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South Park, Metro: LL, Company of Heroes 2 all delayed, THQ looking for cash options

I'm starting a kickstarter to buy Relic. I think 30 million is what's needed to buy them have them release COH 2 and have them start making a new home world game.


Is it me or it sounds like they are going to go bankrupt.
 

RoboPlato

I'd be in the dick
I'm starting a kickstarter to buy Relic. I think 30 million is what's needed to buy them have them release COH 2 and have them start making a new home world game.


Is it me or it sounds like they are going to go bankrupt.

It's been sounding like they're about to go bankrupt for a long time. Now we just know they are. The only question is how soon.
 

AHA-Lambda

Member
Anyone who listened to the webcast, can you summarise some of the main points?

I'm certainly interested in why they feel South Park would have been DOA at its original release schedule. I mean it's South Park! It's probably one of the few games THQ have left that actually might sell!
 

MYeager

Member
So, basically if you want THQ to survive, buy Darksiders II or WWE 13 now.

They should do a 'Save THQ Pack' on Steam. 25$ for all THQ games.

Unless we're all buying a couple thousand copies of each game, that's not going to happen. Plus with Brian Farrell still as CEO, there's no indication that there's going to be better management of any money that they do make. Jason Rubin is only one man, and I have a hard time believing he can fix all of the issues THQ has.
 

Sober

Member
I'm starting a kickstarter to buy Relic. I think 30 million is what's needed to buy them have them release COH 2 and have them start making a new home world game.


Is it me or it sounds like they are going to go bankrupt.
Sounds like the perfect opportunity for Relic to buy back the Homeworld license from THQ (iirc?) and bail the fuck out.
 

Quentyn

Member
Anyone who listened to the webcast, can you summarise some of the main points?

I'm certainly interested in why they feel South Park would have been DOA at its original release schedule. I mean it's South Park! It's probably one of the few games THQ have left that actually might sell!

From the call it sounded like it was Rubin's decision. He said all three games would not have the quality on release date that THQ needs right now, so they decided to delay all of them.

Archive of the call is up if anyone wants to listen to it.
 
Anyone who listened to the webcast, can you summarise some of the main points?

I'm certainly interested in why they feel South Park would have been DOA at its original release schedule. I mean it's South Park! It's probably one of the few games THQ have left that actually might sell!

The call was only like 13 minutes. Would take someone longer to summarize than for someone to just listen.
 
V

Vilix

Unconfirmed Member
I'm starting a kickstarter to buy Relic. I think 30 million is what's needed to buy them have them release COH 2 and have them start making a new home world game.


Is it me or it sounds like they are going to go bankrupt.

They work on Space Marine 2 first or I'm taking my millions back. Hurmph.
 
As someone who used to work for THQ as a tester, none of what's happening surprised me, but I'm still saddened by it.

Hopefully they'll still be around by next year.
 

CassSept

Member
Wow, this seems severe. What are the chances of THQ surviving past next, nah, this fiscal year? I just want my South Park dammit. Homefront didn't work out that well for them in the long run, eh? Or any other game for that matter. Hell.

Mod Note: After presenting their fiscal results, THQ canceled their Q&A session. This is kind of the equivalent of handing your boss a financial report and then jumping out the window.

I don't know what it is about it, but this is a hilarious metaphore.
 
The Patrice Desilet game?

This is certainly disappointing news but not unexpected in the case of South Park given it's lack of media since E3. Will THQ even survive until the end of 2013? =/

EDIT: woah forgot that, reading this thread, I'll be amazed if these 3 games come out the way some of you are all talking D:

Certainly sounds like Darksiders is a dead IP now too. No recording of the webcast available? I missed it.

Well, Nirolak said earlier in the thread that Relic is working on MOBA, so that might be the 10th game and Patrice Desilet game might not actually exist.

Or I was thinking that Dawn of War 3 might have been made into a MOBA. I mean it's possible since I believe THQ said that they were exploring F2P options for it and they could differentiate DoW3 form other MOBAs by using the leveling system from DoW2. /shrug
 

Boss Man

Member
I'm really looking forward to the South Park game, and I think it will probably be an unexpectedly big hit.

I don't understand though. Is it delayed because it isn't ready or because they want to release it in an 'emptier' window (or something else)?
 

Zeliard

Member
Can you really draw that conclusion from the press release though? It sounds more like Obsidian (and the other studios) need to delay their game a few months due to polish concerns. Which is pretty typical Obsidian.

No, what it sounds like is THQ being in enormous fucking trouble.
 

Stewox

Banned
Please release COH2 and Last Light.

Please :(

THQ has balls, risks are to the roof, but Rubin is right, they will win big at the end.

THQ is totally what any dev would want, they just have to power through these rough time.

It takes great risk, to make great game.

Most of today's AAA industry is very low risk, modern warfail 18, Fifa 9000 ...
 

Petrae

Member
That was the weirdest call I've ever been on.

- Jason Rubin basically pleading for money by selling remaining titles in THQ portfolio
- Brian Farrell killing Q&A session-- which will not go over well at all with analysts/investors
- In closing the abbreviated call, Farrell thanked his employees, almost like the end is nigh.

I don't know who would extend THQ any money now to keep the respirator running. I can see a scenario here where the publisher founders and publishers swoop in to buy THQ assets afterwards. Best case scenario is that Centreview Partners finds a buyer before the house of cards totally collapses. Otherwise? Acclaim and Midway will have company in the failed publishers' home.
 

DTKT

Member
THQ has balls, risks are to the roof, but Rubin is right, they will win big at the end.

