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[shaowebb]

Relic, Vigil, Volition, THQ Montreal, and I think a couple other studios will go under and need bought up when this hits if I remember their studio list correctly. Likely someone will only by a studio or two and leave the rest to topple and fend for themselves. I'm hoping though that this becomes a major industry scavenging hunt for on the rise publishers and we get to see some surprise expansions like Insomniac further expanding into a montreal studio in a partial buyup, and Capcom bulk grabbing some studios since it fits in their announced business plan to aggressively expand into US studios (be interesting if they got the WWE license off of this thing).

My biggest fear is EA and Activision will grab them and do the usual thing with them. I really hope Activision isn't looking at Saints Row because they'd likely scalp the talent, scrap the studio and fire bomb the series under red tape to eliminate their competition via taking the people and the ideas from the series into their own GTA series. Though strangely I feel EA sports could handle WWE games...wouldn't be hard to outdo Yukes. Give it to the Fight Night team since they have the smoothest create a character and collision combat system of damage.

Hoping hard to see this turn into a hot spot for buying up studios because otherwise a lot of people won't be landing on their feet from this one. Either way in 10 months I have some SERIOUS competition to worry about on the market with this surge coming (it was already scary out there).

 

[TheOddOne]

Fucking hell, was it that large already?

I don't think so, but it was built for 500 people

 

[The Mana Legend]

Nintendo buying Volition and its IPs would probably help a lot of the dudebros buy Nintendo systems when they see Saint's Row 4 U.

 

[shaowebb]

Nintendo buying Volition and its IPs would probably help a lot of the dudebros buy Nintendo systems when they see Saint's Row 4 U.

Nintendo buys volition and tasks them with creating an open world mushroom kingdom for you to play in as Wario for the first major Wario World console title.

 

[The Bookerman]

I don't think so, but it was built for 500 people

it's not a 500 person studio yet... there not even in full prod on their game.

 

[Heart Attack]

sorry THQ for buying your games for the cheap. Metro, Darksiders, Saints Row and Red Faction are great IPs, but they arent great sellers and maybe not worth the investment for many. Relic studios and Volition can be sold easily and the Warhammer series is huge in Europe so it might be their most valuable asset.

 

[Kifimbo]

500 man studio with Assassins Creed head in charge? How about every publisher in the world with enough money to burn.

There isn't 500 people working at THQ Montreal. The studio opened at the beginning of 2010 and the goal was to hire 400-500 people over 5 years (2015).

 

[SolidSnakex]

Danny Bilson is a former Hollywood figure and good friend of del Toro, to shed a bit more light on that one.

That...seems like a really bad way to run a struggling company.

Speaking of del Toro, inSane would be on that 2014 cancellation list since he recently said that it was delayed until then

I think that’s the biggest, and the most fun, lesson I’ve been getting. We’re being really, really nasty in the game. We’re really trying a lot of stuff that I don’t think would even fly in the movies. It’s still two-and-a-half or three years away, though, because videogame development is so long.

http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/11/interview-guillermo-del-toro/all/1

 

[AlphaTwo00]

it's not a 500 person studio yet... there not even in full prod on their game.

Yup, they've been pushing the PR out about their studio hiring, but still looks like relatively early. You hear a lot of noise because there's so much competition for talent in Montreal.

 

[deleted]

I scanned the last few pages, but didn't find anything concrete.

What does this mean for Darksider 2, WarhammeroW III and such? The first hast to be almost in beta stadium and the latter was rumored to be announced any minute now.
Could Relic develop games based on the Warhammer IP because THQ bought the rights and offered them to work with them, or because Relic owns the game rights?

Either way, sad day, I hope the studios get picked up by someone "good" (not Activision).

 

[biggyfries]

Please don't let de Blob die. It needs a completed trilogy!!

 

[Patryn]

I scanned the last few pages, but didn't find anything concrete.

What does this mean for Darksider 2, WarhammeroW III and such? The first hast to be almost in beta stadium and the latter was rumored to be announced any minute now.
Could Relic develop games based on the Warhammer IP because THQ bought the rights and offered them to work with them, or because Relic owns the game rights?

Either way, sad day, I hope the studios get picked up by someone "good" (not Activision).

Darksiders 2 is likely to come out. DoW 3 is probably canned. If Relic gets bought, the company buying them would have to negotiate and pay for the Warhammer 40k license for Relic to continue making them.

 

[TheOddOne]

There isn't 500 people working at THQ Montreal. The studio opened at the beginning of 2010 and the goal was to hire 400-500 people over 5 years (2015).

Yes, but my point was that it's big enough to hold 500 people. Should have been more clear about that

 

[SolidSnakex]

Please don't let de Blob die. It needs a completed trilogy!!

de Blob is already dead. THQ shut down Blue Tongue last year.

 

[deleted]

Darksiders 2 is likely to come out. DoW 3 is probably canned. If Relic gets bought, the company buying them would have to negotiate and pay for the Warhammer 40k license for Relic to continue making them.

I see. That doesn't sound promising at all. But maybe we'll get another Homeworld now.

