Why THQ Still Has a Bright Future

Contrary to popular belief, THQ did in fact publish some very solid games in 2011. Homefront may not have been everyone's cup of tea, and it certainly had its problems, but I personally had a blast with its multiplayer which provided a great blend of Battlefield's sprawling maps and vehicles with Call of Duty's more immediate rewards and upgrades. WWE All Stars provided a fresh take on the stale wrestling game formula and Warhammer 40K: Space Marine was a great third person action game that deserved far more recognition than it got. Heck, they even published the Double Fine XBLA sleeper Stacking. The star of the lineup however, Saints Row: The Third garnered praise from critics but hasn't struck a chord with gamers beyond the hardcore. The absurdest comedy open world franchise has carved out its own place in the genre, but sadly the marketing and timing of this release were so poorly orchestrated that it had an uphill battle as soon as it hit store shelves.

 

However, THQ claims that Saints Row: The Third sold better than expected and that its 2011 lineup was very successful. On the contrary, rumors have been swirling about THQ's financial troubles. Reports claim that the company's stocks are dangerously low at the time of this writing hovering around 70 cents per share. Industry analyst Kevin Dent reported on Twitter last week that THQ was cancelling its lineup of games for 2014 to save money. THQ denied these claims and indeed it may be far too early to spell doom for the publisher as they still has some tricks up their sleeve for 2012 and beyond. There are a few games on the horizon that could save THQ. These games are the reason its future may be much brighter than anyone might think.

UFC Undisputed 3

  
The fastest growing spectator sport in the country has an exclusive publishing deal with THQ and it is one of the crown jewels of the publisher's lineup. As seen recently in our preview of the game, THQ is beefing up the career mode this time around and focusing on making the combat more visceral and believable. This is a big franchise for THQ and it will need to give fans reasons to invest in the new version. After the Kinect side-step that was UFC Personal Trainer, this entry looks to deliver the satisfying combat and depth the series is known for.

Darksiders II

  A lot of people slept on the original Darksiders, but the memory of that game and the word of mouth surrounding Death combined with the less intimidating competition of 2012 could spell huge success for Vigil Game's apocalyptic sequel. The combat, art design, graphics and world of Darksiders II are much more instantly appealing than its predecessor. The character of Death looks like an exciting anti-hero that wouldn't be afraid to take Kratos on face to face. The world of Darksiders II is also much more interesting as it is filled with otherworldly architecture that seems like the perfect backdrop for an end of days epic as opposed to the first game's run down city's and cathedrals. This has the potential to be one of the biggest games of 2012.