THQ is totally what any dev would want, they just have to power through these rough time.

It takes great risk, to make great game.

Most of today's AAA industry is very low risk, modern warfail 18, Fifa 9000 ...

There is no guarantee that LL or COH2 will save THQ. I doubt PC centric games will have any effect on their current predicament.

So, yeah, I just want Relic and the LL studio to survive.
 

TheSeks

Blinded by the luminous glory that is David Bowie's physical manifestation.
It takes great risk, to make great game.

Too bad THQ's games aren't great, then? Because that's the reason they're bombing: They're taking "great risks" to make "great games" but none of them are selling.

THQ: You want to save yourself? Fire EVERYONE but Volition. Make them into the "Saints Row" company and coast along as you (hopefully) make profits and lick your wounds until you're ready to bring back the people you fired.

Of course, this would also kill Volition doing work on Descent 4, something I want over Saints Row so we can't have that. :|
 

Stewox

Banned
There is no guarantee that LL or COH2 will save THQ. I doubt PC centric games will have any effect on their current predicament.

So, yeah, I just want Relic and the LL studio to survive.


Not quite bad in long-term, they will defend LL, COH2 and SP, the market is there it just needs that much quality, look at crysis and starcraft 2. He knows that but investors/analysts can't believe it.
 

epmode

Member
Maybe... Maybe Relic will reform for a spiritual sequel to Homeworld which will sell incredibly well and they'll thrive as an independent studio!
 
Mod Note: After presenting their fiscal results, THQ canceled their Q&A session. This is kind of the equivalent of handing your boss a financial report and then jumping out the window.

Holy fucking shit. So basically their not going to be able to raise the funds from investors...
I mean fucking hell.

!!THQ TO GO WIIU EXCLUSIVE!!
Am'a right?! Am'a right?! They could be the WiiU's Nibris!

Seriously though their just fucked unless Darksiders 2 does more than 'decent' with WiiU and they can move maybe one of these projects out.

So THQ to basically go into administration...ASAP and sell of whatever they can. Pretty much.
That way MS can buy the South Park rights and make them Kinect exclusive.
 
Holy fucking shit. So basically their not going to be able to raise the funds from investors...
I mean fucking hell.

!!THQ TO GO WIIU EXCLUSIVE!!
Am'a right?! Am'a right?! They could be the WiiU's Nibris!

Seriously though their just fucked unless Darksiders 2 does more than 'decent' with WiiU and they can move maybe one of these projects out.

So THQ to basically go into administration...ASAP and sell of whatever they can. Pretty much.
That way MS can buy the South Park rights and make them Kinect exclusive.

where to begin dissecting this train wreck of a post?
 

CrunchinJelly

formerly cjelly
Holy fucking shit. So basically their not going to be able to raise the funds from investors...
I mean fucking hell.

!!THQ TO GO WIIU EXCLUSIVE!!
Am'a right?! Am'a right?! They could be the WiiU's Nibris!

Seriously though their just fucked unless Darksiders 2 does more than 'decent' with WiiU and they can move maybe one of these projects out.

So THQ to basically go into administration...ASAP and sell of whatever they can. Pretty much.
That way MS can buy the South Park rights and make them Kinect exclusive.

Over-reaction much?

They are seeking advice from Centerview which is why they cancelled the Q&A. They were advised not to comment further.
 
Over-reaction much?

They are seeking advice from Centerview which is why they cancelled the Q&A. They were advised not to comment further.

Some piss taking going on but they seem kind of screwed to me. I don't think its hard to tell where am being serious though; Darksiders 2 could bring in some income but if not...well where do they raise the money except selling their assets?
 

Petrae

Member
Over-reaction much?

They are seeking advice from Centerview which is why they cancelled the Q&A. They were advised not to comment further.

It doesn't take much to read between the lines and see what's happening here. Centreview is seeking a buyer-- which, arguably, should be difficult to do given the string of delays and poor sales performances.

Canceling the Q&A is a giant red flag, no matter whether Centreview advised it or not. There's no cause to be confident in the publisher if you're an investor currently, because the clock is running out and these delays means that cash is drying up quickly.

Hopefully you are correct that there's an overreaction, but given the very unusual nature of this earnings call, I believe that concern is warranted and I interpret it as such. We'll see how it plays out, starting tomorrow when trading resumes and investors make their decisions.
 

Ranger X

Member
This is good news. I see that Jason doesn't sleep at the wheel and understand they save THQ only with quality product --- something that sure takes more time to develloped than what the current THQ employees are used to.

Impatient gamers are stupid, THQ will just die if they don't do this. It's all about "do you want the game or not". If your answer is yes, you are better be patient.
 

Petrae

Member
I find it very hard to believe that either South Park or Metro will do more than mediocre sales.

South Park is at least a moderate-to-strong IP to work with, and it's recognized by many consumers. I wouldn't see HUGE numbers on it, but if the release window is right, it could do okay.

Metro: Last Light is is tougher sell. I don't think it offers much hope than a low-to-moderate sales projection. A fair amount of those sales could be digital, though, which would be cheaper to distribute.
 

rafbanaan

Member
Quote from the facebookpage:

Metro (THQ)
We are pleased to announce that Metro: Last Light will be available for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC in March 2013! Thank you for being a part of our community and when we issue the exact release date, you will be the first to know.
 

RPGCrazied

Member
God I hope South Park doesn't get canceled. It actually looks like it would be a great game, and there is loads of SP fans out there, would be stupid if they did.
 
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