THQ is dead: cancels all 2014 games including Warhammer MMO, looks for buyers

[ZIGS]

It's also worth noting that it's possible that Clearlake can maintain their ownership of THQ, but it's unlikely. They paid $60m to take it over as a whole. So long as the individual biddings add up to over that amount, say $60.5m (I believe minimum increment for the bidding is .5m a turn) then Clearlake will lose whole ownership of THQ. Considering the studios and IPs on sale, I cannot see them holding on it. Certainly be some interesting stuff to view this evening/tomorrow morning!

Yeah but if the total bid money surpasses $60M, Clearlake can then raise their original price if they so desire.I mean, it is an auction after all

[Dave L.]

But why would they? The original plan is obviously shot at this point, there's nothing in it for Clearlake to try and keep THQ together.

[mrmud]

Why would the total bid have to exceed 60M?
The Clearlake bid only provided 10M to the creditors so I would assume that if the auction is able to raise more than 10M to the creditors then that is actually going to be what is happening.

[His Master's Voice]

SEGA apparently bought both Relic and the CoH licence for 26m.

http://www.gamersglobal.de/news/6367...ytek-homefront

[gundato]

Not huge on Relic being owned by Sega (they have been circling the drain for years), but I guess it could be worse.

I just hope that they keep a healthy distance between Relic and the Total War devs. In theory, they would be a great mix, but it feels like they are both optimizing the RTS genre in completely different directions.

[Mohorovicic]

SEGA apparently bought both Relic and the CoH licence for 26m.

http://www.gamersglobal.de/news/6367...ytek-homefront

Sauerkraut, sehr gutt, ja.

[riadsala]

Not huge on Relic being owned by Sega (they have been circling the drain for years), but I guess it could be worse.

I just hope that they keep a healthy distance between Relic and the Total War devs. In theory, they would be a great mix, but it feels like they are both optimizing the RTS genre in completely different directions.

But... having CA work on the strategic game while letting Relic supply the tactical combat would make for a great Total War:World War or Total War: 40k. (as CA's battle engine isn't really appropriate for either setting).

[gundato]

Well, looks like the studio head of Relic also doesn't like it http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-to-activision


And like I said, it sounds great on paper, but it would basically result in a game being pulled in three directions at once:
Strong meta-campaign
Detailed and visceral squad level combat
Large scale war

[riadsala]

Well, looks like the studio head of Relic also doesn't like it http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-to-activision


And like I said, it sounds great on paper, but it would basically result in a game being pulled in three directions at once:
Strong meta-campaign
Detailed and visceral squad level combat
Large scale war

I dunno... I quite liked the meta-campaign in DoW1 (Dark Crusade?). But it was pretty shallow, and having a richer strategic game would be nice. Selecting key target to drop in the marines, while massed ranks of imperial guard hold the cities. etc.


I agree, a direct mesh of the two would probably fail. but I like to think that at least a couple of people in the companies would have enough sense to think about game design. but perhaps not.

[His Master's Voice]

Well, looks like the studio head of Relic also doesn't like it http://www.gamesindustry.biz/article...-to-activision


And like I said, it sounds great on paper, but it would basically result in a game being pulled in three directions at once:
Strong meta-campaign
Detailed and visceral squad level combat
Large scale war

Eh, this guy came and went. No big loss. Not to mention his transfer must have happened quite a while ago so it's not a response to the buyout.

And I'm not sure why would SEGA even want to mesh CA and Relic. Why get another RTS maker if you're going to have him make games you're already doing with the studio you have? Surely covering another market area is better than doubling up on what you already control with an iron grip?

[gundato]

Eh, this guy came and went. No big loss. Not to mention his transfer must have happened quite a while ago so it's not a response to the buyout.

And I'm not sure why would SEGA even want to mesh CA and Relic. Why get another RTS maker if you're going to have him make games you're already doing with the studio you have? Surely covering another market area is better than doubling up on what you already control with an iron grip?

Money and development resources. Why make two titles that will overlap in terms of userbase when you can instead make one?

Especially because Relic and CA are both all about "Release the game, then keep making expansions and DLC for a few years", so they wouldn't really be able to do the rapid fire approach that Activision does with the Call of Duties.

[His Master's Voice]

Money and development resources. Why make two titles that will overlap in terms of userbase when you can instead make one?

