playing Metro 2033.

Last Light and DS2 had better arrive on time!!