THQ Dodges Credit Default But Loses Chief Financial Officer

[Roxas1359]

Let's hope that THQ can get through this rough patch they are going through. THQ is one of the gaming companies that I like because their customer support is not crap like other companies.

 

[Tortilla the Hun]

It'll be a sad day if THQ had to close up shop for good. With what they've produced and with what games are on the line, they really don't deserve to be in the financial situation they're in. Best wishes and best of luck for THQ. I'm rootin' for ya.

 

[grigjd3]

THQ is something of an oddball company. They're quite big and for a long time thrived that way based on contracts to release movie tie-ins and other gaming wish-wash. At the same time, they had cultivated a few quality in house IPs. With movie producers wanting more and more to control their tie-in material, THQ lost that portion of their business. Unfortunately, the large corporate culture they created does not yield consistent quality in their IPs. I mean, what was with Red Faction: Armageddon? It was a complete waste of effort. Also, like other large publishers, they aren't terrific at keeping their customers happy with them and they aren't particularly good at keeping their best developer side talent. I'd be interested to see what portion of their annual expenditures is administrative.

It's still salvageable. It's just getting more difficult to do so. Effectively, THQ needs to downsize and find a business partner that can help them focus. Otherwise, we'll be seeing a fire sale on their IPs.

 

[Something Amyss]

I now have a mad urge to invest $500 in THQ stock, because they're updates are so brutal that I can see them actually recovering. No risk, no reward, you know?

It's fairly depressing to watch, though. They aren't being dragged through the mud at this point, they have BECOME mud.

They are updates?

Anyway, this really is what should happen when you fuck up royally. Most companies get off with a slap on the wrist.

 

[lacktheknack]

I now have a mad urge to invest $500 in THQ stock, because they're updates are so brutal that I can see them actually recovering. No risk, no reward, you know?

It's fairly depressing to watch, though. They aren't being dragged through the mud at this point, they have BECOME mud.

They are updates?

 

[GAunderrated]

Actually having policies that I don't agree with as a customer is a great reason for a bad company to shutdown. Make bad policies, have angry customers, lose support, go bankrupt. Seems like a pretty straightforward pattern to me. I will feel bad for all the workers who will lose their jobs but I can't help but feel this is karmic payback.

Perhaps so, but in this context I don't think it is reason enough.

Online passes weren't something people most people found terrible enough to warrant a company's shut down. THQ could actually justify having them, because of their financial situation. I just don't think online passes are big of a deal enough for enough people for it to be the reason for a company's failure.

How do you know what most people think? I'm only speaking for myself as a customer, not on the behalf of millions of people I don't know and claim the majority thinking. It is a bad habit I see on the internet is to speak on behalf of millions and they never even heard their opinion.

I find online passes to be an absolute atrocity and I can name at least a dozen friends I know that think the same as well as many users on the escapist thanks to Jim Sterling tackling the issue. I can't speak for the millions of gamers I haven't met but my point in the post you quoted still stands I just have to clarify when I said policies I meant games included in that statement (wasn't clear my apologies). Judging by how poorly as a company they are doing I still think its their bad policies/games that led to them loosing support.

For myself personally it has to do completely with the online pass BS that they started. EA as evil bastards as they are didn't invent online passes, they only use them the most frequent. THQ put a lot of negative energy out there in the form of online passes. That is why I feel this is karmic payback.

Also if you haven't seen it please check out the video. I found it to be a good watch.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/videos/view/jimquisition/4568-Online-Passes-Are-Bad-For-Everybody

 

[Nouw]

snip

I'm just passing on what I read on these forums and the Space Marine community forums. In both instances it wasn't a case of everyone disagreeing with the practice, as it is usually. It actually divided a few people. I know there are people who detest them, but there are also saying there are people who don't. I suppose in your situation you would deem online passes bad enough for the company to shut down but in mine it is not.

There are over 400 comments on that video and I can't help but understand both sides. Personally, I don't see them as a clear-cut bad practice so I suppose we'll have to agree to disagree. I think other issues THQ had would be more deserving of the title of 'why THQ is failing' but that's me. Perhaps there could be an article or a video on the Escapist as to why THQ is failing so we can assess all their sins and virtues in a karma-like manner, seeing as THQ's days are ending. I'm sure online passes are part of the reason, however small or big its effect may be, but there must be other things as well.

 

[ProtoChimp]

Shit I got to start buying THQ stuff right now, even the stuff that sucks.

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