While the outlook for troubled game publisher THQ looks increasingly grim these days, it still has some valuable assets, according to Assassin’s Creed publisher Ubisoft.
In an interview with Games Industry International, Ubisoft CEO Yves Guillemot said his company is monitoring THQ’s plight with an eye toward picking up some of the company’s existing licenses and franchises.
“They have good things,” said Guillemot. “We are always interested in good brands. For sure, it’s something we can consider, but I can’t tell you more.”
THQ previously parted ways with its Ultimate Fighting Championship license, ceding the franchise to rival Electronic Arts. The company still has ownership of a few other licenses and franchises that Ubisoft could be targeting, though, including the Saint’s RowSouth Park: The Stick of Truth. Games still under development by THQ include a few high-profile titles that are now in a state of limbo such as Homefront 2, Metro: Last Light, Company of Heroes 2, Saints Row 4, an unknown game developed by former Assassin’s Creed director Patrice Desilets.
Earlier this month, the company reported a $21 billion loss for the most recent quarter, and enlisted the services of advisory agency Centreview Partners, a company that recently facilitated several high-profile sales and bankruptcy proceedings for similarly troubled companies.
“What happened to [THQ] is something that happens regularly when we have transition,” said Guillemot of what THQ’s predicament indicates about the greater gaming industry and trends. “Some can make it, some decide to go in different direction. It happened with Atari and Midway and also Acclaim last generation. It’s something that happens in this industry and that’s the way the industry consolidates.”
