News

London Games Conference doubts THQ's ability to survive going digital
Posted: 11.11.2011 11:41 by Simon Priest Comments: 5
Games Brief's Nicholas Lovell presented a session at the London Games Conference, where over 70 percent of 160 attendees voted THQ a 'zero' for surviving a digital transition.

Senior publishing figures were among those who voted. THQ's lack of must-have properties is the problem. Next week they release Volition's Saints Row: The Third.

The majority voted a 'zero' for THQ during a special interactive presentation. They also polled whether attendees thought dedicated handheld consoles have a future alongside app savvy phones.

Over 80 percent felt they would not survive down the road either, given the diversity of smartphones and other mobile devices featuring apps as well as services. PlayStation Home's success will come to an end as well reckon SEGA, Ubisoft, Square Enix, Microsoft and Konami representatives.

They also agreed in general that social game maker Zynga will lose traction for its rather cynical approach to monetising its franchises. MMO subscriptions are going the way of the dodo too. Do you feel THQ is doomed if it goes all digital? Saints Row is on the rise in popularity, plus they've got Warhammer and WWE license deals.

Comments

By FoolWolf (SI Elite) on Nov 11, 2011
FoolWolf
Right now THQ equals WK40k for me. The rest is crap imo...
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Nov 12, 2011
herodotus
Amen Wolfy, Amen.
By noobst3R (SI Core) on Nov 12, 2011
noobst3R
Ehhhhh.... Going Digital?
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Nov 12, 2011
herodotus
It means, like EA they can charge top dollar for their items (over and above RRP in Australia).
By herodotus (SI Herodotus) on Jan 16, 2012
herodotus
As of yesterday (Sunday the 15th January) there is a very disturbing report flooding the news desks that THQ has cancelled it's entire 2012 line up of games, including "W40K Dark Millennium". The long time well known Publisher might indeed be going under.
Still awaiting THQ's comments on the "insider report", but this could be monumentally disastrous for many a Developer and indeed gamer.
Full report in the "BOOM! Headshot!" Camp, not that I'm self promoting or anything:).