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12 Days of Joyswag: uDraw tablet, games, Sony digital photo frame, and Meon
Another year, another 12 days of holiday giveaways! Between now and Christmas Day, we're doing the one thing that makes us feel truly alive: giving. Specifically, we're giving you fine folks some of the swag we've managed to collect in our cluttered home offices. And the good will and merriment doesn't stop here! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and Facebook for even more chances to win! While uDraw may not have fared so well on Xbox 360 and PS3, we imagine you won't say no to a free game tablet and two games, uDraw Pictionary (Ultimate Edition!) and uDraw Marvel Super Hero Squad: Comic Combat. Still not interested? Let's sweeten the pot with a Sony digital photo frame, which THQ sent to promote the uDraw tablet. Still not convinced? We're not sure what a Meon Interactive Animation Studio is, but we've got one of those in the office as well and it's not doing us any good. Win the entire pile simply by leaving a comment. Rules after the break!
uDraw hasn't fared so well on Xbox 360 and PS3, THQ lowers its forecast
THQ has lowered its earnings forecast for the third quarter of the 2012 fiscal year, citing underwhelming sales of its recently multiplatform uDraw tablet. THQ CEO Brian Farrell explained in a press release, "Despite uDraw's strong success on the Wii in fiscal 2011 and market research indicating strong demand for uDraw on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3, initial sales of our uDraw tablet and software on these high-definition platforms have been weaker than expected." As a result, the company is lowering its original sales guidance of between $510 million and $550 million by "approximately 25 percent," which is a large number of millions (at least $127.5 million). We'll know how poorly the device did when third quarter results drop next February. Until then, Farrell assures investors that "WWE '12 and Saints Row: The Third are expected to perform at or better than the levels we discussed on our fiscal 2012 second quarter earnings call." We guess folks are just more into simulated violence and genuine bonersword violence than they're into drawing things with their kids.
THQ uDraw GameTablet goes HD, we go hands-on (video)
Nintendo's Wii U controller is a gaming display, video conference device, and yes, a stylus-toting tablet, but no such tool has been announced for those other consoles, so PS3 and Xbox 360 owners who want to get their sketch on will have to turn to THQ's new uDraw GameTablet instead. Tablets for both gaming systems were announced last month, and today we had a chance to paint on the big (HD) screen at E3. Though the drawing surface feels just as roomy as the Wii version, the tablets are noticeably smaller than last year's counterpart, with the obvious absence of a Wiimote holder taking credit for the device's reduced footprint. That Wiimote also made it difficult for lefties to tackle the tablet, but no such issues exist on the PS3 and Xbox versions. Other major design changes include shifting stylus storage from the rear to just above the resistive capacitive touch surface, and trimming some girth off the instrument itself. Both tablets will be coming in November for less than $100, though specific pricing has yet to be announced. For now, you're limited to uDraw Studio and Pictionary on the game title front, which appear noticeably sharper in HD, though otherwise similar to the versions we used with the Wii. THQ has promised more games for future release, including Disney Animator, though reps weren't able to confirm any other titles or dates. We had a chance to draw in both games, which respond to both the stylus and hardware buttons for brush selection and other functions, such as undo and navigation. A rep pointed out that the new versions are also more sensitive to stylus pressure, adjusting brush thickness based on how hard you press, for example, but we didn't find that to be the case. After you've spent a few minutes concocting your next digital masterpiece, you can fire off your work of art via email, instead of just sending it to an SD card like on the Wii version. Overall, there's nothing groundbreaking here, but if you've been looking to balance out your Halo and Resistance by sketching honeybees and rainbows (or making your console a bit more kid-friendly), then uDraw may be worth the investment. %Gallery-125867% Tim Stevens contributed to this report.
uDraw for 360 and PS3 is multitouch, ships with new Studio software
THQ released the first images of the PS3 and Xbox 360 iterations of the uDraw Game Tablet, due this fall, and revealed details that make the new thing sound more impressive than its Wii contemporary. The HD consoles' tablets both feature "high definition" input at 2000x1600 revolution, multitouch surfaces for "pinch-and-stretch and rotation features," and built-in tilt sensors (which the Wii uDraw has because it has a Wiimote all up in). Both tablets will include copies of a new version of uDraw Studio, called uDraw Studio: Instant Artist, with new tutorials and a new interface. There's also a version of Pictionary planned for the new device.
THQ brings uDraw Game Tablet to the PS3 and Xbox 360, redesigned for big boys
Bored of blowing stuff up on your PS3 or 360? Then take some time out to paint flowers, butterflies, fruit and other lovely things with the uDraw Game Tablet. It's coming to the big boys' consoles after a decent debut on the Wii. Don't worry though, you won't have to sully your hardcore gaming shrines with any soft-edged blue and white silliness -- manufacturer THQ says it has "exclusively designed" the tablet for the more serious platforms. Unfortunately the company paints a pretty ambiguous picture when it comes to a release date - it merely says the tablet will be out "this holiday". Fine, we'll just go back to blowing things up until National Applesauce Day rolls around.
