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Double Fine, Codemasters, former president Rubin, more seeking payment from THQ
THQ may be no more, but several parties have filed claims against the defunct video game publisher. The Kurtzman Carson Consultancy group shows Double Fine, Codemasters and even individual former executives Jason Kay and Jason Rubin are seeking financial compensation for unpaid obligations from THQDouble Fine (PDF link) is looking for $595,000, claiming THQ offered up Stacking and Costume Quest as free PlayStation Plus downloads without Double Fine's knowledge, and that none of the PS Plus revenue was shared. Codemasters (PDF link) is looking for an exact $1,002,714.25, seeking reimbursement for unpaid royalties and storing quantities of Bodycount, Dirt 3 and F1 2011 discs in a warehouse somewhere. Kay (PDF link) and Rubin (PDF link) are seeking $2.1 million each for failed "employment obligations." The two claim unpaid vacation time, sick leave and severance.THQ's final assets were auctioned off for nearly $7 million earlier this week, including Darksiders, Homeworld and the Drawn to Life series. The results of the first auction were posted in January, facilitating the transfer of ownership for Saints Row 4, Homefront, Company of Heroes 2 and more.
THQ formally drops Farrell, Rubin, executive staff
THQ's storybook is down to the final pages, following the rising action of its dropping stock, and the climax of its bankruptcy at the end of 2012 and asset sale in January. Now for the falling action: THQ formally terminated CEO Brian Farrell, President Jason Rubin and Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kay on January 30, made public in an 8-K form filed today.Earlier in February, Rubin said that THQ's failure was its own fault, and it boiled down to missteps with franchises such as uDraw, the Warhammer 40K MMO and Homefront. "THQ had every chance to survive, had it not made massive mistakes," he said.THQ's epilogue is up next, wherein we find out what all these new companies will do with its former properties.
Ex-Naughty Dog founders go casual with Monkey Gods
Back in 1986, Andy Gavin and Jason Rubin had a dream. As childhood friends, they both wished to make games, so in their adult life, they established Naughty Dog in Santa Monica. They made some games for the Sega Genesis and 3DO, but pay dirt didn't arrive until they created Crash Bandicoot and set the whirling dervish loose on the PSOne. When the PS2 came around, the duo thought up another beloved property in the Jak & Daxter series, which we don't have to tell you was a pretty big deal (and still is!). Now, the duo has a new company: Monkey Gods. Its focus is on the PC crowd (mostly the casual players), though there really isn't anything on the site at the moment. The first game to come from Monkey Gods will be Snood for the iPhone, available on the iTunes App store June 1.We've put in word for comment to the two, and will update you all on whatever we hear back just as soon as we receive it.[Via Geoff Keighley's Twitter]
