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[Monty Mole]

Microsoft, you know what to do. 1st party needs to grow ASAP

Yes, they'll spend a bunch of money on THQ and then the best of the talent will gradually drift away over the next 12 months. They'll be left with shitty studios that will eventually be closed down.

Or, they could continue their current strategy of building studios from the ground up that already fit in to their existing infrastructure. Turn10 alone proves that to be a better strategy.

 

[Card Boy]

It wouldnt surprise me if that Take 2 guy was right.

Also not sure why they are still price gouging their games in certain regions considering they are in the shitter ( in regards to PC DD gaming).

 

[Kifimbo]

Developing...

Zelnick: "While discussing our strategy I spoke out of turn about someone else’s. It was inappropriate and I regret it."

 

[Speevy]

Oh give me a break.

I REGRET NOTHING

 

[SykoTech]

Wouldn't be surprised if they were right.

yes just yes. There hasn't been a truly great Zelda game since OOT. Windwaker almost but the end fetch quest ruined it. Maybe if I played the GC version of Twilight Princess ?

The Gamecube version is the better of the two, but it obviously doesn't fix the bland overworld and stuff. I don't think it would change your opinion much.

 

[Dash Kappei]

Who made the WWE All Stars game?

That was great, much better than that yearly Smackdown garbage.

Hell yes sir, just lacking a proper 2p mode and some more content, the foundation, design and style made it the first WWE game to ever get me interested again in WWE games (FirePro series was much much better) other than the mighty WWF Superstars and WWF Wrestlefest arcade games made by Technos (no I never tried No Mercy by Aki). Unfortunately the game didn't sell well at all compared to the yearly shitty WWE games.

 

[TaroYamada]

I kind of doubt 6 months, I am saying mid-later 2013 for THQ to die. Their management is pretty terrible, but they are the best western publisher in terms or releasing high quality, internally developed, content on a regular basis; Red Faction, Warhammer, Saints Row and Darksiders. Then there's the lame wrestling and ufc stuff that I could not care less about, but it sells well. All of their remaining franchises are successful as far as I know, these are just faint figures I heard at one point or another but I had heard UFC shipped nearly 3 million, that SR 3 was beyond the 3 mill shipped, and I am quite sure the first Darksiders pushed a mill too. At this point their remaining franchises are profitable, but they need new management.

 

[Fjordson]

Considering all of the news lately hinting at THQ being dead in the water, he doesn't sound too far off base.

 

[Drek]

I'm betting on SE stepping in and buying up THQ's corpse when on the brink of failure.

Their purchase of Eidos was perfectly timed and gave immediate payoffs with some of Eidos' releases shortly thereafter and they're now seeing a well paced stream of content coming from Eidos of the next year or so.

That move looks to have paid off in spades and has given them a very capable European base. THQ would give them a good North American pillar and the failure point will likely be on the verge of several other worthwhile games being ready for release (DoW3, Saints Row 4, Itagaki's new game, etc. are all very real possibilities). Could be a very similar scenario that puts SE in position to meet their long ago stated goal of challenging EA and Activision for the #1 3rd party role.

 

[Busty]

Square Enix-Eidos is the best possible match for the healthy studios at THQ.

I'm betting on SE stepping in and buying up THQ's corpse when on the brink of failure.

True but Time Warner loves a bargain (Midway for example) and it's still in the process of building it's video game operations.

Despite the fact they folded Monolith, Snowblind and everyone else into one large studio I still think we'll see WB Games aggressively expand and the Saint's Row IP is right up their alley.

 

[Jarmel]

This is most likely the case. Hopefully Itagaki can get his game out atleast.

 

[Fjordson]

Edit

Just recently? Nah, that's always been a Zenimax/Bethesda joint as far as I know.

Edit: ah, defeated by a quick edit

 

[5amshift]

God damn these guys better be right..

 

[Jarmel]

Just recently? Nah, that's always been a Zenimax/Bethesda joint as far as I know.

Edit: ah, defeated by a quick edit

Ninja skills. Yea I screwed up. All the talk about Take-Two possibly buying out the project confused me for a second.

 

[Stumpokapow]

"Obviously, Mr. Zelnick's perception of THQ is outdated and inaccurate. His comments are irresponsible and false. The Americans have not reached the walls of Baghdad and dying in the desert!"

She says as the American tanks are visible behind her.

 

[Dysun]

Darksiders was a mediocre Zelda game at best.

Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess are boring gimmicky Zelda games at best

 

[spanks]

I'm betting on SE stepping in and buying up THQ's corpse when on the brink of failure.

I could totally see that. Microsoft could use the talent, and Nintendo could use the demographics, but SE are the ones smart enough to actually do it.

For the price of Final Fantasy XIV/Versus, you get:

Itagaki
Patrice Desilets (and his 500-man team)
Guillermo Del Toro
Volition
Vigil
Relic
4A Games
Free Radical's Homefront
UFC and Warhammer licences

Though restructuring would take some time/money.

 

[radioheadrule83]

Given what take two and THQ have in the pipeline, I'd rather have THQ survive if I'm honest.. although obviously I've no ill-will to either.

Seems like incredibly bad-form by Zelnick to me. THQ have a great lineup this year, led by Darksiders II -- I don't like the idea of anyone kicking them while they're trying to recover from their ailments.

 

[ari]

Time for EA sports WWE 2013

 

[Totobeni]

I hope Volition gets a good home.

The only publisher I see want to have GTA style game and might buy them is EA

but that not a good home at all.

 

[Defuser]

I could totally see that. Microsoft could use the talent, and Nintendo could use the demographics, but SE are the ones smart enough to actually do it.

