The Top 10 Game Industry Disasters of 2013
01. THQ Self-Destructs
While it would not be fair to characterize the situation with game publisher THQ as entirely a surprise -- after all the thanks to a very huge strategic error on its part years ago with its investment in its uDraw Game Tablet system and the titles it supported.
The uDraw was originally developed as an art accessory for Nintendo's Wii, but when THQ looked at it what they saw was a piece of hardware that they could own -- that they could build entire lines and genres of games around -- and that would give them a certified piece of any console that they supported. Which is why, with the licenses secured, THQ proceeded to expand its coverage (and exposure) to the PS3 and the Xbox 360 because why? Because they believed in it.
For its part the folks at THQ appear to have genuinely believed that the industry and the market were moving in the direction of tablet-based edutainment for kids in schools -- and we have to give them credit for backing the strategic decisions that they make whole-heartedly. Unfortunately in this case it was the wrong call, and the misplaced confidence that they had for the tech left THQ with entire warehouses full of uDraw Tablets they could not give away.
So much of their working capital was invested into the product that indirectly and directly it is the reason for its unstoppable fiscal hemorrhage that was killing it, and the primary cause for its filing for bankruptcy protection in 2012 -- a move that was not really all that big a surprise. Most of the industry pundits and even a few mainstream economists saw that one coming.Unfortunately the liquidation of secondary asserts and the closure of satellite studios, as well as massive lay-offs was not sufficient to help the publisher climb out of the hole that it had dug for itself, so to the shock and amazement of pretty much everyone, it began to auction-off its major IPs including the Metro series, the new South Park game, and many others.
The major studios and publishers who were previously the competition -- though reluctant to profit from the desperation of THQ -- chose to take on the persona of angels when they swooped in and bid for those IPs.
To be clear they did it not just do to profit (which they will we assure you) but also to do a solid service to the gamer communities that existed around each.
The deals were done, and thank the stars they were because otherwise those IP franchises may have gone the way of Kingdoms of Amalur. Just saying. It is reassuring to know that the following IPs have new homes at studio-publishers who will give them the care, attention, and resources that they need to succeed:
Crytek: Homefront Franchise.
Deep Silver: Metro, and Saints Row.
SEGA: Warhammer Franchise.
Take 2: Evolve Franchise.
Ubisoft: 1666, South Park: The Stick of Truth, and Underdog.
There are others that are still in the process of finding new homes, but with the major franchises either already resettled or well on their way to it, that is good news for the gamers who call them their own.
Rest in Peace THQ -
DRM should be a crime. Publishers need to realize that ownership is what capitalism is all about. People move, have friends, share with their friends, and PC's and consoles die. Hard drives crash. No one should be punished for having to deal with an already horrible situation, ie: catastrophic HD failure.
DRM also creates more piracy that it stops.
I personally was sad to hear about the loss of THQ.
But thankful that the Warhammer franchise was bought over. For all of their terrible games, their Dawn of War and Space Marine IPs were solid, fantastic games!
Will Sims freeplay be a contender for 2014 given the uproar of their new update? Should be its been bsit and switch. A real time game where sims live 42 days! Disgraceful.
"The fact that the vast majority of the content that was being targeted legally qualifies as fair use under the current interpretation of the law considered"
That's where a lot of people have a misunderstanding about Fair Use. Their vids might be seen as Fair Use but ONLY a court of law can make that decision no one else can. Also Youtube isn't at fault here, they are doing only what the law says. If someone files a copyright claim against a vid Youtube has to take it down or they may face legal action from the content owner.
Youtube has been sued multiple times by companies and other people over copyright infringement. Youtube was actually going to shut down do to all the legal troubles until Google bought them.
I took a gamecube to Iraq as well. Eternal Darkness was the kind of thing that made war seem not so bad.
Considering the Steam OS, I personally think that was a very big announcement from Valve and as you can see, lots of game developers thought the same.
Linux is going to be the future, like it or not.
Great list. On a positive note for us non multiplayers The Last of Us single handedly saved the single player game 2013.
Who cares about THQ. In the long run something else will fill the void. And the Xbox one is hardly a failure as they are still selling strong and making microsoft money. They told us before that it will be a gaming system AND a multimedia system. People just need to understand that.