There’s no denying that THQ is in some pretty deep financial trouble right now. They’ve trimmed off some considerable fat in the last year in order to stay afloat, but it just hasn’t been enough, with titles such as Darksiders 2 and the latest WWE game failing to help balance their losses. Truth is, THQ might need to shed a few more weighty licenses from it’s gut, and Ubisoft would be keen to pick them up as well.
In an interview on Games Industry, Guillemot expressed sympathy for the situation that THQ was currently in, but also explained that such matters were also a part of the competitive games industry today.
“What happened to [THQ] is something that happens regularly when we have transition,” Guillemot said.
Some can make it, some decide to go in different direction. It happened with Atari and Midway and also Acclaim last generation. … It’s something that happens in this industry and that’s the way the industry consolidates.
However, with THQ in a bad situation, things could look rather rosy for Ubisoft in the long-term, as more IPs from the publisher would be up for grabs. That’s something that Ubisoft is looking at acquiring, although it wouldn’t say which ones it found the most interesting.
“They have good things,” Guillemot said. “We are always interested in good brands. For sure, it’s something we can consider, but I can’t tell you more.” THQ has currently been forced to delay several titles, as they dealt with their latest net loss of over $21 million, a drop in stock by 46% and the fact that the publisher was now in default by $50 million on their revolving credit with Wells Fargo.
It’d be interesting to see which games Ubisoft would pursue in that fallout, when THQ eventually sells them off. Which brand would you like to see under that banner?
Last Updated: November 14, 2012