For the price of Final Fantasy XIV/Versus, you get:

Itagaki
Patrice Desilets (and his 500-man team)
Guillermo Del Toro
Volition
Vigil
Relic
4A Games
Free Radical's Homefront
UFC and Warhammer licences

Though restructuring would take some time/money.

lol,nobody wants yukes.

 

[BHK3]

Just as long as my warhammer is safe, I'm happy.

 

[SolidSnakex]

I could totally see that. Microsoft could use the talent, and Nintendo could use the demographics, but SE are the ones smart enough to actually do it.

For the price of Final Fantasy XIV/Versus, you get:

Itagaki
Patrice Desilets (and his 500-man team)
Guillermo Del Toro
Volition
Vigil
Relic
4A Games
Free Radical's Homefront
UFC and Warhammer licences

Though restructuring would take some time/money.

I can see SE being interested in buying specific devs (with their IP), but that's it. I can't imagine that they'd want THQ as a whole. They just have too many problems. Patrice's team, Volition w/ SR and Vigil would probably be the 3 teams that would interest them most. A new LoK/SR by Vigil would be very interesting.

 

[ViewtifulJC]

This seems pretty accurate. THQ has been the poster child for mid-tier developers just not cutting it this generation. At this rate, Devil's Third will NEVER come out.

Well, I hope Vigil/Volition live on in some form.

 

[BD1]

The WWE License is an interesting case for THQ. WWE games are popular, at or near the top of THQ's best selling games and its an annuity franchise. But what are the costs of carrying the license?

Would it make more sense for THQ to focus on other projects and let someone else have take up the license? I know WWE'12 and All Stars were huge hits for them, but that won't happen every year.

 

[SolidSnakex]

The WWE License is an interesting case for THQ. WWE games are popular, at or near the top of THQ's best selling games and its an annuity franchise. But what are the costs of carrying the license?

Would it make more sense for THQ to focus on other projects and let someone else have take up the license? I know WWE'12 and All Stars were huge hits for them, but that won't happen every year.

WWE games are among their best sellers, so it makes sense to keep them as long as they possibly can. But the UFC license is exactly why Zelnick is criticizing them. It's a complete waste of money. The first game sold well, but ever since then it's been on a steady nosedive in sales. That would be an indication to slow down the game output or kill off the series if it was an original IP. So what can they do with the UFC license? The UFC isn't going to want their brand just sitting around, so THQ will have to inevitably waste more resources on a brand that's selling poorly compared to expectations.

 

[Femmeworth]

Somebody not shitty please save Relic.

 

[Totobeni]

Just as long as my warhammer is safe, I'm happy.

Warhammer as an IP/brand is completely safe since THQ don't own it ( Games Workshop do) even when THQ and Relic dies, other publisher will most likely just pick it and makes new games out of it.

 

[AzureNightmare]

Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess are boring gimmicky Zelda games at best

You clearly have horrible taste in Zelda games then.

 

[Hey You]

As long as the Saints Row franchise is safe and I get SR4, I'm good.

I'm in this boat as well, don't really care about anything else THQ has to offer. Saints Row being with any other publisher might not be the same franchise we've come to love.

 

[Angry Fork]

I really hope not because I want Metro Last Light. First game had amazing atmosphere I want more.

 

[crimsonheadGCN]

There was an update to the original article on Eurogamer:

UPDATE: THQ's corporate communications vice president Angela Emery offered Eurogamer the following response:

"Obviously, Mr. Zelnick's perception of THQ is outdated and inaccurate. His comments are irresponsible and false. Perhaps he would be better off commenting on his own business."

 

[ArjanN]

There was an update to the original article on Eurogamer:

So bascially telling him to STFU.

Good.

 

[Combichristoffersen]

I'm in this boat as well, don't really care about anything else THQ has to offer. Saints Row being with any other publisher might not be the same franchise we've come to love.

If THQ goes tits up, I hope some third party publisher picks up Volition. I don't want the SR series to become platform exclusive, as everyone should be able to partake in dildobat mayhem glory.

 

[Sneaky Gato]

Warhammer as an IP/brand is completely safe since THQ don't own it ( Games Workshop do) even when THQ and Relic dies, other publisher will most likely just pick it and makes new games out of it.

The thing is Games Workshop is a notoriously picky company about who they pick to handle the license and having access to that process. They specifically chose Relic due to their being fans of the IP and being open to working very closely with GW to the point where they had final say on everything they did.

 

[Data West]

The only publisher I'd like to see publishing Darksiders games is Eidos, but that may contend with Soul Reaver.

I feel like every other publisher would fuck it up. I don't want THQ to go under. Darksiders, Space Marine, and Saint's Row are probably my favorite new IPs of this generation. The worst part is that Yukes and WWE go together, so we wouldn't even get good WWE games out of it.

 

[Retro_]

What would this mean for Itagaki's game?

All I want to know

 

[Foffy]

They should sell off/shed the WWE license to stay alive (their other games have promise) so somebody else can have a crack at doing a WWE game right!

I have no idea why people keep thinking WWE games are made in-house at THQ. They're made by Yukes, a Japanese company that actually owns a wrestling federation.

I figure the quality would actually get worse if a company like EA made the games.

 

[Fezan]

please some one buy them and who ever does that release your games on pc

 

[graywolf323]

Actually...it's not a bad idea. In a way, I wish Microsoft would offer to buy Vigil, Relic, and Volition--or just THQ all-together. It's not like it would be a lot of money, ha.

oh **** no keep MS away from the Dawn of War games

 

[Dabanton]

Hoping those developers are snatched up by someone else. Saints Row is WAY better than GTA, if Saints Row goes away than the video game industry will be worse off for it.

You forgot to add 'imo'