Posted January 5, 2013 (edited) Oh my! A twist has entangled THQ's thread of fate! http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=506812 It seems that the US courts have not approved of THQ's bankruptcy plan with Clearlake! Originally Posted by duckroll: I think what people need to consider is that it is looking more and more apparent that THQ management has been illegally sabotaging their own company in an attempt to wipe their debt, screw their creditors, and continue to keep their jobs with a new owner which is personally linked to their new president. It's really dodgy shit, which is why they're getting in trouble with it now, and it has nothing to do with the employees in the various studios who work hard making games. Yeah, I mean, the opposition here is pretty straight forward. Hunter @DDInvesting THQ Creditor Committee Named: Wilmington Trust, WWE, Silverback Asset Management, Mattel, and Viacom Hunter @DDInvesting THQI Hearing: Original projections from just 2 weeks ago of -$10M of cash flow. Actual net cash flows actually positive of $3.4M. Hunter @DDInvesting THQ: Lawyers for Warner Brothers states they have team ready to complete due diligence if more time is allowed. Hunter @DDInvesting TQHI court heating up. Centerview's banker on record of saying buyers are interested in individual titles. Clearlake has said not allowed. Hunter @DDInvesting THQI: Judge doesn't approve bid procedures. Not approving DIP. Recommencing Monday. Basically everyone they work with is opposing them (including Viacom of South park and the WWE), and they have five known bidders who don't have the time to actually bid with Clearlake also trying to stop them. The judge also refused even basic funding to keep THQ operating, so that implies she thought it was quite suspicious. So there are 5 parties who are all interested in buying parts of THQ, but Clearlake wants to make them buy the whole thing (all or nothing). THQ also have about 2 weeks worth of cash flow left - so the whole thing needs to be settled within that timeframe, or THQ will have to cease all development as they won't be able to pay their devs. So I guess the big question here is... Who are the 5 potential buyers? I'd bet on Warner Bros being one of them. Supposedly their lawyers were at the trial, testifying against the original bankruptcy plan. That leaves 4 mystery buyers who may or may not be VG Publishers... Edited January 5, 2013 by Dcubed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 5, 2013 well well well! its certainly seeming like something is dodgy So anything could happen right now i do wonder who the buyers are? who typically acts like a vulture in the industry? Nintendo should buy them and make everything WiiU exclusive :p Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 5, 2013 EA and Activision would want to mop something up. Ubisoft (I think) tend to stick to themselves. I can see Nintendo and Microsoft trying to scoop some new stuff (then again, they weren't arsed about Bizarre Creations). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 6, 2013 So how is this any different to what Onlive did? They rattled up tons of debt and then laid off staff and then got bought out by a predecided new owner.... Anyway I don't personally see any of the big publishers whole hog buying up THQ. I'd see them either buying off licences or individual studios. It's a real shame I'm quite fond of THQ. Actually just started Space Marine and it's a really good Third Person Shooter in the Gears of War mould. Having played Warhammer in the past it's drawing on some nostalgia as well. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 6, 2013 So how is this any different to what Onlive did? They rattled up tons of debt and then laid off staff and then got bought out by a predecided new owner.... Anyway I don't personally see any of the big publishers whole hog buying up THQ. I'd see them either buying off licences or individual studios. It's a real shame I'm quite fond of THQ. Actually just started Space Marine and it's a really good Third Person Shooter in the Gears of War mould. Having played Warhammer in the past it's drawing on some nostalgia as well. The difference here is that THQ went bankrupt in order to sell themselves off, while Onlive just shut down to sell itself to itself (effectively) to wipe out its debt. THQ have seemingly tried to do something similar with the sale to Clearlake (where Ruben and Clearlake's CEO seem to be buddies), but the courts are disallowing it from happening. As it stands, THQ will be sold off to someone else; probably piece by piece to 5 unnamed mystery buyers... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 7, 2013 No they couldn't. True RTS' have never and will never work without a mouse. I play CoH a lot myself. I see no problem with CoH being for the Wii U. We're talking about a console that has a touch screen and stylus. And buttons. And analogue sticks. Potentially, this could make controling the game faster than even keyboard and mouse. Swapping formats is not the point here; it's the fact that anyone who insists that RTS' can be played on consoles doesn't play them to any level of proficiency. Look - CoH is a series to be lauded and celebrated for its complexities and depth, and risking anything that could tarnish the legacy of one of the best games ever made should be anathema to any gamer who intends to do more than play it for an afternoon as a quaint curio and then set it down forever. I normaly would agree with you. Controllers are hardly optimal for playing RTS game (although I find it laughable when people claim that console FPS games are unplayable). But with the Wii U, you have every conceivable advantage to the controls. Only thing I can't answer how you should do, is the right click. But as I've said before, a clever game designer can surely crack this. Finally "Nintendo need to use every dirty trick in the book." I don't give a fuck what Nintendo need to do, their strategy for success is not something I care to be privy to. All I care about is the games, not the continuing success and vitality of a corporate giant, so to me, and anyone else who is a gamer first, it is not what the acquisition of licenses will do for Nintendo's longevity, but rather the quality of the games that they'll be playing that matters most. I do get your point, for sure. But I want Nintendo to start bringing out good games for the Wii U, something that's been lacking so far. