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[Decado]

Wow...given how much talent of Relic's talent left of the past years, I wouldn't expect it to sell for nearly that much. Does that somehow include the Warhammer license?

 

[Glass Rebel]

I think you're mistaken. Take 2 bought Evolve rather than Turtle Rock because THQ never owned Turtle Rock in the first place. They're just using studios as shorthand for the associated IPs.

I wonder about that because nobody has mentioned it. I wouldn't be against it though, that would mean SEGA publishing Company of Heroes 2.

 

[fizzelopeguss]

No I mean I agree Relic is very valuable, but Saints Row sold huge amounts.

CoH 2 should be practically finished at this point, a free game for a bargain bin priced studio.

 

[GK86]

Ubi got a (pretty) new studio in THQ Montreal, publishing rights for a game that is practically finished, and they get to make Desilets life a living hell for jumping ship. I think they won the auction.

 

[Shard]

I am guessing the others are waiting for even lower prices or something.

 

[Pai Pai Master]

I thought this, too. Can anyone clear this up?

From what I recall, Valve did hire Turtle Rock but they did not incorporate them into their own studio like they normally do with acquired teams. They were in their own studio and I think there were some differences that resulted in most or all of the Turtle Rock team breaking back off from Valve. Not 100% sure on that but I believe that was the case.

 

[SteveWinwood]

Well they likely have the requirement to get the studio to 400 people still form the Canadian government.

Gotta get those tax credits!

 

[erpg]

Good price for Relic. I'm expecting great things.

 

[Vulcano's assistant]

I think the Figure for Relic comes from the fact that it is the only studio with a game almost ready to ship.

 

[grandjedi6]

Well they likely have the requirement to get the studio to 400 people still form the Canadian government.

I'd be surprised if Ubisoft doesn't just merge THQ Montreal with Ubisoft Montreal.

 

[FoneBone]

I have to imagine that returned to Games Workshop. Hopefully we'll get some info soon.

I would have thought so, too, but I can't figure out why else it would've been more than Volition. Unless it's just that they have a game much closer to completion than does Volition?

 

[Wiktor]

Could the Relic figure have included the Warhammer license?

Doubt it, but I'm sure it included almost-done COH2. I doubt Volition has any projects close to completion. Sega bassicaly bought both studio and game that will most likely sell 2 mln copies. If you think about it like that, it's a good price. meanwhile anyone who buys Volition will have to pump dozens of millions into it before getting game on the shelves.

 

[Ghost]

I think the biggest surprise to me in this whole thing is that Koch Media isn't already the name of something in Saints Row 3.

 

[Vustadumas]

Southpark Studios trying to block sale of IP

 

[Shard]

Brian Crecente ‏@crecenteb

The hearing confirming the sale of THQ just started.

 

[Square Triangle]

Going to finish Darksiders 2 this week. Gotta pour one out

 

[JaxJag]

Homefront actually sold ok, just not for what they spent on developing the game.

I could see if the sequel has a lower budget, it doing fine.

 

[Pooya]

Ubi got a (pretty) new studio in THQ Montreal, publishing rights for a game that is practically finished, and they get to make Desilets life a living hell for jumping ship. I think they won the auction.

all of that for 5.7m, ridiculous :lol

 

[Quentyn]

Very surprising that WB doesn't get anything. I thought they would pick up at least one of the studios.

 

[Totobeni]

We just need more info about the rest of the IPs now.

Darksiders is a franchise with potential, but Vigil was not a good developer to pull it off, so I am not surprised that nobody is touching them especially after Joe Madureira left a while ago.

Vigil might be dead, but they didn't own the Darksiders IP, so there still is a chance that somebody picks up the IP. But then again... the sales number showed that there is not enough interest so maybe they let it die together with Vigil.
.

Vigil was good dev and their engine and combat system in DS2 were great, Darksiders 1 and 2 biggest problem was the story and that is Joe Mad fault.

 

[YuriLowell]

So could we start a Gaf kickstarter for Vigil?

 

[HoosTrax]

I believe Relic's games were consistently profitable, they had multiple IP connected to them that showed promise, and had a history of making several great games in different genres.

Volition's best game was made 13 years ago. Admittedly it was a very good game.

Relic is kind of an almost immediate payoff as well, with CoH2 in closed beta, getting ready for release.

Question -- who gets the money from previous CoH2 preorders?

 

[Azih]

I think the Figure for Relic comes from the fact that it is the only studio with a game almost ready to ship.

They really fit Sega's portfolio to a T too though.

Can they make a crossover game?

Total War VS Company of Heroes.

 

[Kuroyume]

Darksiders was a flash in the pan. Second game underperformed because the IP isnt that great.

 

[SpacePirate Ridley]

I think some people are mixing studios and IPs. Just because Koch Media got Volition doesn't mean they bought Saints Row as well.

It doesn't seem they did. The IPs and licenses that got sold were mentioned by name in the announcement.

