Goodnight Sweet THQ

[Bebpo]

So uh, THQ letter says Koch got Volition (Developer) and then Metro (IP).

In that interview posted, the Volition head guy says "they like Saints Row and are very excited to own its developer.


I'm a little worried they might not have gotten the Saints Row IP, which would make SR4 kaput.

[BobFromPikeCreek]

SR2 Stillwater > Steelport

[pilonv1]

2 has a more fleshed out game, though. more to do. SR3's main story is better, but it's riddled with side activities and feels too short.

SR2 has better sidequests and more variety in location, but literally everything else is better about SR3.  Including the dildo weapons.

SR2 Stillwater > Steelport

100% truth here. If you could put SR3's gameplay into SR2 Stillwater it would be incredible.

[Steve Contra]

So uh, THQ letter says Koch got Volition (Developer) and then Metro (IP).

In that interview posted, the Volition head guy says "they like Saints Row and are very excited to own its developer.


I'm a little worried they might not have gotten the Saints Row IP, which would make SR4 kaput.

They got the Saint's Row IP.  Don't worry about it.

[Huff]

wait so did no one grab the Red Faction IP? thats pretty disappointing

[Great Rumbler]

So uh, THQ letter says Koch got Volition (Developer) and then Metro (IP).

In that interview posted, the Volition head guy says "they like Saints Row and are very excited to own its developer.


I'm a little worried they might not have gotten the Saints Row IP, which would make SR4 kaput.

[Stoney Mason]

wait so did no one grab the Red Faction IP? thats pretty disappointing

Kinda surprised about that also.

[MyNameIsMethodis]

THQ didnt have the rights to WWE games; WWE/Jakks Pacific get it back and it isn't acutioned off. It's up to the WWE now as to who liscences it, although the first game we get will be hot garbage if you consider they'll only have what, 7 months to develop it?

[Eel O'Brian]

Huh, so does that mean they'll have to strip out any Red Faction references in future re-releases of SR games?

[chronovore]

WWE games are hot garbage, the Yukes games have legacy code in there reaching back to the PSOne days. Those games need a reboot, MERCY KILL PLEASE

Wasn't the same true of Windows containing legacy DOS code?

I'd be as happy as anyone to see WWE get a reboot, but it's not like Yuke's can't make a good wrestling game. Look at Day of Reckoning, made by kidnapped AKI employees, homeslice.

[benjipwns]

Maybe they'll pickup Red Faction on the cheap later on in the process. I thought I read that there was a minimum bid price for this auction?

SR2 had the worst PC port of all time so i cant play it therefore SR3 is better

Should give it another try. Modern hardware can brute force past a lot of its problems.

Wasn't the same true of Windows containing legacy DOS code?

I can tell you that the same has been true of 2K's NBA series which, to pick just one example, had network code from the Dreamcast versions as late as 2011.

[Bloodwake]

Absolutely nothing. Jakks Pacific has dick to do with the games ever since they no longer make WWE's action figures.

[MyNameIsMethodis]

I think they still own some rights to it though, unless you can find proof that WWE bought back their shares of it. (Jakks helped the WWE out back before the attitude era)

[Bloodwake]

I know they were at one point involved with the games but I think their involvement with them ended when WWE switched to Mattel. I am going to Google it just in case but I seem to remember some sort of lawsuit over it.

[benjipwns]

We were then notified by a banker involved with the proceedings that certain legacy properties including Homeworld were not actually a part of this auction, and were to be sold later in the month.

[Bloodwake]

Yup.

http://corporate.wwe.com/news/2009/2009_12_23a.jsp


This is the last press release. THQ was partnering with Jakks Pacific on the games and as a result of the lawsuit between the three parties ending THQ got the exclusive rights to the game franchise until 2017. No mention of Jakks Pacific continuing as their partners.

[benjipwns]

How much do you think they'll want for these? I have some change in my car ashtray.

[Stoney Mason]

I'll never understand big companies sometimes.

EA spent years and tons of money wasted trying to build open world franchises.

Mercenaries, Godfather 1 & 2, The Saboteur, etc but here is a franchise with some critical appeal that you could probably reboot and market pretty well and get on the relative cheap with Saints Row but they have no interest in it.

[treythemovie]

I'll never understand big companies sometimes.

EA spent years and tons of money wasted trying to build open world franchises.

Mercenaries, Godfather 1 & 2, The Saboteur, etc but here is a franchise with some critical appeal that you could probably reboot and market pretty well and get on the relative cheap with Saints Row but they have no interest in it.

Either A.) EA already has their own open world game in development for next gen (again); and/or B.) EA is in a contraction mode and no longer wants to spend millions on new acquisitions (or rather their shareholders don't want them to).

[Sho Nuff]

WWE games are hot garbage, the Yukes games have legacy code in there reaching back to the PSOne days. Those games need a reboot, MERCY KILL PLEASE

Wasn't the same true of Windows containing legacy DOS code?