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 7, 2013 I think the Wii U is a very plausible candidate for a breed of RTS games, I just don't want CoH soiled or reduced in any way. Regardless of the input methods available on the Wii U's controller, it still isn't any sort of match for the expediency of a mouse, keyboard shortcuts, control groups, not to mention that the level of detail available on that tiny screen would put a Company of Heroes game back several years in terms of graphical capabilities. It's a similar situation with FPS'. Pit a person on a controller against one with a mouse, and the mouse user will smoke the controller player every single time, it confers that much of a competitive advantage. It's all fine and good when the game is designed around the limitation, but in for example Shadowrun, they had to actually hobble the mouse users with mouselook penalties, while enabling controller users with incredibly aggressive autoaim to level the playing field. CoH 2, is designed around a mouse and keyboard setup. There are fundamental differences that a change to Wii U controls would confer on the design of that game, and that's just not something I care to see, because I'm convinced that would be a negative. Instead of Company of Heroes, why doesn't a company design an RTS around the specifications of the Wii U controller? That, I would like to see. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 7, 2013 (edited) Confirmed, THQ's assets will be put up for bid in piecemeal fashion on Jan 22nd! Supposedly two of the confirmed 5 bidders are EA and Warner Brothers (the other 3 are still unknown; though since it's a public auction, anyone could potentially bid I guess...) Who knows how this'll affect the release of Stick of Truth? Edited January 7, 2013 by Dcubed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 7, 2013 not to mention that the level of detail available on that tiny screen would put a Company of Heroes game back several years in terms of graphical capabilities. You have all the fancy graphical stuff on the TV, and all the controlling stuff (either a smaller view, icons or "shadows") on the Game Pad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 7, 2013 So your idea is to further complicate the amount of things you need to pay attention to - dividing visual attention between two screens - as well as keeping track of the unbelievable amount of things going on in the game such as capture points, resource caps, choke points, garrisons, bunkers, skirmishes, base tier progression etc, while actually decreasing the control precision? Do not want. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 7, 2013 First you were saying it would be simplified and not complicated enough, now you're saying it would be too complicated. Sheesh! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 7, 2013 It would be simplified in all the worst ways, and complicated in unnecessary ways. WHAT PART OF THAT DON'T YOU GET MOOGLE JEEZ. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2013 Well! One of the 5 other interested buyers has been revealed (other than EA and Warner Bros) and its... DOUBLE FINE?! http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=507786 Err... That was unexpected! Some are speculating that it's something to do with their games Stacking and Costume Quest, but still! I didn't see that one coming! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 10, 2013 Nintendo should sweep in and save them by buying them, allowing them to remain intact and then profitting from either selling on of license or content production. /wildy outrageous suggestion with little basis behind it Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 23, 2013 Here are the spoils: SEGA Relic Entertainment (Company of Heroes) $26.6 million. Ubisoft THQ Montreal (1666, Underdog) $2.5 million South Park: The Stick of Truth (game) $3,265,306 Take-Two Evolve (game from Turtle Rock Studios) $10.894 million Koch Media Volition, Inc.(Saints Row, Red Faction) $22,312,925 Metro (franchise) $5,877,551 Crytek Homefront (franchise) $544,218 (Note: Homefront 2 is currently in development by Crytek UK) Nobody wanted Vigil Games (Darksiders), so unless someone comes in with a last minute offer...everyone there is out of a job. Also, Ubisoft offered $5 million for Volition. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 23, 2013 Auction results. So glad Relic didn't go to EA or Activision! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 23, 2013 Man, poor Vigil Games. I know Darksiders 2 wasn't as well-liked as the first game, but I didn't get the impression that it was that bad. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 23, 2013 Interestingly, SEGA own the license to Warhammer Fantasy games. I would imagine that was a big influence on purchasing Relic (if the purchase includes the 40k license, which it probably does). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 23, 2013 *Starts praying for Sony to buy Vigil* Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 23, 2013 Relic will be safe with Sega, bit worried about Koch with the Metro franchise though. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 23, 2013 Relic will be safe with Sega, bit worried about Koch with the Metro franchise though. I'd be more worried about Saints Row - 4A Games are still an independent company, so are free to develop a different, similar game if Koch try to be too limiting. I think the main reason for purchase is that the game is pretty much finished, so they'll get the cash back pretty quickly. They'll have full control over Saints Row. *Starts praying for Sony to buy Vigil* Valve should buy them. Then we can have Darksiders 3. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 24, 2013 It's terrible to see THQ and Vigil close their doors. In fact, one of the Vigil devs made this forum post on neogaf, and it's so damn' sad; http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?p=46817540#post46817540 Has Ubisoft definitely got South Park though? Last I heard, Trey Parker and Matt Stone objected to the game being auctioned, and wanted to find a publisher themselves; http://www.gamesradar.com/south-park-studios-objects-thq-sale/ On the bright side though, I'm glad that Activision and EA didn't get thier grubby hands on any of THQ's IP's/studios. Activision would have just ruined any teams and would have made them make CoD games, whilst EA would have ran the franchises into the ground... Still, R.I.P THQ and Vigil Games. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 24, 2013 Well, I thought the Darksiders games had been rather well recieved?? Personally it's Saints Row I'm bothered about more than anything, but I don't know about Koch Media; what are they good for? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 24, 2013 but I don't know about Koch Media; what are they good for? They publish a lot of obscure PC games. They're also responsible for the mess called "Dead Island". Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Posted January 24, 2013 Personally it's Saints Row I'm bothered about more than anything, but I don't know about Koch Media; what are they good for? Absolutely nothing. WAAAAAAAA!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
