Well, the world didn’t end. Which is both good and bad. My backlog of games is just huge. On the one hand, I don’t want the world to end because I want to play them. On the other hand, no world means no more worries about catching up. Let’s get to the news:
The financial troubles for THQ continue. The publisher has now filed for bankruptcy in an effort to salvage through a sale to Clearlake Capital Group for $60million. The sale will include their company’s “four owned studios and games in development.” Jason Rubin, President, explains the situation and calms fears in an open letter regarding the filing:
The sale [of the company] needs to be completed through a Chapter 11 proceeding of the Bankruptcy code.
The most important thing to understand is that Chapter 11 does not mean the end of the THQ story or the end of the titles you love. Quite the opposite is true, actually.
Chapter 11 is a safety net for U.S. companies. American Airlines is currently in Chapter 11 restructuring, yet I flew back and forth on that airline when I visited Volition two weeks ago. Donald Trump and his companies have been in Chapter 11 four times.
You can add to that list household names such as Macy’s, Eddie Bauer, the Chicago Cubs, Chrysler, Delta Airlines, General Motors, the Pittsburgh Penguins, Marvel Studios, and MGM, among many others.
MGM filed Chapter 11 two years ago, and this year it released Skyfall and The Hobbit, two of the biggest titles of the year. That’s what I mean when I say new start!
Whatever happens, the teams and products look likely to end up together and in good hands. That means you can still pre-order Metro: Last Light, Company of Heroes 2, and South Park: The Stick of Truth.
Our teams are still working on those titles as you read this, and all other rumored titles, like the fourth Saints Row, the Homefront sequel, and a lot more are also still in the works.
So, not great news, but possibly not all bad. It also confirms development on two much-desired titles. Other papers in the filing also out a few other unannounced titles along with projected sales numbers. The four owned studios (Turtle Rock, THQ Montreal, Relic Entertainment, and Vigil Games) each have their own new IPs in development: Evolve, 1666, Atlas, and Crawler (respectively). Of those projects, THQ Montreal’s 1666 is headed up by Assassins’ Creed creator Patrice Desilets. If nothing else, I’d like these financial troubles resolved in such a way that we get to see that one. [On a related side note, Assassins’ Creed owners Ubisoft are reportedly in talks to buy THQ from Clearlake after certain assets have been sold off.]
The next DLC for Borderlands 2, “Sir Hammerlock’s Big Game Hunt,” has been a regular topic in VGQH for a while now. Gearbox has now confirmed the release date will be January 15, 2013. The add-on will take place on the continent of Aegris, complete with a variety of new and dangerous beasts. The DLC is $9.99, unless you’ve already purchased the season pass, in which case it’s included.
It’s been a while since we’ve heard anything about the video game tie-in to J.J. Abrams’ second entry into the Star Trek universe. Star Trek: The Video Game will be a third-person co-op shooter starring Kirk and Spock. A release date of April 26, 2013 has been announced, meaning it will hit slightly before the movie releases. The “Elite Officer Pack” pre-order incentive was also announced with the release date. This add-on content actually includes five other packs (which I suspect will be available at some cost for those who don’t preorder):
- Stealth Pack – Kirk and Spock stealth uniforms, Starfleet Type IV Stealth Sniper Rifle, extra ammo
- Brawler Pack – Kirk leather jacket costume, Spock Vulcan Science Academy costume
- Kelvin Pack – Kirk and Spock U.S.S. Kelvin uniforms, U.S.S. Kelvin Hand Phaser
- Academy Pack – Kirk Academy Uniform, Spock Officer Dress Uniform, Academy Phaser
- Kobayashi Maru Pack – Kirk and Spock Kobayashi Maru uniforms
That will do it for this week’s late edition. As a reminder, no update on Tuesday but you should expect one for December 28th. If you celebrate Christmas, have a merry one. If you don’t, have an awesome Tuesday anyway. And to everyone, I wish you a joyous apocalypse.