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Rubin: THQ could have survived, but made 'massive mistakes'
We know pretty much all there is to know about the dissolution of THQ, how its valuable studios and properties were sold off, while others were left to fend for themselves. We're pretty well versed on why it all happened. Now, former THQ president Jason Rubin has given MCV his opinion on why the publisher went south.Rubin refuted the notion that THQ was simply a victim of a changing industry, that it was unable to keep up with bigger publishers. "THQ had every chance to survive," he said, "had it not made massive mistakes." Said mistakes – things like bungling uDraw, the Warhammer 40K MMO and Homefront – didn't happen on Rubin's watch, however, as he was only appointed in May of 2012. Ultimately, there was "too much negative hanging on [THQ's] books," he said.THQ's failure didn't boil down to bad luck either. "Could Homefront have caught a nerve and sold 10m copies? It's possible I guess, but probably not without better production," he said, adding that luck certainly wasn't a factor in THQ's decision to cancel Warhammer 40K: Dark Millennium Online. "That was simply a bad decision in a sea of bad decisions."
Walmart Black Friday deals include cheap consoles, very cheap games, confusing uDraw offers
For those brave enough, and cheap enough, to venture into Walmart after 8pm on November 22, some Black Friday deals await, including a 4GB Xbox 360 with a Skylanders: Spyro's Adventure starter pack for $149, a Wii for $89, and a 250GB PS3 with the Uncharted Dual Pack and the Infamous Collection for $199.The retailer is also discounting some games, including Epic Mickey 2, Modern Warfare 3, FIFA Soccer 13, NBA 2K13, Borderlands 2, Medal of Honor Warfighter, and Just Dance 4, to $25 each. $15 games include Dance Central 3, Max Payne 3, Black Ops, and Spec Ops: The Line. Dead Island, Gran Turismo 5, and more are $10.Finally, in the offer that is most likely to confuse and irritate people, Walmart is advertising "Wii U-Draw" for $10. That's actually the uDraw Game Tablet for Wii, and not the Wii U, which also includes a tablet. Some kind of fight is going to break out over this confusion, we're afraid.
THQ suspected of misleading investors about uDraw
A Georgia law firm is investigating THQ to determine if it misled investors about the stagnant demand for its uDraw tablet, before discontinuing its production in February. Holzer Holzer & Fistel assert that THQ may have withheld information about decreased demand for the uDraw, and may have made "false and misleading" statements about its progress, Gamasutra reports.If THQ employed any of these tactics, it could be in violation of federal securities laws.This investigation follows a slew of financial issues at THQ as well as the sale of its UFC franchise rights to competitor Electronic Arts.
THQ no longer manufacturing uDraw hardware
THQ will no longer manufacture uDraw hardware, according to its fiscal 2012 third quarter financial report. "Sales of the uDraw GameTablet and related software, and other titles in the kids, family and casual category were far weaker than anticipated, substantially reducing our financial results for the quarter," reported THQ president and CEO Brian Farrell.The uDraw is seemingly out of picture at this point, as the publisher "has no future commitments or plans to manufacture uDraw hardware." The Wii version of the tablet proved to be a success for THQ in 2010, leading the company to produce versions for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. Sales of uDraw on Sony and Microsoft's platforms were underwhelming, however, leading the company to lower financial forecasts at the end of 2011.THQ now plans to focus on "premium core and fighting franchises." The report doesn't specify whether or not THQ will continue to produce software for uDraw, though it seems unlikely given the transition away from children's products. Unless someone is working on a Saints Row art game, of course.
THQ lays off 30 Play THQ employees
The business world, like the rest of the world, is a cruel and unforgiving mistress. Following the "weaker than expected" sales figures achieved by THQ's uDraw tablet during the third quarter of the 2012 fiscal year, THQ has let go 30 members of its Play THQ team; the Agoura Hills unit responsible for uDraw. "We are taking a difficult but important step to reduce the number of employees that supported this brand," a THQ representative said in a statement to Game Informer. "30 people will be leaving the company and business unit leader Martin Good will also be leaving to pursue new opportunities outside the company." THQ is still hopeful that the success of Saints Row: The Third and WWE '12 will pull out a fourth quarter turnaround before the end of fiscal 2012.
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.