I'd be as happy as anyone to see WWE get a reboot, but it's not like Yuke's can't make a good wrestling game. Look at Day of Reckoning, made by kidnapped AKI employees, homeslice.

Yuke's is fine, my beef is that THQ had them pooping those games out on a yearly basis and never gave them the time to properly re-tool things for 360/PS3. Every game feels rushed and jerry-rigged on top of last year's version...don't even get me started on a Community Creations rant. I would love to see ANYONE get the chance to get proper funding/scheduling and do the hot-shit next-gen wrestling game we deserve.

I assume that whoever winds up with the license will just continue the contract with Yuke's and be all like HURRY UP GUYS YOU NEED TO GET NEXT YEAR'S GAME OUT ASAP, and Yuke's, who will have lost several months to this THQ shutdown, will be even more pressed.

Disclaimer: I have worked on a WWE game and it was the most stressful experience of my life.

[MyNameIsMethodis]

please tell me you worked on the WWE car combat game

[Stoney Mason]

We had 4 good WCW/WWE wrestling games by AKI.

WCW vs. nWo: World Tour
WCW/nWo Revenge
WWF WrestleMania 2000
WWF No Mercy

And then a decade run of crap. I'm done with Yukes. Whether it's fair or not they made a shitload of bad wrestling games and I didn't like any of them.

In full disclosure I never played WWE Day of Reckoning which some people say was decent but I played a healthy selection of the rest including WWE 13 which sucks.

[pilonv1]

Disclaimer: I have worked on a WWE game and it was the most stressful experience of my life.

I can only imagine the hell this would be. Usual video game issues but added in with Vince's daily "plans change" mentality. Must be wonderful

[benjipwns]

please tell me you worked on the WWE car combat game

He's probably the one who said "you know what wrestling games really need? No ring."

[pilonv1]

please tell me you worked on the WWE car combat game

Hope it was this

[benjipwns]

[Beezy]

 

[Himu]

2K GOT THE WWE LICENSE

[iconoclast]

SmackDown HCTP is still the best game in the series, though I haven't played WWE 12... and maybe the one before that, I dunno.

I hope 2K doesn't go to Yuke's. Even if their games aren't terrible, it's still the same old shit every year and at this point I could never play another SmackDown game again and not give a single fuck. If they were to contract an outside developer, it should be Spike (assuming they've still got it). Just put a WWE skin over the King of Colosseum II engine and let the 10/10 come pouring in.

And now that NJPW is picking up again, Yuke's could make another Wrestle Kingdom game. Everybody wins!

[Himu]

I'd love a Wrestle Kingdom game.

[BobFromPikeCreek]

Whatever the new WWE games end up being, they better maintain the incredibly dumb yet equally versatile character creation.

[maxy]

In a statement sent to VG247, CEO of Koch Media Dr. Klemens Kundratitz said, “Koch Media welcomes the addition of these magnificent franchises to the Koch Media family of entertainment properties.

“With more than 200 games on notable platforms globally, and its proven success creating renowned franchises like Dead Island, Deep Silver is perfectly positioned to lead these brands into the next generation of interactive entertainment for fans around the world.

Menno van der Bil, international commercial director at Deep Silver added, “Deep Silver already has a track record for out-of-the-ordinary games, including the immensely successful Dead Island brand. Both the Saints Row and the Metro franchises perfectly fit into our future lineup and strategy.

“We’re really excited to lead these well-respected licenses into a bright new future. We also welcome the legendary development studio Volition to the Koch Media/Deep Silver group.”

Koch bought Metro game rights for $5.8 million and purchased Volition for $22.3 million. The statement adds that Koch will roll out its plan for its purchased IP and Volition in coming months.

[Don Flamenco]

he said "tl;dr"

[Joe Molotov]

Just getting caught up on this, but Crytek paid $500k for Homefront, but nobody bought Vigil? Ice burn.

[Huff]

Well it is cryteks baby at this point. For some unknown reason. The world is stoked for home front 2

[thisismyusername]

Well it is cryteks baby at this point. For some unknown reason. The world is stoked for home front 2

The idea of a Red Dawn-ish game appeals to xenophobes (see: latest Red Dawn movie and OMG I HATE THE CHINKS), THQ doesn't.

And Vigil not being bought isn't surprising. Their first game bombed. Got greenlit a sequel due to THQ dumbfuckery, second game BOMBS even worse and THQ/Vigil is surprised?

Vigil should've stopped with Darksiders and tried something else, but the creator dude was still there and drove them off the mountain. Can't blame THQ for that other than pumping money into a failing IP because "hey, new IP launches are always dicey."

Anyway, THQ's only IP I enjoyed is S.T.A.L.K.E.R. (IIRC, they published it in the West) need to get a copy of Call of Pripyat and Shadows of Chernobyl before Steam runs out of keys, I guess.