 

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

Please don't let de Blob die. It needs a completed trilogy!!

They're going to conclude it in a novel.

 

[Stumpokapow]

This has been a long time coming for THQ. Something will happen with them (bankruptcy/getting acquired/saved by Warren Buffet/etc), and then we should have a period of relative peace. Hopefully.

Majesco and SouthPeak are also on shaky ground financially, amongst publishers, and there's also the possibility of Disney totally leaving the industry. Beyond that I don't think any publishers have a chance of folding over the next 3-4 years.

 

[TaroYamada]

This is horrendously depressing news, I cannot think of a single THQ game I've liked in recent memory, Darksiders was ok, but still I was pulling for these guys. I hoped the best for them and still do.

 

[Lima]

And Pachter predicted it last year. Holy shit, end of days guys.

 

[toastyToast]

Poor THQ. Amongst publishers they had the one of the most varied catalogs. Shame they weren't more frugal with what they budgeted.

Hope the Saints Row team doesn't get ganked.

 

[Lupin3]

Damn, I really hope we'll see Homefront 2. Still enjoying 1 online. Good fun!

 

[AlphaTwo00]

Majesco and SouthPeak are also on shaky ground financially, amongst publishers, and there's also the possibility of Disney totally leaving the industry. Beyond that I don't think any publishers have a chance of folding over the next 3-4 years.

Does Disney have any devs left outside of junction point?

 

[SapientWolf]

Darksiders 2 is likely to come out. DoW 3 is probably canned. If Relic gets bought, the company buying them would have to negotiate and pay for the Warhammer 40k license for Relic to continue making them.

I don't think another pub would greenlight an RTS anyway. The World in Conflict devs got bought out by Ubi and now they're working on an action game.

 

[Keyser Soze]

They're going to conclude it in a novel.

I'd accept a colouring book

 

[K.Jack]

Now I'm really curious as to how much Games Workshop taxes for the 40k license.

 

[Shiggy]

Does Disney have any devs left outside of junction point?

The ones that made Disney Guilty Party which was NA-exclusive.

 

[Proelite]

Please buy Relic Valve, I trust nobody else

1 game every 5 years.

 

[AlphaTwo00]

I'd accept a colouring book

HAHAHAHA. Oh I wish more people knew what de Blob was to appreciate it.

 

[B_Rik_Schitthaus]

The ones that made Disney Guilty Party which was NA-exclusive.

That would be Wideload, founded by an Ex-Bungie guy.

 

[ProfessorMoran]

500 man studio with Assassins Creed head in charge? How about every publisher in the world with enough money to burn.

No wonder THQ is running out of money, unless you're cranking out a commercially successful game a year, you're essentially bleeding yourself dry, unless it's all government subsidy money you're burning and even that will eventually run dry, this shit is INSANE.

I hope to god Relic survives this.

There isn't 500 people working at THQ Montreal. The studio opened at the beginning of 2010 and the goal was to hire 400-500 people over 5 years (2015).

The goal should be to make good, commercially successful games with a stable workforce of about 100 or so people, the whole government money thing is like the gaming equivalent of the stimulus package, you burn through that money quickly and then close shop because it simply isn't sustainable.

 

[TheOddOne]

No wonder THQ is running out of money, unless you're cranking out a commercially successful game a year, you're essentially bleeding yourself dry, unless it's all government subsidy money you're burning and even that will eventually run dry, this shit is INSANE.

I hope to god Relic survives this.

Again, it is a studio set up for 500 people. It doesn't house 500 people right now, there plan was to do this in 4 to 5 years.

 

[SolidSnakex]

No wonder THQ is running out of money, unless you're cranking out a commercially successful game a year, you're essentially bleeding yourself dry, unless it's all government subsidy money you're burning and even that will eventually run dry, this shit is INSANE.

I hope to god Relic survives this.

To be fair, they "only" have 180 people on the team right now. They were hoping to grow to 500 in the next 3 years.

 

[cuyahoga]

How big/rich is Zenimax? Would they have any interest in picking up any of the studios?

Believe they have $100 million or so in capital.

If Microsoft buys Volition, that could lead to a Volition-developed Crackdown 3? Hmm…

 

[MrNyarlathotep]

I really hope Activision isn't looking at Saints Row because they'd likely scalp the talent, scrap the studio and fire bomb the series under red tape to eliminate their competition via taking the people and the ideas from the series into their own GTA series.

Errr... Activision don't have anything to do with GTA.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Does Disney have any devs left outside of junction point?

Wideload (Disney Guilty Party), Gamestar, Tapulous, Playdom, whatever is left of Avalanche.

 

[ProfessorMoran]

Again, it is a studio set up for 500 people. It doesn't house 500 people right now, there plan was to do this in 4 to 5 years.

You don't set up for 500 people period, or even 400, or even 200 unless you're going to have more than one team, in 4 to 5 years we're really talking about one IP, if you're lucky you'll have a second one and that is IF the initial IP is commercially successful which is not always the case, it's basically about planning all your spending before your feet are even planted firmly on the ground, basically piss-poor management, trying to run before you've even learned to walk.

