THQ recommits to core games amid long-term health fears

By Robert Purchese Published 25 January, 2012

Unwittingly appears to out Company of Heroes 2.

Undermined publisher THQ has publicly recommitted to developing a host of core games - some of them years away.

The note has no doubt been issued in response to scrutiny of THQ's long-term health.

Five internal THQ studios are making games "aligned" to several of the publisher's key brands, the company revealed. They are UFC Undisputed, Darksiders, Company of Heroes, InSane, Saints Row, Warhammer 40,000 and the new game by Patrice Desilets.

Those internal studios are presumably Yuke's, Vigil, Relic, Volition and THQ Montreal.

UFC Undisputed and Darksiders boxes are ticked by upcoming games UFC Undisputed 3 and Darksiders 2.

But Company of Heroes Online was cancelled last year, which means the above Company of Heroes project may be Company of Heroes 2. A sequel has been rumoured but never confirmed.

The Saints Row reference is presumably a fourth, unannounced game in the series. And why not? Saints Row: The Third has now shipped 3.8 million copies, THQ revealed. Lifetime shipped estimates are between five and six million.

The Warhammer 40,000 project could be multiple games: MMO Dark Millennium Online, Space Marine 2 or Dawn of War 3. Of the three, Dawn of War 3 carries the most weight. THQ has talked relatively openly about the project before, whereas talk of Space Marine 2 has been more wishy washy.

Warhammer 40,000: Dark Millennium Online may have been properly announced, but an ominous cloud looms over its future - THQ was rumoured to be selling it off. That we've seen little of the game since it was announced in 2007 strengthens these claims. MMOs are also notoriously long and arduous undertakings. If THQ was to be struggling, shedding an MMO burden would certainly lighten the load.

THQ's note went on to announce the company's withdrawal from the kids' licensed game market.

The note also mentioned that THQ would try to establish "new franchises on the next generation of game devices". Clarification of that statement will be given during and investor call next week.

Company of Heroes, a brilliant PC RTS.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (20) Latest comment 4 months ago

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  • Timotei #1 4 months ago

    THQ's note went on to announce the company's withdrawal from the kids' licensed game market
    Thank goodness.

  • liamaland #2 4 months ago

    Here is hoping we see another Dawn of War title soon.

  • anomagnus #3 4 months ago

    If i had to guess, i'd say they'll drop the MMO, and refocus resources on Space Marine 2, or on an RPG.

    You're either in for an MMO the whole way, or you're out. And THQ are too wishy washy over it, to give me faith

  • deadstoned #4 4 months ago

    Company of Heroes 2 please! Love the original so much, still playing the multiplayer weekly :)

  • Machetazo #5 4 months ago

    With Insane being mentioned, which I didn't think was an internal project. What of Devil's Third? Are THQ solely publishing it, and leaving Valhalla mostly to tinker? It struck me as probably being quite a large undertaking to complete, judging by the trailer.

  • Zaiz #6 4 months ago

    Wait, Relic is developing two big name games at once? I'm seriously fearing that the dev has gotten "expanded", since it is one of THQ's consistent properties.(lol PC gaming is dead)

  • cnlfailure #7 4 months ago

    If THQ need some quick cash, I suggest expansions for DoW and DoW2 as I'd buy them both. Equally, a remake of the original Homeworld with upgraded graphics would be on my shopping list ahead of a Homeworld 3. Meanwhile get Volition working on Freespace 3.

    Give Saints Row a year off, and revolutionise Company of Heroes before coming back with the next instalment.

  • FanBoysSuck #8 4 months ago

    Dammit I though Dark Millenium looked quite cool :(

    Ah well, can't complain too much with Dawn of War 3 being a definate and Space Marine 2 being more likely.

  • Whizzo #9 4 months ago

    I hope THQ can turn things around, there's a lot of stuff I've enjoyed from them over the years, especially Relic and Volition's output.

  • Turrican_Freak #10 4 months ago

    Now that you have acquired the Homeworld brand from Sierra, can you please let Relic work on a new homeworld? pretty please?

  • Anciegher #11 4 months ago

    Rejoice!

  • Lemming81 #12 4 months ago

    "THQ recommits to core games amid long-term health fears"

    ie. What they should have been doing from day 1. Either I'm a marketing genius that THQ should be offering a job to, or THQ's marketing-types really are very, very shit.

  • Lemming81 #13 4 months ago

    @FanBoysSuck I actually think Dark Millenium is one of their 'core' games they are talking about. I wouldn't put too much stock in EG's speculation on this. Space Marine 2 was an iffy prospect at best, and DoW3 was never on the horizon. They've been working on Dark Millenium long enough that it makes sense to see it through, otherwise they've wasted an awful long time on it.

  • razzafazza #14 4 months ago

    @Turrican_Freak

    why do people constantly want to see sequels/remakes to classics from studios that have completely changed since the original was made ?

    you do realize that almost nobody who worked on homeworld is still with relic ? even the core COH devs left relic a while ago, its apart from a select few oldtimers who are in no gameplay-relevant positions (artists etc.) a very different team there now. how do you expect them to do a proper sequel or do you care only about any game as long as it has the setting ?

    i d rather see a new homeworld from the makers of homeworld (which are apparently now at a studio called blackbird interactive making a game called hardware).

    relics last 2 games been pretty bad in singleplayer and merely good in multiplayer (DOW2 was fun but only a shadow of COH), not sure why people rave about the current team for games they didnt make.

    that being said one shouldnt disregard relic because in good news the lead devs for both DOW2 and Space Marine also left the company, so there s hope again for the future :p

  • Nismo400R84 #15 4 months ago

    @Lemming81 DoW3 is already in the plaanning stages it as already been reported here on EG

  • ashmon #16 4 months ago

    Now they are learning, gamers don't like to be ripped off with crap.

  • gjgjg #17 4 months ago

    CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 CoH2 ...

  • Turrican_Freak #18 4 months ago

    @razzafazza hey that hardware game looks awesome! thanks for the info.

    edit: I've noticed that's a facebook game, so no thank you.
    And yes, many people left relic, but the main designers like quinn duffy are still there.
    I still want my homeworld 3. And usually I don't care for sequels.
    Edited by Turrican_Freak at 25/01/12 @ 22:02

  • IMD1_Pk #19 4 months ago

    for the emperor !!!

  • Ternon #20 4 months ago

    THQ's note went on to announce the company's withdrawal from the kids' licensed game market
    Fucking finally!