[Sho Nuff]

please tell me you worked on the WWE car combat game

Hope it was this

(Image removed from quote.)

It was actually this


Raw 1 and 2 for the Xbox. I quit about 80% into Raw 2 but most of my stuff is in there, I did all the FMV menus (my pitch was "It will be like Gran Turismo but with Wrestling!") and painted all the sign cards (I am shocked to see they are still using my jokes 10 years later). They were the first games I really worked on and it was good to cut my teeth on such a crazily run project, but yeah, never ever again.

BTW I worked on the original PRIDE FC for PS2 as well, that game was actually pretty good.

[Sho Nuff]

[Raban]

2008 was a great year for games

[MyNameIsMethodis]

I thought Raw 2 was a good game so good on you. First WWE game that had the likeness of goldberg IIRC

[pilonv1]

Yeah I liked the RAW series better than Smackdown.

Wasn't the PRIDE PS2 game based on the DC UFC Game? Or the port of the PS2 version?

[Stoney Mason]

The first time I ever played smackdown on the psx, my immediate reaction was this is too fast, it rewards running grapples too much, it animates like crap, and its a reversal-fest.


When I played WWE 13 for the first time a couple of weeks ago my impressions were, this rewards running grapples too much, it animates like crap, and its a reversal-fest. I guess I've gotten use to the speed.

From a high level view, they just don't have that tactical feel I like, that the old Aki games had.


The UFC games yukes have done also have their issues but they are better than the WWE games for whatever reason.

[chronovore]

Disclaimer: I have worked on a WWE game and it was the most stressful experience of my life.

:dap

Sucks. I loved the Darksiders games and I think they are a good developer, so this is especially sad for me cause I'm a fan.

As for Saints Row, I never had a doubt in my mind that it would keep existing. The one open world game set in modern times that was able to compete with GTA? It wasn't going to go extinct any time soon. But Darksiders 

Wasn't the same true of Windows containing legacy DOS code?

I'd be as happy as anyone to see WWE get a reboot, but it's not like Yuke's can't make a good wrestling game. Look at Day of Reckoning, made by kidnapped AKI employees, homeslice.

I never got to play it despite hearing great things. As a big AKI and wrestling fan who for some reason owns all the WWE games that came out last gen I still never got them even though I own both Game Cube Wrestlemania games and enjoyed them at the time.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

I've also never played No Mercy  :'(

[close]

The two WrestleMania games, X8 and X9 were also made by those kidnapped AKI employees, though the first one has a lot of issues typical of launch/launch-window games. The create-a-wrestler feature was just some mix 'n' match parts, which could be configured to create striking likenesses of non-Roster WWE characters. The X9 CAW feature was, er, more robust. From either X9 or DoR1, there is a backstage, challenge-based, multiplayer mode which is a lot of fun. If you can find them used, I recommend both DoR1 and DoR2.

The first time I ever played smackdown on the psx, my immediate reaction was this is too fast, it rewards running grapples too much, it animates like crap, and its a reversal-fest.


When I played WWE 13 for the first time a couple of weeks ago my impressions were, this rewards running grapples too much, it animates like crap, and its a reversal-fest. I guess I've gotten use to the speed.

From a high level view, they just don't have that tactical feel I like, that the old Aki games had.


The UFC games yukes have done also have their issues but they are better than the WWE games for whatever reason.

Entirely different team; the UFC team is the main office in Osaka, the WWE team is out of Yokohama.

[chronovore]

please tell me you worked on the WWE car combat game

Hope it was this

(Image removed from quote.)

It was actually this


Raw 1 and 2 for the Xbox. I quit about 80% into Raw 2 but most of my stuff is in there, I did all the FMV menus (my pitch was "It will be like Gran Turismo but with Wrestling!") and painted all the sign cards (I am shocked to see they are still using my jokes 10 years later). They were the first games I really worked on and it was good to cut my teeth on such a crazily run project, but yeah, never ever again.

BTW I worked on the original PRIDE FC for PS2 as well, that game was actually pretty good.

Yeah, PRIDE FC was a good game; too far ahead of its time, actually.

[Sho Nuff]

Yeah I liked the RAW series better than Smackdown.

Wasn't the PRIDE PS2 game based on the DC UFC Game? Or the port of the PS2 version?

Pride was based on Dreamcast UFC. In fact, the original Pride demo was balanced and tuned on Dreamcast, which was very much dead at the time. I remember a bunch of THQ guys visiting Tokyo and absolutely flipping out when they saw the game running on Dreamcast. I remember explaining to them that it was just because it was faster to use the Sega tools for rapid prototyping, but they were still like "BUT IT'S RUNNING ON A DREAMCAST!" like that was the worst thing in the universe.