With games costing $40-50 million to make and then maybe another $40-50 million to market, we're going to see maybe another mid-tier third-party publisher going down, and one well-known third-party developer closing shop among the Bungie/Respawn/Insomniac group from being cut loose by either Activision or EA and then subsequently running out of money.

Believe they have $100 million or so in capital.

If Microsoft buys Volition, that could lead to a Volition-developed Crackdown 3? Hmm…

You can blow through $100 mil for one game, easily. Zenimax is lucky they have Bethesda.

 

[TheOddOne]

You don't set up for 500 people period, or even 400, or even 200 unless you're going to have more than one team, in 4 to 5 years we're really talking about one IP, if you're lucky you'll have a second one and that is IF the initial IP is commercially successful which is not always the case, it's basically about planning all your spending before your feet are even planted firmly on the ground, basically piss-poor management.

With game costing $40-50 million to make and then maybe another $50 million to market, we're going to see maybe another mid-tier publisher going down, and one well-known third-party developer closing shop among the Bungie/Respawn/Insomniac group from being cut loose by either Activision or EA and then running out of money.

THQ bet big on Patrice Désilets, who headed up the Assassins Creed franchise, and wanted that studio to create the next big thing.

Smart decision? No, but THQ wanted a big splash. Well, that didn't work out for them too well.

 

[John Dunbar]

Nintendo buys volition and tasks them with creating an open world mushroom kingdom for you to play in as Wario for the first major Wario World console title.

wario beating daisy with a dildo would really be something.

 

[Mpl90]

Too many money spent in development, needs to reduce those costs in order to live, even if you're big big big, in some cases...Western developers need to invest better, to finally apply a dynamic price system, so what's not AAA in budget can be priced accordingly (medium tier new IPs and so on), and not 60 Dollars / Euros, and also invest in Digital Delivery...or the situation will come to a stage where there will be so few Western publishers that...that...Japanese publishers could have again a good space for their games, a comeback to late PSX - early PS2 era. Think about this "APOCALYPTIC SCENARIO!!!"

 

[infinityBCRT]

Patrice should just go back to Ubisoft to finish off AC3. I hear theres an opening after all...

 

[ProfessorMoran]

THQ bet big on Patrice Désilets, who headed up the Assassins Creed franchise, and wanted that studio to create the next big thing.

Smart decision? No, but THQ wanted a big splash. Well, that didn't work out for them too well.

The problem is THQ doesn't have a truly successful megahit IP, they're going to have problems selling their IPs, let alone their studios, I expect developers to be looking for jobs and bailing out long before the studio closures hit, Desilets will land of his feet but your mid-level guys and your workers may end up working on iphone games if they're lucky.

 

[Hero of Legend]

Wideload (Disney Guilty Party), Gamestar, Tapulous, Playdom, whatever is left of Avalanche.

I remember seeing a resume pointing to Wideload making another game, the person who worked on GP did quite a bit of work on the animation IIRC, and is doing so again, so it could be another console game. This was a few months ago so my memory of the finding is a tad fuzzy.

And it was founded by not just any Bungie person, but the founder and creator of Halo; Alex Seropian.

And Avalanche actually greatly expanded due to merging with Fall Line, obviously helped alot resource-wise, the FL team is probably the ones behind the Wii and PC versions of TS3 and Cars 2.

 

[Kifimbo]

Update from Game Informer:

Update: THQ PR got back to us and said they haven't heard anything about the rumored 2014 cancellations.

 

[TheSeks]

Hopefully Devil's Third makes it out and Itagki gets out of this sinking ship intact.

I'm surprised they're making Homeiceburg that sunk THQfront 2. Given the terrible reception of the first.

 

[ProfessorMoran]

Patrice should just go back to Ubisoft to finish off AC3. I hear theres an opening after all...

Would Patrice want to come back just to be Jade Raymond's foot stool again?

Hopefully Devil's Third makes it out and Itagki gets out of this sinking ship intact.

I'm surprised they're making Homeiceburg that sunk THQfront 2. Given the terrible reception of the first.

Wouldn't it be more honorable for Itagaki to go down with the sinking ship?

 

[Nfinit]

Was there any reason to think THQ had anything in the pipe for 2014 aside from the MMO?

 

[angelfly]

What will happen to Saint's Row? The generation continues to kill good development studios.

 

[Rodney McKay]

Haha. I just checked if Kotaku was reporting on this story and there are 8,000 less views for this THQ rumor than for the new .hack screenshots which is a newer post.

Ouch, THQ.

 

[Akia]

How big/rich is Zenimax? Would they have any interest in picking up any of the studios?

Pre Skyrim: $100m

Post Skyrim: $$$$

 

[trinest]

Damn, I really hope we'll see Homefront 2. Still enjoying 1 online. Good fun!

*high fives*

I too don't want to see the Homefront series die.

Looking at the esitmated release it probably is cancled. But it is developed externally from THQ (bar them publishing it) by Crytec. Maybe they will buy the IP? ha.