THQ auction

[Dante Fireseed]

Interesting story about the recent THQ asset sale, perhaps the most interesting being that no-one even bid on Vigil games and that currently the studio may disappear. Platinum games are apparently interested in purchasing the Darksiders IP.

oh and why the hell would anyone buy homefront even for a relatively piddly $500,000. Please, no more.

http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013- ... ssets-went

the sale details:

Relic Entertainment

Makers of Company of Heroes, UFO

Winning bidder: Sega, $26.6 million.

Backup: Zenimax Media, $26.3 million.

THQ Montreal

Makers of 1666 and Underdog, titles under development.

Winning bidder: Ubisoft, $2.5 million. No runner-up.

On whether Patrice Desilets, the former Ubisoft star who joined THQ and now may be going back to Ubisoft again, Ubisoft said: "It's too soon to say for certain, but we are very excited about THQ Montreal becoming part Ubisoft. In the coming weeks we'll be looking at how to offer an organisational structure that provides continuity for the creative teams involved. Unannounced projects from THQ Montreal are included as part of the acquisition."

South Park

License; South Park: The Stick of Truth is due for release March 5.

Winning bidder: Ubisoft, $3,265,306

Ubisoft confirmed the acquisitions on Twitter: "We officially confirm the acquisition of THQ Montreal as well as the publishing rights for South Park: The Stick of Truth."

How the acquisition will affect the South Park RPG is unknown. Developer Obsidian had only this to say: "We're excited - Bummed for THQ and its situation, but we'll work hard with Ubi to wrap it up."

Evolve

(title in development at Turtle Rock Studios)

Winning bidder: Take-Two Interactive, $10.894 million.

Backup: Turtle Rock Studios, $250,000.

Volition, Inc.

Maker of Saints Row (includes work done by High Voltage on Saints Row 4, apparently)

Winning bidder: Koch Media/Deep Silver, $22,312,925.


Metro

Series; due for the sequel Metro: Last Light.

Winning Bidder: Koch Media/Deep Silver, $5,877,551

Backup: Ubisoft: $5.175 million.

Koch Media had this to say about its acquisitions on Twitter: "We're SO EXCITED to be cooperating with @VolitionInc and 4A Games on a future for Saints Row and Metro that is faithful to their franchises!"

Backup: Ubisoft, $5.4 million.

Homefront

Released 2011; due for a sequel.

Winning bidder: Crytek. $544,218.

[ratsoalbion]

Interesting stuff. I guess Crytek believe with their tech and track record they can do something... less shit with Homefront!

[DomsBeard]

Could Crytek be using Homefront as an assault on COD/Battlefield next gen perhaps?.

[NokkonWud]

I'm looking forward to Homefront 2 if only because a good friend from Uni (Neil McKnight) is working on it and of his previous 4 games I've enjoyed them all immensely - The Club, Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3 and Forza Horizon, so I'm thinking he's a bit of a good luck charm.

[Scrustle]

I'm so sad Vigil and Darksiders didn't get picked up. Such a great studio and such a great series, both cut short when they were only gathering momentum. It was one of my favourite series of this generation, and I can hardly believe it's over. How can no one have bid for them? They should all be ashamed.

But it seems there may still be hope. Platinum Games have shown interest in acquiring the IP. Although it's sad that Vigil will no longer be around to curate the series, Platinum seems like a fantastic home for it. After all, they created what is pretty much the best game ever in the genre in a previous life in Okami. Their heritage as masters of action games with DMC and Bayonetta would also be a perfect fit. They've also shown interest in hiring some of the talent from Vigil, although I somehow doubt that the entire staff of a Texas based studio would just all up sticks and leave to Japan to join another studio en masse.

Although it's a long shot, getting a Darksiders 3 with the Platinum logo on the box would make me very happy.

[NokkonWud]

Yeah, it's surprising because other than Volition I expected them to be the priority signing.

[mikeleddy83]

I quite enjoyed Homefront, that said I only expected Relic to be a high profile sale. Either Sega got lucky with a cheap price for them or Volition released something amazing that to my shame I haven't played, I can't understand how anyone bid almost as much for them as Relic.

[NokkonWud]

I quite enjoyed Homefront, that said I only expected Relic to be a high profile sale. Either Sega got lucky with a cheap price for them or Volition released something amazing that to my shame I haven't played, I can't understand how anyone bid almost as much for them as Relic.

Volition are behind the Saint's Row games and they're popular, the third in particular was both successful in terms or praise and sales, so it makes sense that they'd go for big money where as Relic haven't released a stone cold hit since 2006 (Company of Heroes) and release games primarily restricted to one format (PC).

[Dante Fireseed]

I'd love to see a new Red Faction game, although in the vein of RF Guerilla, and not that god awful Armageddon. I wonder if Volition or THQ owns the IP?

[mikeleddy83]

I quite enjoyed Homefront, that said I only expected Relic to be a high profile sale. Either Sega got lucky with a cheap price for them or Volition released something amazing that to my shame I haven't played, I can't understand how anyone bid almost as much for them as Relic.

Volition are behind the Saint's Row games and they're popular, the third in particular was both successful in terms or praise and sales, so it makes sense that they'd go for big money where as Relic haven't released a stone cold hit since 2006 (Company of Heroes) and release games primarily restricted to one format (PC).

Saints Row and Red Faction never really did anything for me, I can understand why they're so popular but both the Company of Heroes games and Warhammer 40K stuff have been my primary reason for sticking with the PC, I just find them a league ahead of anything out there and one of the only developers I'd put in the same ballpark as Blizzard where the PC's concerned.

[AndyKurosaki]

Does seem a shame that there's a lack of interest in Vigil/Darksiders. I'd rather see that than anyone throw money into Homefront 2. Yeah, we need yet another generic FPS. Fuck Homefront, let it die.

[Rich]

Interesting stuff. I guess Crytek believe with their tech and track record they can do something... less shit with Homefront!

Crytek UK were already making Homefront 2. I wonder how much THQ had invested in the development. I expect the IP was basically free to Crytek.
I hope it's does well. I used to love Timesplitters and maybe if they have a big hit with Homefront 2 somehow they'll get to make a new Timesplitters.

[PlexShaw]

Does anyone know what happened to the Double Fine games (Stacking and Costume Quest)?

[Scrustle]

I think Double Fine has always owned all it's own IPs since Brutal Legend, regardless of who has published them. None of them were up for sale at the auction.

EDIT: I've heard that Double Fine were bidding for the IPs for some of there most recent games, but only the console rights. Don't know if they won them though.

[Ghost World]

So much Homefront hate in here! I thought the game attempted a number of interesting ideas with its story but failed mechanically, ( just like Spec Ops ) also the MP was really rather good!

[NokkonWud]

So much Homefront hate in here! I thought the game attempted a number of interesting ideas with its story but failed mechanically, ( just like Spec Ops ) also the MP was really rather good!

Yeah, I don't quite get the hatred for it either. There's many, many worse games than that out there for SP campaigns (including Battlefield 3)

[AndyKurosaki]

Soon after finishing it, it went in one ear and out the other. There was nothing special about it, nothing that stood out in a sea of FPS.I couldn't tell you anything about the campaign, it's not that it was bad, there was just no memorable moments in it.