Disney could be a potentially good suitor. They already have a relationship. It would depend on how much they're looking to expand.
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Rumor: THQ Cancels Their 2014 Line-Up & MMO, Looking For Buyers [Up: THQ Responds]
- Thread starter V_Ben
- Start date
Cygnus X-1
Member
Holy shit if true. Could this be the first "big" developer after Midway that sinked to the hell?
Cash crunch.
They signed up a Wells Fargo lone that had milestones and they have to pay back by the end of the fiscal year.
They won't have enough cash to market their games effectively next year or pay staff when their games bomb because of it.
But yes, uDraw, poor catalog sales, and likely bad UFC pre-orders are killing them to the point where they know they can't hit their sales milestones.
brain_stew
Member
Bollocks. THQ have put out some fantastic and unique content this generation. Hopefully Volition and Relic remain untouched, but that looks unlikely.
Still..bad scenarios that can happen here for you..Like
1-Publisher buy THQ IPs and studio but already have RPG developers so shut down Vigil and let it's own studio to make new Darksiders games.
2-THQ sells Vigil to someone then sells Darksiders IP to someone else.
You can't forget Homefront.
EatChildren
Currently polling second in Australia's federal election (first in the Gold Coast), this feral may one day be your Bogan King.
Most probably, yes. They were a huge financial investment and tanked unbelievably badly. The price keeps dropping and still nobody wants them.
The next UFC is pre-ordering quite well here, actually. Nothing amazing, but still quite good. I checked it the other day.
Any signs of how UFC is doing on your end btw?
That used to sell 4 million, then went down to 2.6 million, and if this one dropped much further...
Edit: I see you've answered already!
Vigil yeah, the Darksiders people.
The studio was actually created to make it.
It wasn't specific to any game, it was specific to cash. Cash is always the final arbiter.
They've simply run out of cash and cash equivalents. They could pay their loans back but then they couldn't make payroll.
Edit: I see this has already been answered.
Sho_Nuff82
Member
They have quite a few talented teams and a handful of popular ip. I'm optimistic that a lot of these guys will land on their feet at other publishers. Hopefully pubs with better business sense.
You have to wonder how much they lost on a game like Space Marine.
Edit: seems Gabestradamus was right about taking toxic loans.
You have to wonder how much they lost on a game like Space Marine.
Edit: seems Gabestradamus was right about taking toxic loans.
Well this sucks. Hope Volition and Vigil games survive. Would hate to see them sinking....
Also, doesn't THQ own 4A Games aswell (Metro)? Please don't let this affect Last Light
They're just publishing 4A.
They own the rights to Last Light though.
GodfatherX
Member
I think if THQ wanted to sell studios and IPs seperately then the company itself Zenimax would grab Volition and SR, but who knows if THQ wants that. By selling Volition, Relic, and Vigil they greatly reduce their overall value
Despite Microsoft moving to a smaller 1st/2nd party structure I wouldn't be surprised to see them snag Vigil and Volition. I doubt they would want the Darksiders IP but would get the SR one. Having a SR exclusive game, early in the next gen cycle could do big things. Vigil doing a new IP with similar structure to Darksiders would fill a genre MS has never been able to.
ClosingADoor
Member
I think their whole 2011 line-up bombed or underperformed. Homefront, Space Marine and Saints Row didn't do so good in the end. Red Faction and uDraw bombed hard. And their line-up for 2012-2013 isn't filled with million sellers either.
They wanted to compete with the big boys, but just don't have the right games for it.
UFC 3 will sell well seeing how much this sport has grown and how much marketing this game is getting. It's been 2 years since the last one as well. Probably won't sell as good as the first one though.
Wtf? so less people can experience their games? whats the logic in that.
He's making fun of people.
crimsonheadGCN
Banned
With the way he phrased that whole thing, I would assume he was joking. He didn't even name his favorite company.
Diprosalic
Banned
as someone who owns all consoles and handhelds i wish every game was an exclusive...
NemesisPrime
Banned
There goes my Dawn of War 3. *snif*
No shit. That would be the worst.
AgentChris
Member
Surprised they survived this long. Too bad about Patrice Desilets game
Femmeworth
Banned
Reilc better make it out of this okay.
Grampa Simpson
Banned
Ignis Fatuus
Banned
Really terrible news. I hope all the studios find new homes that suit them.
As much as I like the idea of folding Vigil into Retro, I don't think Nintendo has bought up a western company since...Retro.
As much as I like the idea of folding Vigil into Retro, I don't think Nintendo has bought up a western company since...Retro.
Philip Kollar and Arthur Gies seem to believe him, and they should both have enough sources to know whether this is true or not.
jim-jam bongs
Member
I'd be very surprised if someone didn't pick up Darksiders, the creator might even buy the rights back from THQ considering he's planning comic books and a movie.