You're assuming people who enjoy CoH enjoy Total War equally as much and vice versa. I'm not sure that's the case.

[gundato]

You're assuming people who enjoy CoH enjoy Total War equally as much and vice versa. I'm not sure that's the case.

I think the overlap is significant enough that it would be cost effective to consider some form of a merging/collaboration.

Sega is doing okay enough to make this bid, but they have been just plodding along the past few years. Off the top of my head, I can't even really think of a major success in recent years. They tend to just release games that do well enough to get a sequel and hopefully absorb the losses on the crapware they shovel out (which, sadly, often involves Sonic...).

Maybe they'll run both studios, but my gut is telling me no. I hope I am wrong, but I doubt it.

[DaftPunk]

This is horrible idea,why would you merge those two franchises,leave my COH and Total War alone! :D

I enjoy both of them^^ But wouldn't want them to merge ? nono

[His Master's Voice]

I think the overlap is significant enough that it would be cost effective to consider some form of a merging/collaboration.

They did buy CoH. It looks more like "we're buying talent and the stuff said talent was working on" rather than just "buying talent".

And it's not like there was any better option really. I mean, who else could have bought Relic and at least give them a chance to remain the studio they are? EA?

[gundato]

They did buy CoH. It looks more like "we're buying talent and the stuff said talent was working on" rather than just "buying talent".

And it's not like there was any better option really. I mean, who else could have bought Relic and at least give them a chance to remain the studio they are? EA?

Considering DA:O was more Baldurs Gatey than NWN or KOTOR ever were, possibly.

No matter WHO the publisher/owner is, they'll want to change the creative direction. Why? Because they want to make money. Hell, even THQ changed Relic's creative direction:

Homeworld: Really innovative full-3d combat with large-ish fleets
Game I won't mention :p
(THQ era) Dawn of War: ground-based RTS with a focus on close quarters, squad-based combat
Company of Heroes: Ground-based RTS with even more focus on micro-management of squads
DoW2: Squad-level RTS that was basically a real-time Chaos Gate
Space Marine: Pure awesomeness in the form of an over-the-shoulder shooter

Do I disagree with the direction Relic took? Not at all. But they have definitely shifted over time to make marketable games.

So whoever buys them will let them finish up what they are working on, but will shift them more toward their vision. And personally, if it isn't a vision that lines up with theirs/THQs, I would at least prefer it to be "Yeah... we don't really do RTSes anymore, so give it a shot".

[SirKicksalot]

Sega is part of a holding company that has tons of money. The gaming division was restructured because they know digital is the future. They're doing VERY well on PC. The mothership is smart enough to beam down some cash to secure Relic... and strengthen their relationship with Games Workshop. It would be awesome to have 40k and Warhammer Fantasy under the same smart PC publisher.
And frankly, Creative Assembly's low budget hack and slash Viking game was better than Relic's Space Marine turd.

[Rauten]

Think what you want about SEGA buying Relic, it's still a far better home for them than any other possiblity. Or would you rather have Activision (for example) buy them?

SEGA has proven they can handle the PC market and their PC western development teams, as proven by Creative Assembly and... whoever the guys behind Football Manager are.

Anyways, it still isn't confirmed. The auction was still going on which made the hearing to be delayed until... 2 hours from now. Nothing is final until the judge says it is.

[deano2099]

Odd, I would've thought that would have been obvious to everyone, but apparently not. My perception of contract law is probably ... a little simple, to be nice to myself.

It could be more complicated than that. THQ could own the rights to the WH40K games, but those rights limit only them to producing the game. So no-one would ever want to buy the rights in the auction right? Because they'd be useless as they couldn't make a game?

Except what if you're Activision, with your space marine Starcraft RTS games due over the next three years. And you can pick up those 'useless' rights for a couple of million (as they're not that valuable to anyone else) and kill all your competition for a few years.

So whoever buys them will let them finish up what they are working on, but will shift them more toward their vision. And personally, if it isn't a vision that lines up with theirs/THQs, I would at least prefer it to be "Yeah... we don't really do RTSes anymore, so give it a shot".

But Sega are the only company (Blizzard aside, but that's an odd case) that are still making serious money off RTSs, so while there are no guarantees, they're a lot better off with Sega than pretty much anyone else.

[Velko]

War Company of Total Heroes, here we go!