In the aftermath
The smoke is cleared. While most of THQ's popular assets were sold off several months ago, there were several outstanding companies and franchises that were still up in the air. And now, they've landed. THQ's assets have been sold, and every franchise and studio they controlled now has a new home.
There's a lot to remember about THQ's firesale, a lot of names and a lot of new destinations. We've created this handy guide to remind everyone just who controls what from now on, so you know who to complain to (or thank) the next time a franchise you love has a bad (or great) entry.
Crytek
Who they are: Crytek, based in Frankfurt, Germany, focuses mostly on the first-person shooter genre. Notable games include the entire Crysis series and the upcoming free-to-play miltary shooter Warface, which is currently in closed beta.
What they got: Rights to the Homefront franchise for $500,000 (they were developing Homefront 2 at the time of THQ's dismantling), created Crytek USA studio with 35 former Vigil Games employees
Sega
Who they are: Most notably the house that Sonic the Hedgehog built, Sega has been making video games since the late 1980s. Through the years they've built a strong library of RTS games with the Total War series.
What they got: Relic Entertainment (Company of Heroes and Warhammer 40,000 franchises) for $26.6 million
Take-Two Entertainment
Who they are: Take-Two is the parent company of many prominent names, including Rockstar Games and 2K Games. Grand Theft Auto, BioShock, Borderlands...all are Take-Two franchises.
What they got: Turtle Rock Studios' "Evolve" project for $10.8 million, rights to the WWE license (original THQ agreement ended, new agreement successfully negotiated)
Ubisoft
Who they are: Based in Montreuil, France, Ubisoft is the big-time publisher responsible for AAA names like Splinter Cell, Far Cry, and the wildly popular Assassin's Creed. Their newest franchise, Watch Dogs, is due this fall.
What they got: THQ's Montreal studio for $2.5 million, publishing rights to South Park: The Stick of Truth for $3.2 million (due for release in "calendar year 2013")
Gearbox Entertainment
Who they are: Gearbox Software, headed by Randy Pitchford, is one of the biggest third-party development houses in gaming. Some of their games are smash hits (Borderlands), while others (Aliens: Colonial Marines) are...not as good.
What they got: Rights to the Homeworld franchise for $1.35 million
505 Games
Who they are: 505 Games is one of the newer publishers in the gaming industry, having started in 2006. They hold the rights to the Sniper Elite and ARMA franchises, and most recently published indie sensation Terraria on the PS3.
What they got: Rights to Drawn to Life and Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter for $300,000
Nordic Games
Who they are: Nordic Games is a name that PC gamers should be plenty familiar with, as they are responsible for franchises such as Painkiller, Spellforce, and Safecracker. They also control The Adventure Company's library of games, including Sam and Max and Broken Sword.
What they got: The remainder of THQ's owned franchises (Darksiders, MX vs ATV, Red Faction, Destroy All Humans!, and more) and licensed franchises (Marvel Super Hero Squad, Supreme Commander, and more) for a total of $4.9 million
A new day
What will become of all of these franchises and companies? Only time will tell. All in all, we're happy that most of the games wound up in capable hands, and we're eager to see how THQ's former projects turn out in the hands of new owners.
And if you're looking for more, check out the history of THQ and where we wanted each game to land.
