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THQ's stock drops 50% after earnings implosion, [Tanks 22%+ again, worth $7.95M]

Agent X

Member
The company is currently worth ~$11 million, which is probably about a third of the budget of a single one of their games.

Wow, that's shockingly low.

As others have pointed out, THQ does have a few great studios and game franchises under their banner. However, it's unlikely that they'll be able to survive much longer like this.

The new WWE '13 game looks good, although I haven't tried it yet. If I recall correctly, THQ's contract with WWE lasts until the end of 2014. The problem is that THQ might not last that long.

Is WWE a big moneymaker for THQ? If not, then perhaps THQ could find a way to sell off the remainder of their contract to another publisher to raise much needed money. Or perhaps everyone just waits for this ship to sink completely, and then a new round of bidding starts.

Someone suggested that Nintendo swoop in and buy a couple of the studios and IPs like Darksiders and Saints Row. You know, that might be a good idea. It would be an easy way for Nintendo to instantly gain a couple of established "mature" games to expand their portfolio.
 

MYeager

Member
Wow, that's shockingly low.

As others have pointed out, THQ does have a few great studios and game franchises under their banner. However, it's unlikely that they'll be able to survive much longer like this.

The new WWE '13 game looks good, although I haven't tried it yet. If I recall correctly, THQ's contract with WWE lasts until the end of 2014. The problem is that THQ might not last that long.

Is WWE a big moneymaker for THQ? If not, then perhaps THQ could find a way to sell off the remainder of their contract to another publisher to raise much needed money. Or perhaps everyone just waits for this ship to sink completely, and then a new round of bidding starts.

Someone suggested that Nintendo swoop in and buy a couple of the studios and IPs like Darksiders and Saints Row. You know, that might be a good idea. It would be an easy way for Nintendo to instantly gain a couple of established "mature" games to expand their portfolio.

The contract with WWE was actually extended through 2017. WWE has accounted for 25% of their sales on average and given the history with the company (THQ went through nearly the same thing in the late 90's and wrestling games bailed them out at that time) I don't think it's likely that they'd let go of that license.
 

Decado

Member
Scary. THQ has published some of my favourite games this gen and hold two of my favourite franchises in their grasp (Company of Heroes and Dawn of War).

I hope they are able to release them in great condition.
 

i-Lo

Member
Someone please save Metro. One publisher that can perhaps provide a great home for that franchise is not EA or Activision... nay nay.... it is
BetaShed
 

Corto

Member
It almost feels like there's a fifth column inside THQ sabotaging the already troubled company to run it to the ground as quickly as possible so another company comes and loots the corpse for anything of value.


Come on Paradox, save Relic!

That would be almost too perfect.
 

Stewox

Banned
Relic IPs (CoH, Homeworld), don't think anybody will find PC RTS attractive these days. they were never big either.

You are kidding right, troll?

Speak for your self. Most companies dont know how to market PC anything, it's their illusion, it's always easier to whine, switch to console derivative and blame piracy.

I dont have time right now for a history lesson, but I was there, i cannot agree with that.

If COH2 gets cancelled or sold to a bad publisher you'll be the first one I'll hunt down
 

Agent X

Member
The contract with WWE was actually extended through 2017.

OK, I didn't know that.

WWE has accounted for 25% of their sales on average and given the history with the company (THQ went through nearly the same thing in the late 90's and wrestling games bailed them out at that time) I don't think it's likely that they'd let go of that license.

I didn't know that, either. In light of what you just said, then I'd agree that they would want to retain that license as long as possible.
 
Things are looking pretty bad, which is kinda a shame considering that they made some really enjoyable games.
I hope at this point that wherever Madureira ends up it will be the company that will buy Darksiders.
 

Vilam

Maxis Redwood
As a former THQ employee; I feel genuinely bad for the company =(

I truly believe they have good games, some good studios, and good experiences to offer to gamers. I'm looking forward to their upcoming slate of titles. I wish they could find a way to turn it around.
 

Jinaar

Member
This is so unfortunate. I'm such a Relic fan and other THQ properties I have had such great enjoyment out of.

WH40K.... where art thou go-ith? "_
 
As a former THQ employee; I feel genuinely bad for the company =(

I truly believe they have good games, some good studios, and good experiences to offer to gamers. I'm looking forward to their upcoming slate of titles. I wish they could find a way to turn it around.

so wan't this all brought on by piss poor management and Scrooge McDuck money bins filled with unwanted uDraw skus?
 
As a former THQ employee; I feel genuinely bad for the company =(

I truly believe they have good games, some good studios, and good experiences to offer to gamers. I'm looking forward to their upcoming slate of titles. I wish they could find a way to turn it around.

While you were there did you ever find out why they keep going to yukes for their wwf games?
 

