A Minute's Silence for THQ

[Formalhaut]

39759
THQ Dissolved, Assets Auctioned Off (http://www.guardian.co.uk/technology/gamesblog/2013/jan/24/thq-brands-saints-row-homefront)


It is a sad day when THQ, a pre-eminent games developer has filed for what is known as "Chapter 11 bankruptcy". Whatever that means. But basically, THQ is effectively gone. It's been struggling with debt for months, and eventually it can't go on any longer.

THQ is known for primarily for making mediocre wrestling games and the odd movie tie-in abomination, so perhaps the word "quality" doesn't quite spring to mind. However, given how big wrestling is in America, it still was a nice little earner.


http://cdn3.whatculture.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/11/0023.jpg
This is apparently entertainment


However, THQ have had shocking disappointments as well. Does anyone remember the U-Draw? It was a decent, if predictable accessory for the Nintendo Wii, and it made decent sales, given that the average target market for the Wii is between 5 - 10. If it stops children scrawling on the wall, adults thought, then surely the U-Draw would be a good idea!

And it was. But then THQ got cocky, and decided, for some reason, that it will also release it for the PS3 and Xbox360 (http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-reasons-great-game-developer-just-went-bankrupt/). Here, the target market is older and with a penchant for shooting people / monsters, and naturally it flopped. Money was lost.

THQ have made Saints Row: The Third, a GTA-esque game which cranked up the crazy to 1000. I've never played it, but this person (http://www.cracked.com/blog/6-reasons-great-game-developer-just-went-bankrupt_p2/) seems to like at least.

39760
Just another day...

But no matter the odd success, THQ was in heavy debt. And it now can no longer continue. Do you mourn THQ? Have you had any good experiences with them or like me forever associate them with wrestling games?

[Bunny]

I bought their Humble Bundle. It was less about supporting a dying company and more about getting a few games for pretty cheap though.

THQ didn't really release anything that got my attention.

[Psychotic]

The Saints Row series was one of the pinnacles of this generation. It tried to be a GTA clone before GTA came to that generation, then afterwards surpassed it totally. I don't doubt someone will snap up Volition and the franchsie will continue.

[Formalhaut]

In other news, Atari has also gone under (http://news.sky.com/story/1040846/game-over-atari-files-for-bankruptcy), but I neglected to mention them because I associate them with the 1980s, Pong, Asteroids etc.

[Shauna]

The Atari thing seems to be more of an elaborate plan to get rid of parts they don't want as opposed to ~real bankruptcy~.

[NeoCracker]

As dissapointing as Saints Row 3 was in a few Regards (Most notably not letting you see Gat going out like the beast he was) it was still a great time to be had. A great mix of over the top goofiness and a story you could still get behind.

Other then that? Meh. THQ never really was a big player in my library.

[Tigmafuzz]

The Break Up - Bankrupt THQ's Assets Sold At Auction - Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/sites/danielnyegriffiths/2013/01/24/the-break-up-bankrupt-thq-assets-sold-at-auction/)

:(

[kotora]

Company of Heroes and Dawn of War (not the second one) were pretty damn good. Relic was bought by Sega though, so they should still be okay.

[Psychotic]

There was already a thread on THQ so I merged yours in there. Saints. Koch media. Heh.

[Bolivar]

I enjoy Dawn of War II, have Company of Heroes, and will probably get Darksiders/Metro for Steam sometime soon. All look like pretty good games.

The big impact they had on my gaming habits were wrestling games in my youth and pretty damn good ones at that. The Smackdown series brought in a lot of things previous titles only hinted at, like creating your own character with entrance video/music/gimmick. It also had storylines throughout your career, like you might get approached to form a tag team partnership, then he/she might betray you, you have a rival, all kinds of epicness. They pulled off the TLC and Hell in a Cell/Cage matches in an incredibly visceral way. And the actual gameplay was well-implemented that it presented a Smash Brothers-esque fun competitive game to play with your friends, as much as many of you probably want to stab me for saying so. I'm not into wrestling anymore, haven't played the games in years, but they were actually really good titles, especially for their time.

[Tigmafuzz]

There was already a thread on THQ so I merged yours in there. Saints. Koch media. Heh.

I could have sworn I was replying. I don't know what the hell happened :freak:

[DMKA]

I thought Darksiders and Darksiders II were both excellent games. Shame.

Aside of that, I don't really have much in the way of fond memories of THQ. All I remember besides the Darksiders games were silly wrestling games and Nickelodeon cartoon-based shovelware.

[Formalhaut]

...were silly wrestling games and Nickelodeon cartoon-based shovelware.

Yeah, for me THQ weren't exactly the epitome of ground-breaking quality. Still, they were a recognisable company, a "big-name" as it were.

[DMKA]

...were silly wrestling games and Nickelodeon cartoon-based shovelware.

Yeah, for me THQ weren't exactly the epitome of ground-breaking quality. Still, they were a recognisable company, a "big-name" as it were.
Oh indeed. Don't get me wrong, I hate seeing more and more big devs die off as of late.

It's like what's happened to the mobile phone/cable/ISP industry in the last decade. At this rate, all that will be left is a handful of devs to churn out mediocrity. And we'll buy it anyway.

[black orb]

>>> Not surprised really, a mediocre game company plus a big debt. Thats just suicide..:luca:

[Mirage]

I'll give them 10 seconds of silence, but that's stretching it.

I think Saints Row 3 is the only game by them I have ever considered buying.

[Wolf Kanno]

Wow, I've never really crossed paths with this company ever. Sucks to hear they went out of business but I'm not terribly bothered by it either.

[Del Murder]

WCW/nWo Revenge for the N64 and also WWF No Mercy were my favorite THQ games. They really did know how to make their wrestling games.