Yeah, probably. I guess there will be an official reaction tomorrow.
As for THQ, I was never a fan of them except of their wrestling games. Infact, I'd like to see where the WWE will go for their video games. Could EA or Activision snap the licence?
Could be true? Retro did hire some former Vigil artists.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=458438&highlight=retro+studios
I would not be surprised if Retro offers more jobs.
Could be true? Retro did hire some former Vigil artists.
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=458438&highlight=retro+studios
I would not be surprised if Retro offers more jobs.
charlequin
Banned
True, but Saint's Row is already a somewhat successful proven franchise. But good point.
To some degree I think it's just about diversification for its own sake. In a vacuum, SE might not be interested in an RTS, but given the opportunity to pick up an efficient developer who makes steadily profitable efforts in that space for a song, it might be worthwhile just as a way to establish a steady moneymaker in one more place outside their current coverage.
Yep, I agree. The more I think about it, WB would be a very good fit -- I had forgotten that WB had already just gone through this process with Midway and seem to have emerged pretty effectively with MK, so like I was saying with SE I think WB also have the demonstrated ability to make a deal like this and actually convert their new assets successfully.
AcceptableGhost
Member
If they fall over that means all of their games would disappear from digital distributions wouldnt it? If someone doesn't own the IP and the game rights then they get pulled immediately I am pretty sure.
The guy on Twitter has clarified that it's Games Workshop's MMO, not Vigil's.
https://twitter.com/#!/TheKevinDent/status/158602823590875138
Unless he's getting confused since DMO is worked on by multiple studios.
https://twitter.com/#!/TheKevinDent/status/158602823590875138
Unless he's getting confused since DMO is worked on by multiple studios.
Activision already shat on and cancelled and sold Ture Crime so I don't think they care about sandbox games.
EA have ridiculous strategy and want to have hand in every genre(and steals fans of the top games in every genre),so by getting SR and Volition they might get some of Rockstar market ..so maybe
Their games are always among the ones heavily discounted on Steam sales already. I own pretty much all of their games that would interest me bought at rebate prices.
Phife Dawg
Member
They spend a lot of money on stuff like Homefront, uDraw PS360, RF:A, Blob 2 and Space Marine without attracting the necessary audience.
This! EA, MS and the likes keep your filthy hands from them and kill off other studios please.
Gave it a fair shot, bored me, went on. If I can reduce my backlog one of these days I might give it another try.
TheNatural
My Member!
A little note about THQ. I was looking for some cheap fitness games on Wii the other day, was going to look into getting UFC Personal Trainer, and looked up info on it and basically THQ released a bum game that freezes up to the point where the Wii has to be physically shut down by unplugging the system. There are hundreds of complaints about this and they've done nothing about it. They releases a game who's quality control literally lacked to the point where the game literally breaks the system.
There are videos of WWE 12 out there where wrestlers are contorting themselves in ridiculous ways because of how glitchy it is.
Other lolz include the Homefront promotional debacle, where they released hundreds of balloons that promptly flew into the Pacific Ocean. They turned Saints Row 3 into a DLC machine instead of a complete game. I played the first UFC game, and the novelty of it was great and the gameplay was good, but no one got the fact that running though 20 menu screens to get to actually play isn't fun.
THQ is the Acclaim of 2012. The company itself deserves to go under for it's complete lack of quality control, and you can tell they're under the gun trying to get games released without making sure they're not broken.
When I say THQ deserves to go under, that doesn't mean the development studios necessarily do. Volition is the gem in this crap heap, and I'm hoping Rockstar Games picks them up and lets them work on the next GTA or lets them keep making a Saints Row type alternative game under the Rockstar banner. RIP THQ.
There are videos of WWE 12 out there where wrestlers are contorting themselves in ridiculous ways because of how glitchy it is.
Other lolz include the Homefront promotional debacle, where they released hundreds of balloons that promptly flew into the Pacific Ocean. They turned Saints Row 3 into a DLC machine instead of a complete game. I played the first UFC game, and the novelty of it was great and the gameplay was good, but no one got the fact that running though 20 menu screens to get to actually play isn't fun.
THQ is the Acclaim of 2012. The company itself deserves to go under for it's complete lack of quality control, and you can tell they're under the gun trying to get games released without making sure they're not broken.
When I say THQ deserves to go under, that doesn't mean the development studios necessarily do. Volition is the gem in this crap heap, and I'm hoping Rockstar Games picks them up and lets them work on the next GTA or lets them keep making a Saints Row type alternative game under the Rockstar banner. RIP THQ.
The Nature Roy
Member
Joe Mad is also doing work for Marvel on the side (where he originally made his name).
Imagine if Disney acquired them and put them to work in hopes of finally creating some decent action-adventure Marvel games.
Well then GW should just buy Relic too.... Even if that means them making WH40k games for eternity.