GDGF

Soothsayer
I blame these guys.

danaedd.jpg
 
Sad story.

They wanted to shed their image as a shovelware and movie license company and try to build an empire with great studios and great franchises.

Unfortunately they didn't really have any games that were big, financially or critically. Sure, DoW II, Darksiders, Saints Row, RF Guerilla, etc. were really good games, but when that's the best you got, you're not gonna last long.

They should have kept all the licensed garbage coming until they had enough big franchises to sustain themselves without it.
 

Coolwhip

Banned
The core gaming business model is broken. No wonder so many studios and publishers go down.

"Let's work on a game for 2 years with a 100 man team, of which we have to sell at least 3 million copies" Good plan.
 

GraveRobberX

Platinum Trophy: Learned to Shit While Upright Again.
Sad story.

They wanted to shed their image as a shovelware and movie license company and try to build an empire with great studios and great franchises.

Unfortunately they didn't really have any games that were big, financially or critically. Sure, DoW II, Darksiders, Saints Row, RF Guerilla, etc. were really good games, but when that's the best you got, you're not gonna last long.

They should have kept all the licensed garbage coming until they had enough big franchises to sustain themselves without it.

Well at least they will be a Goddamn Blueprint for others not to do stupid fucking things like THQ

Don't go on an analyst hot tip, that if an item like uDraw sold decently for the Wii will translate into oodles of moolah if sold to the HD twins, that you back it, then create/order more titles based on that perception that it will sell

"Hey #1 you can make $50 off that $10. Cool. Yo' subordinates I'm about to quintuple my moolah, I don't have it yet, I'll get it through future prmoises, why don't you start making shit, go ahead, use $45"

"Umm... you only made $15 off that $10..."

"FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU"
 
So who do you guys want to pick up the WWE license once THQ goes out of business?

I want a WWE licensed Epic Wrestling RPG, Published by Bethesda, developed by Double Fine.

please someone save Company of Heroes 2! please! anyone! maybe teh guys that did World in Conflict?

Valve should save Relic. No idea why, just came into my head.


Volition... Is there any major publisher out there that doesn't have an open world developer already?
We could name companies that we would like to get Volition but I can't think who would be interested. EA is the only one I know actively looking for studios at the moment. Maybe Warner Bros. Interactive? I don't know.
 

RPGCrazied

Member
I hope South Park can survive. Someone buy the game so it can release, please! I have a bad feeling about all these THQ threads.
 
Come on Paradox, save Relic!

While successful, Paradox is a niche developer/publisher and the games they fund development for normally are just a fraction of the cost of what Relic budgets normally are. I greatly enjoy Paradox games but I would find it hard to believe they have the money to even fund traditional Relic games nevermind the cost of acquiring a successful studio.
 
I think bethesda should buy if any publisher out there would. They've had hits and are always interested in being a bigger player.

Activision can easily afford it. And they'd trim out more than just the fat. Take only profitable things and make it yearly.

EA has too many studios to worry about already.

Warner Bros could do it I guess.

Disney should consider it, more devs for making star wars games.

And TakeTwo/2k also doesn't seem to have any rescue cash.
 

King_Moc

Banned
The core gaming business model is broken. No wonder so many studios and publishers go down.

"Let's work on a game for 2 years with a 100 man team, of which we have to sell at least 3 million copies" Good plan.

More like, if you're going to do that you better make damn sure your game is good enough to sell those 3 million copies. A lot of what THQ pumps out is extremely average.
 

AzaK

Member
Nintendo, buy all those IPs right now. Do it. Right the fuck now.
Saints Row 4, developed by Retro.

I imagine before Nintendo did that they'd have to be able to see some sort of massive ROI. Unless they can buy them for X and make YxX (With Y being some large number I assume :)) it's not worth all costs associated with developing the next games in the franchises.
 
More like, if you're going to do that you better make damn sure your game is good enough to sell those 3 million copies. A lot of what THQ pumps out is extremely average.

THQ could've easily kept making mid tier games and be profitable.

But after trying to bring Udraw to the HD consoles (lol, what were they thinking??) they tried to charge head first into AAAAA blockbuster 6 million sales required to break even territory.

Their games aren't bad, but they simply don't have the funds to compete with Activision, EA, Ubi by using their strategies.

I was allready pissed that Metro LL was cancelled for WiiU, now I'm actually afraid the game might never be released.
 

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
Someone needs to buy Volition and get the Descent IP from Interplay. Not like Interplay is using it for anything.

Then get Volition started on Descent 4.

But only if they learned their lessons from that Descent cameo in Red Faction: Armageddon. Ugh controls and level there.
 

UrbanRats

Member
If Square was to buy the Saint's Row IP, they would have all the major action freeroams outside of GTA, DO IT S-E!

Although they have problems of their own, AFAIK.
 
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