Im sure that means that they got Volition with their franchises, they all come in the same pack. If not we would have seen Red Faction or Saints Row separate on the list, bought by another publisher.
I could be wrong of course, but it seems pretty sure to me they come in the same pack, if they dont appear anywhere more in the list. Koch Media wanted Volition AND (and because) Saints Row.

I hope you are right on this.

WTF? Why would you want an IP separate of the studio that made it great? Koch Media will probably leave them do what they want.

 

[Vilam]

Apparently the THQ estate is retaining their legacy IP... wonder what will happen to all of it. There are some interesting titles left in limbo there.

 

[Shard]

Hunter ‏@DDInvesting

THQ: Total proceeds of auction close to $100M Estate retaining cash on hand, accounts receivable, legacy library, to name a few

 

[Hrothgar]

It probably didn't, but I suspect Sega will go relicense it separately.

It would make sense, unless Games Workshop wants to spread their bets around (as SEGA/CA already have the normal Warhammer license)

 

[Kun Aguero]

$5.8 for Metro series? Last Light is pretty much finished, isn't it down for a March release? Instant profit for Koch Media?

 

[Visualante2]

South Park with UPlay

I ain't buying it. Such a shame.

 

[Neuromancer]

Apparently the THQ estate is retaining their legacy IP... wonder what will happen to all of it. There are some interesting titles left in limbo there.

What does legacy IP mean?

 

[Byronic Hero]

Stick of Truth's credits just tripled.

 

[szaromir]

That $71 million figure is way closer to the original Clearlake bid than I thought it was going to be.

I really thought the final number was going to be somewhere between $100-120 million.

The difference being Clearlake offering $10M to pay off some of THQ's debt and $50M to run the company for some time until the first wave of games (South Park, Metro, Saint's Row) would come out. That $10M figure was laughable and THQ's creditors blocked the entire operation.

 

[Azih]

Apparently the THQ estate is retaining their legacy IP... wonder what will happen to all of it. There are some interesting titles left in limbo there.

Everything will end up somewhere. Vultures can come in and pick the carcass dry for cheap.

 

[Data West]

HOLY SHIT on that Volition price. Koch must sell drugs

 

[Glass Rebel]

Stick of Truth's credits just tripled.

holy shit :lol

 

[Neuromancer]

$5.8 for Metro series? Last Light is pretty much finished, isn't it down for a March release? Instant profit for Koch Media?

Well they still have to market it, print it and distribute it. But yeah.

 

[prudislav]

For harcore Vigil fan - this is a bad news :-(

 

[Beaulieu]

Ubisoft buys THQ montreal. What does this mean ? The employees contracts and the comptuers / servers ? Or does it also mean all projects that were in progress ? (design documents, etc) ?

 

[Patryn]

Hunter ‏@DDInvesting

Wait... if the auction is close to $100 million, that means that there's something like $30 million missing in those figures. Unless they're being SUPER generous and rounding $70 million up.

 

[Nirolak]

Yeah but I mean I think Relic is the better long-term investment. I don't think we can be sure what Saint's Row long term sales appeal is...

Yeah, I was thinking that as well.

Publishers must be worried Saints Row won't sustain, while they did not have that fear of Relic even if their games sell much less.

 

[Yoshi]

Why would Nintendo of all companies want 2 Austin, TX dev teams?

Does it really matter if they are both in Austin? Also they could still fuse them to have a bigger western studio. The one thing, Nintendo certainly is lacking in is western games / studios and seeing that noone wants to develop games for Wii U they could well use another studio that at least somewhat fits their style of game development - and has experience with developing for Wii U.

 

[Azih]

Well they still have to market it, print it and distribute it. But yeah.

They did well with Dead Island I feel. New IP and all.

 

[Quentyn]

Kotaku has a list with runner ups. Bethesda was the other party interested in Relic.

http://kotaku.com/5978425/thq-is-getting-sold-off-today++heres-everything-we-know

 

[Nokterian]

I hope a new Red Faction from Volition a la Guerilla. Really i want that.

 

[BraXzy]

Do Relic's games sell that much? I'm surprised it sold for more than Volition, since Saints Row 3 was such a success

 

[Totobeni]

I ain't buying it. Such a shame.

I'll have to change my pre order to one of the consoles

 

[inky]

Geez, those prices.

Crytek got a bargain at half a million for a game they were already developing anyways. And I love SEGA opening up the checkbook. Relic is fucking worth it.

 

[Nirolak]

Wait... if the auction is close to $100 million, that means that there's something like $30 million missing in those figures. Unless they're being SUPER generous and rounding $70 million up.

They might be counting the cash THQ still had in the bank.

 

[Black Republican]

Volition, Inc.

Maker of Saints Row
Winning bidder: Koch Media, $22,312,925.
Runner-up: Ubisoft, $5.4 million.

why so small ubi?