Let's just kickstart like 50k per month for Obs' rent
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South Park, Metro: LL, Company of Heroes 2 all delayed, THQ looking for cash options
- Thread starter Wario64
- Start date
Duckhuntdog
Member
I have the same issues with Darksiders in general. Do you want to know what is hot in the industry right now? Just go play DS1 and DS2. They game really struggles to find it's own voice. When it does it loses it by aping a mechanic or feature from whatever game is currently hot during the development cycle. The portal gun in DS1 was obviously a late addition and random loot that was in DS2 wouldn't surprise me if it wasn't part of the original vision but tacked on later.
Also the pacing in DS1 was pretty weak. The first dungeon dragged on forever and introduced too many mechanics at once (sure sign of bad pacing) especially considering the size of the world these could have been better spaced out.
It also suffers from the "too much to be useful" syndrome: too many pointless secondary weapons, too many attacks, too large of a world for the content present or not enough content spread around the world. The series needs a heavy dose of subtractive design and a vision holder that's willing to say what works for the series and a willingness to keep his design team focused on their own game and not some other game that happens to be hot during development.
I am looking forward to south park, someone will pick that one up. THQ may not have the money to advertise the game if they survive that long.
I am interested in THQs all in strategy. The current "AAA" gaming market is so costly that there may be no reason to try and diversify within the gaming segment. I don't think it is going to work for THQ but a smaller portfolio may work for another company as a piss away less money strategy.
I am interested in THQs all in strategy. The current "AAA" gaming market is so costly that there may be no reason to try and diversify within the gaming segment. I don't think it is going to work for THQ but a smaller portfolio may work for another company as a piss away less money strategy.
Game Informer said that THQ told them -- South Park is delayed 2 months.
Barack Lesnar
Banned
No biggie, I'm fine with that.
metalslimer
Member
THQ won't make it through the end of next year. South Park will do decent-good numbers, but it won't be enough. Sad that THQ will be gone and Sega is basically gone outside of a few franchises.
Is 2 months really gonna make a difference? My guess is that the game is probably a buggy and glitchy hellhole like every Obsidian game, so those extra months will probably help with that a little bit, but if the game's quality suffers beyond that then 2 months ain't gonna do much.
Regardless, RIP THQ.
I definitely would expect someone to pick up the Saint's Row IP, it's pretty strong. Darksiders maybe but less chance.
Regardless, RIP THQ.
I definitely would expect someone to pick up the Saint's Row IP, it's pretty strong. Darksiders maybe but less chance.
Yeah, I agree. It sucks that it looks like THQ isn't gonna last through next year, but if they can get South Park out before their demise, at least it's something.
I kind of think that part of their delay plan isn't just because the games need more time. I'm sure they do, but I also think that knowing they need their upcoming games to sell, they don't want to put games like South Park out around the same month as GTA and Bioshock.
They commented how only "big" games are selling well. I think the fact that early 2013 is shaping up to be packed with the last big current-gen games, and the fact that later in the year next-gen will be getting all the hype scared them. They proably feel that some people might be more willing to pick up something like Sout Park in the middle months.
Oh I know, but there's was that comment that they want the games to be the best they can be and that he believes the quality is below DS2 currently. Not exactly reassuring. Time will tell.
Jawmuncher
Member
Looks like I need to buy all 3 of these games to support THQ.
I have a feeling this will be delayed again....
In fact making it a next-gen launch title would be a good idea.
Hey THQ I have an idea.
Sell the Company of Heroes IP to a better, less basket-case like publisher. They won't delay it, I can play it sooner. You'll get some cash so you can pay the pensions and shit for your workers before you close up shop in the coming 12 months. Everybody wins!
Sell the Company of Heroes IP to a better, less basket-case like publisher. They won't delay it, I can play it sooner. You'll get some cash so you can pay the pensions and shit for your workers before you close up shop in the coming 12 months. Everybody wins!
No, this isn't good news. This isn't about impatient gamers. The bad news is not that the game are delayed. The bad news is that a company which actually does not have enough money to keep operations going, is delaying ALL their games.
Delays cost money because it means you are spending more money paying employees without getting a cent back each month you don't release a product. THQ has no money. They have admitted as much. They don't know how they're going to pay for these delays. They hope to find money. They probably won't be able to.
They didn't want to answer any questions from investors or analysts. This means they know that any answer they can give will only hurt confidence in the company further. THQ is pretty much finished unless they pull a miracle out of their ass.
j0hnny_385
Member
I hope Jason and his team can turn this around (although I don't know how with the current market and their liquidity problems). I like THQ and their upcoming slate of games is amazing, it would be sad to see it go to waste. *fingers crossed*
All this is such a shame. THQ hasn't had much luck in the past few years, but every time I look at their recent output, I'm shocked by how many great games are there.
If only they could fit in better as a mid-tier publisher. Homefront as an IP could be a great b-tier FPS, released about 6 months after/before CoD and Battlefield, with tempered expectations and budgets.
If only they could fit in better as a mid-tier publisher. Homefront as an IP could be a great b-tier FPS, released about 6 months after/before CoD and Battlefield, with tempered expectations and budgets.
Another THQ financial doom thread.
Another thread where people worry about studios such as Volition and Relic.
Another thread where I speculate that Time Warner/WB Games would snap up THQ's assets, just as they did with Midway, in a heartbeat.
Though I don't want to see people loose their jobs it seems to me that THQ should just do the honourable thing and just do the inevitable financial implosion thing and go bankrupt as I don't see anyway back for them now.
F2P Move and Kinect title confirmed.
Another thread where people worry about studios such as Volition and Relic.
Another thread where I speculate that Time Warner/WB Games would snap up THQ's assets, just as they did with Midway, in a heartbeat.