(All of the other UFC games were not done by us, we had little to no involvement aside from handing over source assets.)

[chronovore]

Yeah I liked the RAW series better than Smackdown.

Wasn't the PRIDE PS2 game based on the DC UFC Game? Or the port of the PS2 version?

Pride was based on Dreamcast UFC. In fact, the original Pride demo was balanced and tuned on Dreamcast, which was very much dead at the time. I remember a bunch of THQ guys visiting Tokyo and absolutely flipping out when they saw the game running on Dreamcast. I remember explaining to them that it was just because it was faster to use the Sega tools for rapid prototyping, but they were still like "BUT IT'S RUNNING ON A DREAMCAST!" like that was the worst thing in the universe.

(All of the other UFC games were not done by us, we had little to no involvement aside from handing over source assets.)

Yeah, THQ has trouble understanding caveats, even when you'd hold their hand and walk them through each, one by one. I had a few late nights and interrupted Sundays from panicked THQ handlers.

They'd be all  , and we'd be all  , then they'd  , which made us  , then they'd 

[Stoney Mason]

http://www.ign.com/articles/2013/01/28/vigil-co-founder-heads-up-crytek-usa?abthid=5106e5df3e3ba72124000025

Pretty cool

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

where does Crytek get this money from?  If they're the only ones floating dev costs of Homefront 2 now, how do they afford this?

[Stoney Mason]

Six different companies entertained the possibility of buying Saints Row studio Volition Inc. before it was eventually sold to Deep Silver parent company Koch Media last week, general manager Dan Cermak told The News Gazette.

 
Warner Bros., Electronic Arts, Take-Two, Ubisoft, Koch Media, and an unnamed group from Chicago all completed site visits in the weeks preceding the sale, he said.

However, only two companies--Koch Media and Ubisoft--submitted bids for Volition, with Koch Media's $22.3 million offer well ahead of the French publisher's $5.4 million bid.

Koch Media had 390 employees prior to the purchase and will take on all 185 Volition staffers. There will not be any layoffs and compensation packages are consistent, Cermak said.

What may change, though, is Volition's name. "Deep Silver Volition" is reportedly among the names being considered, Cermak said. Cermak also confirmed that Koch Media did not acquire the Red Faction franchise, the fate of which lies in limbo.

Cermak said the sale to Koch Media is a "very positive situation for us." He noted that because Koch Media is a private company, it does not face many of the pressures THQ did as a publicly traded entity, like meeting quarterly financial benchmarks.

[Great Rumbler]

Welp, Darksiders is officially dead. Thank you game industry.

Red Faction is probably dead, too.

[Human Snorenado]

where does Crytek get this money from?  If they're the only ones floating dev costs of Homefront 2 now, how do they afford this?

What they did was actually pretty hilarious.  Instead of bidding anything on Vigil, they let them die, then basically bought/rented a new building in the same town, hired pretty much everybody and changed the name of the studio.  Compared to buying the team/ip outright it's way smarter... but Darksiders is officially dead now, which kind of sucks.

[Purple Filth]

where does Crytek get this money from?  If they're the only ones floating dev costs of Homefront 2 now, how do they afford this?

Apparently they have military contracts for their CryEngine tech

What they did was actually pretty hilarious.  Instead of bidding anything on Volition, they let them die, then basically bought/rented a new building in the same town, hired pretty much everybody and changed the name of the studio.  Compared to buying the team/ip outright it's way smarter... but Darksiders is officially dead now, which kind of sucks.

You mean Vigil.



And for the Red Faction/Darksiders IP is lost people there is apparently gonna be another auction for "legacy IPs" so those could be picked up. Hopefully the groups that might pick them up will actually do something with them

[Fifstar]

Eh, I liked the gameplay of Darksiders but wasn't a fan of scenario and art so a new Ip could be a good thing, provided it would be another third person action adventure.

[Human Snorenado]

DARKSIDERS IS THIS GEN'S SHENMUE

spoiler (click to show/hide)

Just kidding, Darksiders was actually good

[close]

[Raban]

Forgive the odd comparison, but I feel like Darksiders was this gen's Maximo.

[Huff]

There is a 2nd auction where these IPs can be bought right?

[Human Snorenado]

We should buy Red Faction, I got five on it

[Trent Dole]

We should buy Red Faction, I got five on it

Sphinctersoft's first release! 

[originalz]

I guess this is like how that insurance company ended up with the System Shock license, and they refuse to ever release it.  Hopefully THQ's stuff won't suffer that kind of fate, although I doubt any of their remaining IPs have as much love as something like SS.

[Cormacaroni]

Yeah, apparently.  The IPs certainly won't go unowned by anyone, it's just a question of if they'll be owned by anyone who means to use them ever again.

or rather, use them for anything meaningful ever again i guess - every IP that can possibly be turned into a Facebook or card game can and will be i'm sure