Ubisoft's Drawsome Tablet for Wii is cheaper than art lessons, probably about as fun (video)
If you miss the unbridled delight of messing around in Mario Paint, then the days of waiting for a modern solution may be over, thanks to Ubisoft's new Drawsome tablet for Wii. Unless, of course, you already picked up the THQ uDraw last year. On paper, it doesn't appear to be too dissimilar from THQ's offering -- you get a 6.5 x 5-inch drawing area and a stylus (unwired this time). Younger players can use the transparency layer to hold pictures of the teen-idol of choice for tracing -- masterpieces can then be transferred to an SD card. You'll also get two games: Drawsome Artist (where you can learn how to doodle Smurfs) and Sketch Quest, a four-player platformer where you build bridges to help the characters complete quests. No word on pricing (we don't expect it to cost more than the $70 uDraw) but it'll arrive in stores on December 6th, just in time for holiday shoppers to snatch them from the shelves. Catch the tablet in action after the break.
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.
Dragon Age 2 champions UK sales chart
Dragon Age 2, as it was foretold by the Chantry prophecies, took the top spot on Chart-Track's all formats UK sales chart for the week of March 6. Hawke's ascension meant that s/he pushed back the Pokémon of the White and Black breeds to second and fourth place, respectively. Fight Night Champion beat up most of the competition to retain third place, while Just Dance 2's seductive moves helped it slide up two spots to fifth. The big move last week was THQ's uDraw Studio (with Game Tablet), which shot up into tenth place from #83 in its second week at retail. Check out the complete UK top ten after the break.
THQ: Warhammer MMO will cost $50 million, uDraw still making bank
See, this is how you can tell you can tell we're dummies about business. If someone asked us how much we'd spend on a Warhammer MMO in a world where World of Warcraft still reigns and Blizzard has another online game in the pipeline, our answer would be "not much." But THQ's answer, when posed the same question about the upcoming Dark Millennium? Around $50 million, according to CFO Paul Pucino, speaking on a recent conference call. Just when we're about to get snide about our business savvy, Pucino reveals that the company expects to sell 1.7 million uDraw tablets (remember the uDraw?), up from a 1.3-million-unit prediction in December of last year. 1.7 million. uDraws. Like we said: Dummies.
THQ tries WarioWare formula, comes out with 'Spongebob Squigglepants'
THQ has chosen to follow up on the success of its first uDraw Game Tablet releases with ... Squigglepants! SpongeBob Squigglepants is nothing less than a WarioWare clone designed for the uDraw. Players race through a series of 100 "nanogames" including racing, searching for hidden objects, and, of course, drawing, all with the uDraw's pen acting like a DS stylus. The game is "hosted" by Patchy the Pirate, who appears in live-action segments. If this sounds interesting enough for you to go into a store and say the word "Squigglepants" to a clerk out loud, you'll be able to pick it up April 12. According to THQ, the uDraw tablet is being launched worldwide in February and March, making Squigglepants a launch window title for other territories. In addition, THQ will release a 3DS version "later in the spring," allowing the Squigglepants to squiggle in three dimensions.%Gallery-116877%
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 to release 4 to 5 uDraw titles by March 2012, including SpongeBob
THQ said last week that it had a plan to support the uDraw Wii tablet through the 2012 calendar year, and today CFO Paul Pucino started to clarify the level of support. Speaking at the UBS Annual Global Media & Communications Conference, Pucino said that four to five titles would arrive for the device from THQ in the next fiscal year (April 2011 – March 2012). He didn't offer any more specifics, only revealing that one of the games would feature SpongeBob SquarePants. Okay, we're gonna cut to the chase here, THQ: Convince Nintendo to let you develop a new Mario Paint for uDraw, and you can have all the money. How does that sound? All. The. Money.
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%
THQ uDraw Gametablet for Wii review
There comes a time when fiddly buttons and D-pads just don't do it anymore, a time when you need a little more control. Nintendo was first of the current generation to show its hand with the fling-sensitive Wiimote, and of course Sony and Microsoft are both now doing similarly intended things with the PlayStation Move and the Kinect, respectively. Now THQ is trying to do its own little new thing by launching the $69.99 uDraw Gametablet on the Wii, supplanting the wavy wand with a stylus. Next logical step in gaming? Tool to unleash a torrent of creativity? Half-baked third-party accessory? Read on to find out. %Gallery-107435%
