THQ is dead

[SteveyMajors]

Any word on how many jobs were lost?

[Xeogred]

They had some strong IP's this gen. A shame.

[casterofdreams]

Any word on how many jobs were lost?

I don't know if it was mentioned already but Vigil was never purchased so that and it's Darksideres IP is bye bye. Platinum Games are showing and interest in it though but I've heard for either one or the other or both, nothing solid.

Side note: it's those dang I what evers that be killin them companys off I tells ya. I seent it wiff my own eyes.

[dsheinem]

Game developers and companies are dropping left and right. I hate to say it, but I think we're heading for a 2nd crash if something doesn't change.

THQ deep-sixing their own company by pouring a shit ton into the uDraw and taking on too many other projects in development at the same time is not a sign that there's an impending crash. The industry is always changing, but anything resembling the infamous crash of the late VCS era is nowhere in sight.

This is just one addition (and a big one) to many previously healthy companies either folding, or changing their business plans recently. Black Isle Studios, Atari, Midway, and Acclaim have all folded recently. Last I read Sega is considering releasing games digitally only to reduce costs. And plenty of companies have stated budget constraints and even gone as far as pointing the finger at gamers because they aren't supporting them enough and are buying used. Gaming magazines barely exist anymore when only a few years back you could go to Barnes & Noble and choose from 20 different gaming publications. I'm even seeing chains like GameStop, Game Crazy, and Play-N-Trade shutting down many locations. And then there's the Wii U. Normally a new system is a huge deal for Nintendo, this time not so much. It's just doing good enough, which just seems like another indicator for me.

Maybe gaming isn't gonna go away completely, granted, but there's a definitely a problem in the industry right now. And if things continue this way, the gaming industry is gonna be a shell of it's former self. I don't like watching it happen, either.

I can give you a list of devs from any generation that go under. It has always been this way. What is true is that we are much more aware of it now becasue of the internet than we were back in the 80s or 90s. As MrPopo pointed out, the internet is also why magazines (of almost all stripes) are shutting down.

"The internet" - which allows for the digital distribution of games, online shopping for physical games, connected mobile device ubiquity, etc. is also the main reason behind the changes to the game industry over this past generation. There's just a lot more competition out there for the gaming dollar than there was in the PS2/Xbox/GCN era and before.

But you are right - NPD says sales were down in 2012 as a whole, and there has been a slide.

2012 -$13.3b
2011 - $17b
2010 - $18.6b
2009 - $19.6b
2008 - $21.4b
2007 - $18b
2006 - $12.5b
2005 - $10.5b
2004 - $9.9b
2003 - $10b
2002- $10.3b

NPD tracks ONLY physical U.S. sales - not the entire revenue of the industry worldwide, not digital sales, etc. When you look at the entire revenue picture, you get this:

2011 $65 billion
2010 $62.7 billion
2009 $60.4 billion
2008 $54 billion
2007 $41.7 billion
2006 $31.6 billion
2005 $29 billion
2004 $25.4 billion
2003 $23.3 billion
2002 $27 billion

Worldwide in 2012 the forecast was for about half of that revenue to be raised via sales of physical media - a percentage that slips yearly.

So yes: if your view of the game industry is limited to physical media sales figures and/or what is happening in retail you might have a glum outlook. If you look at the whole picture, though - things have never been better. A crash? Pleeeeease...

[Ivo]

Remind me again how buying used funds video games.

If you really want to be reminded I will, even though you can just look up the existing threads for that. Or was that just rhetorical?

More on-topic: a good deal of the issues with "traditional" publishers sticking to the most conventional business model (namely physical releases) is the rise of new types of gaming - browser or mobile phone based in particular.

Ivo.

[BoringSupreez]

Any word on how many jobs were lost?

I don't know if it was mentioned already but Vigil was never purchased so that and it's Darksideres IP is bye bye. Platinum Games are showing and interest in it though but I've heard for either one or the other or both, nothing solid.

Even if it takes a while, I'm sure someone at some point will buy Darksiders. As long as there's potential to make money off the IP, someone's going to show interest.

Now UDraw, that one's probably gone forever.

[FerretGamer]

I seent it wiff my own eyes.

[o.pwuaioc]

NPD tracks ONLY physical U.S. sales - not the entire revenue of the industry worldwide, not digital sales, etc. When you look at the entire revenue picture, you get this:

Not to argue that gaming is dying, but these numbers are meaningless without context. What's being sold here? Does this include mobile gaming? Does this include indie games? Humble bundles? What's the percentages? Saying that physical media is declining really isn't in support of the idea that gaming as it is right now is stable and healthy. If anything, it indicates a shift already happening.

[RCBH928]

Just wondering, what will happen to the wrestling franchise? Who will make WWE games now?

I thought THQ will forever make wrestling games , just like Nintendo will forever make Mario. Plus I thought they made loads out of this license agreement. None the less, its about time to see a change in this genre , its been the same since about 2001 I think.

[FerretGamer]

Just wondering, what will happen to the wrestling franchise? Who will make WWE games now?

I thought THQ will forever make wrestling games , just like Nintendo will forever make Mario. Plus I thought they made loads out of this license agreement. None the less, its about time to see a change in this genre , its been the same since about 2001 I think.

I believe Take Two is grabbing the franchise.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/23/ ... y-take-two