THQ making uDraw tablets for Xbox 360 and PS3, due this holiday
The uDraw Game Tablet, a peripheral THQ developed with Nintendo, is now headed to Xbox 360 and PS3 after a very successful tenure on Wii. In the company's latest earnings release, CEO Brian Farrell announced plans to bring "exclusively designed" uDraw devices to Xbox 360 and PS3 this holiday. The announcement doesn't mention any games to accompany the devices, but we'd at least expect a port of the uDraw Game Studio drawing program. The new "exclusive" designs were also left undetailed, but we imagine the new uDraw tablets integrate exciting features like not having a slot for a Wiimote.
THQ highlights 1.2m uDraw units in Q3 earnings; wants more uDraw, fewer kids movie-based games
While a large slate of AAA titles is expected from THQ's Core Games unit in its Q4 2011 and 2012 fiscal periods, its fiscal Q3 2011 (October–December 2010) financial results are all about the less high-profile Kids, Family and Casual Business which had an unexpected hit with the North American release of uDraw Game Tablet for Wii last November. In less than two months, THQ managed to move over 1.2 million units in North America alone; an international release is expected "in the March quarter" (by the end of March this year). And it's a good thing, too! THQ also "reevaluated the sales potential of games based on its kids movie-based licenses" for its Q3 statement and, "consistent with recent industry trends," it "lowered expectations for this category." That cost the company an impairment of $30.3 million which was excluded from its Q3 non-GAAP results (which we're getting to, hold on!). Instead of licensed kid's games, the Kids, Family and Casual Business is "increasing its focus on popular new play patterns and devices such as Kinect for Xbox 360, PlayStation Move, the uDraw GameTablet and Nintendo 3DS." Makes sense, right? Now for the numbers: For the three-month quarter ending December 31, 2010, THQ posted net sales of $314.6 million, an eight percent drop year-over-year, resulting in a net loss of $14.9 million compared to a net income of $542,000 in the same period the previous year. In addition to the aforementioned $30.3 million impairment, THQ also excluded "a charge of $9.9 million related to the cancellation of Company of Heroes Online and WWE Online" from its non-GAAP results. So, with those things in mind, THQ reported non-GAAP net income of $28.5 million for the quarter compared with net income of $26.6 million for the prior-year period. We're on the THQ earnings call now, and will report back any updates.
THQ and Mattel enter game deal, includes Masters of the Universe rights
THQ will target kids with a new multi-year, multiplatform "alliance" with Mattel -- that's for sure. What we're not so sure about is whether those targets are intended to be kids of the 80s or their kids of today. A news announcement reads like a who's who of garage-sale name drops: Barbie, Hot Wheels, Fisher-Price, Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots, Masters of the Universe, and even Polly Pocket (who's apparently still going strong these days). While the deal with Mattel encompasses games that could appear on any platform imaginable, THQ did specifically note the potential in re-introducing the toy maker's brands through the uDraw GameTablet for Wii. "As we have shown with the combination of uDraw and Pictionary, there is enormous potential for the strategic relationship between THQ and Mattel," said Martin Good, executive veep of THQ's Kids, Family and Casual Games division. The brilliant part about all this is that when you hand over THQ's Tablet and a copy of the He-Man: By the Power of Grayscale drawing game to the GameStop clerk, you simply say, "It's for my kid" -- and he sort of has to believe you. [Image source: Madman Entertainment; credit: Mattel]
If uDraw wintry artwork, you could win prizes
Are uEnjoying the uDraw tablet and its included uDraw Studio software? If so (and if you're, like, way talented), you could win a bunch of THQ Wii games. Through Jan. 11, THQ is soliciting winter-themed artwork drawn in uDraw Studio for a "Winter Wonderland" contest. The winning artwork will be used as the background for the World of uDraw website, and the artist behind said artwork will get a "THQ Kids videogame prize pack" for Wii, worth $500. The uDraw thing is somewhat of a surprise hit, so expect lots of competition. For those of you who don't have a tablet, or are crazy enough to go out to the mall today in search of one as a gift, THQ says it's "working with retailers to ensure stock is on hand to meet demand during the busiest shopping season of the year."
THQ uDraw GameTablet 'doing very well,' software lined up through 2012
As Kinect and Move continue to make headlines as the season's hottest hardware, THQ is quietly enjoying the apparent success of its uDraw GameTablet, which launched November 14 for Wii. Early indications from the company suggest the kid-targeted device is selling well at retail (for around $70), as one tongue-in-cheek tweet from VP Danny Bilson hinted. Without sharing specific sales figures, Wayne Cline, director of product development for THQ's Kids, Family and Casual division, got a bit more specific about uDraw's performance. "Our early reports are looking very promising, and I know we're doing very well at Walmart, Best Buy and Toys R Us -- outlets like that," he told Joystiq. "And we're getting really good first-look feedback from a lot of things like parenting magazines and such. It's looking very positive." But how long will that last? %Gallery-99627%