Though I don't want to see people loose their jobs it seems to me that THQ should just do the honourable thing and just do the inevitable financial implosion thing and go bankrupt as I don't see anyway back for them now.
F2P Move and Kinect title confirmed.
Time for the next Disney buyout? They could probably do with getting some studios together and relaunching themselves as a competetive game publisher.
Vigil could do Epic Mickey 3, Relic could do Star Wars RTS games (AFTER releasing CoH2, of course), Violition and 4A could keep doin' what they're doing (maybe Violition would have to be a little less graphic) to show that Disney isn't just for kids anymore.
They'd need somebody in-house to take the helm on Homefront, which I still think could be successful as a b-tier FPS franchise (a bit of a cheaper made Resistance).
There's still a chance to pull Red Faction back up if they went back to Guerilla as a template. Also another Stuntman game could be a great cheaply made game. Maybe even an iOS one in the style of something like Reckless Racing? I'd love to see another Titan Quest game too, though I doubt there's any real value in that IP.
Keep publishing DoubleFine, as they're just getting more and more popular.
...they'd have to sell the South Park game, of course, and I doubt anything going by "Enter the Dominatrix" would survive... I can't see them publishing that.
Vigil could do Epic Mickey 3, Relic could do Star Wars RTS games (AFTER releasing CoH2, of course), Violition and 4A could keep doin' what they're doing (maybe Violition would have to be a little less graphic) to show that Disney isn't just for kids anymore.
They'd need somebody in-house to take the helm on Homefront, which I still think could be successful as a b-tier FPS franchise (a bit of a cheaper made Resistance).
There's still a chance to pull Red Faction back up if they went back to Guerilla as a template. Also another Stuntman game could be a great cheaply made game. Maybe even an iOS one in the style of something like Reckless Racing? I'd love to see another Titan Quest game too, though I doubt there's any real value in that IP.
Keep publishing DoubleFine, as they're just getting more and more popular.
...they'd have to sell the South Park game, of course, and I doubt anything going by "Enter the Dominatrix" would survive... I can't see them publishing that.
THQ needs to see if Vince McMahaon wants to own a game company. WWE Games has a nice ring to it. So does "COMPANY OF HEROES 2 - STARRING JOHN CENA" and "Metro: Last Light with Randy Orton".
Disney has zero legitimate interest in video games. They were pretty abysmal at it when they made their big push originally, and with LucasArts + various licensing deals with other companies for Marvel IPs, all their non-Pixar game stuff is handled.
Disney has zero legitimate interest in video games. They were pretty abysmal at it when they made their big push originally, and with LucasArts + various licensing deals with other companies for Marvel IPs, all their non-Pixar game stuff is handled.
PUNISH THIS MAN! BAN HIM BEFORE SOMEBODY LISTENS!
Oh, I know they'd never actually do it.
I really hope somebody buys for the IPs though, because THQ has some great ones.
THQ stock down nearly 40% after yesterday.. https://www.google.com/finance?client=ob&q=NASDAQ:THQI
MrCunningham
Member
Shame really. The South Park RPG is one of my more anticipated games of 2013 so far... But it is good to see that the delay may only affect it by two months.
Even analysts internalized Video Game's skewed rating systems.
http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/...cent_in_early_trading_as_analysts_pile_on.php
Petrae
Member
There had been some attempt at stabilization a short time ago, but THQI is nosing down again. The thing that jumped out at me-- aside from the freefall-- is the trading volume. Over 1.3 million and the average is just over 70,000.
Hard not to think this would happen after last night's antics. Why on earth would anyone want to stick around when the company is broke, begging for money, and delayed its next three titles? Cut your losses and hope that another publisher(s) picks up the pieces and saves some of these games (and jobs) from extinction.
Hard not to think this would happen after last night's antics. Why on earth would anyone want to stick around when the company is broke, begging for money, and delayed its next three titles? Cut your losses and hope that another publisher(s) picks up the pieces and saves some of these games (and jobs) from extinction.
MMaRsu
Member
Ouch.... :|
Agent Icebeezy
Welcome beautful toddler, Madison Elizabeth, to the horde!
Should have kept AKI
Agent Icebeezy
Welcome beautful toddler, Madison Elizabeth, to the horde!
Disney was putting money in Black Rock Studios. Pure and Split Second came from that so that is something of worth.
MrCunningham
Member
Why did it just.... crash? I feel bad for the people at THQ... this wasn't a company I had much interest in the past. But they have been trying very hard to turn themselves around with better quality control in their games. And it has been showing during the last year.
To bad this has to happen to them.
CosmicQueso
Member
Oh I dunno, delaying every game, mentioning you might go private, not fielding analyst questions, refusing to give future guidance... Jeez yeah the stock falling, well, it's a mystery!
MrCunningham
Member
What else is new. This forum is full of people who should be smarter than this but apparently are not.
*Thread gets made about 3 games getting pushed back due to severe cash problems at THQ....duuuurrrr Obisidan can't deliver again huurrr durrr*
jim-jam bongs
Member
given his comments about saints row I couldn't give a toss what he thinks. publicly shit canning your most successful franchise is not the behaviour of a man with his finger on the pulse.
Petrae
Member
The problems are thus:
- THQ decided to delay its next three games after quality considerations.
- THQ is nearly out of money and needs to secure capital to stay afloat
- THQ solicited a firm to help find ways to raise needed capital
- THQ elected to abandon its financial guidance
- THQ, after advice from its financial consultants, elected to cancel analyst/investor Q&A after its earnings conference call yesterday
These are all red flags for many investors. I'd jump ship, too, if I had shares. Possibilities now run from equity sale to finding a buyer to bankruptcy. We'll see how it plays it, but it's unfortunate for those employed by the struggling publisher.