By Alan Bell
Videogame company THQ, who have been undergoing a very public demise, have been split into pieces and sold at auction.
Some details are still to be revealed, however what has been announced or uncovered so far are outlined below.
Deep Silver, the game publishing arm of Koch Media, has acquired the Saints Row and Metro franchises, as well as developers Volition (Saints Row, Red Faction). Deep Silver are best known for Risen, Stalker, Gothic, and X.
"These franchises hold a special place in the hearts and minds of anyone who loves exceptional videogames," says Deep Silver COO Geoff Mulligan.
"We're thrilled to usher in a new era for these franchises and are proud to welcome the visionaries and talented forces at Volition on board."
Ubisoft, meanwhile, has purchased THQ Montreal and the publishing rights to South Park: The Stick of Truth, a game developed by Obsidian Entertainment. Unannounced projects in development at THQ Montreal (including Underdog and 1666) were included in the sale.
Sega picked up developer Relic (of Homeworld and Company of Heroes fame), including the Company of Heroes IP. Their winning bid, according to Joystiq, was US$26.6 Million - the largest of any of the bids in the auction.
Take-Two Interactive purchased the Evolve aka Metamorphosis IP, while Crytek - who are working on the next Homefront game - now own the IP for the title outright.
Additionally, Vigil Games - the team behind Darksiders and Darksiders 2 - were not sold.
According to a letter sent to THQ employees, the unsold assets (including Vigil) will remain part of the ongoing Chapter 11 Bankruptcy proceedings and the company will continue to hunt for a buyer; employees of unsold sub-companies, however, have been made redundant.
NZGamer.com
source: newshub archive
