THQ, a publisher of many good games and mediocre cash-ins may be dead, but the name lives on. Growing publisher Nordic Games purchased a lot of THQ’s IPs when it was up for sale, including Darksiders, Red Faction and Supreme Commander. They also got hold of the company’s trademark.
But of course, at the time in 2013, no one in the general public and the media knew of Nordic Games, who were one of the companies buying a lot of IPs. In a super casual press release, Nordic accounts to the many headlines it garnerned for being unknown such as “Who the F*** is Nordic Games?”, “Darksiders Gets Bought By…Nordic Games?”, and “Nordic Games explains who the f they are, plans for THQ assets”.
Yes, it was uncensored on the press release itself. It’s super casual in tone for a press release, which is interesting to see.
Moving on, the addition to the familiar “THQ” name and logo to thier new name would add a bit of familiarity as THQNordic expands. They are currently responsible for some publishing deals, including the physical PC version of Quantum Break, as well as having multiple unannounced projects in the works. Whether it will all be based from THQ’s IP they now own or there are some original new games in the works, that remains to be seen.
This move the first of its kind in the gaming industry. The Atari name lived on as a publisher in 2001 not as the same company that pioneered gaming in the 80’s, but as a new name for French publishers Infogrames Entertainment. A new, recognisable name did help them grow.. until they went bankrupt in 2013, though they are currently still running in a small scale. Let’s hope THQNordic can live on and not fall to same fate as the company name it now shares and the company that used to do the same rebranding strategy.
The world would be a better place if we can have more Darksiders.