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THQ's Bilson 'not sure there's room' for Space Marine sequel alongside MMO
Joystiq got a chance to chat with THQ's Executive Vice President of Core Games, Danny Bilson, at a Saints Row: The Third event earlier this week. He spoke to us about Space Marine's chances for a sequel, and what he plans for THQ this holiday and beyond.
Bilson says Warhammer 40K: Space Marine is "doing okay," and that "40K fans in particular" were pleased. "It's a really good game, it's doing pretty well. In this world, honestly, you have to do exceptionally well to make any money, because the games are so expensive." Bilson hopes the game keeps selling, and expects the impending release of co-op DLC and "more DLC after that" to help maintain its momentum.
He balks at promising a sequel, however, saying that the Space Marine gameplay may bump up against THQ's planned Warhammer 40K MMO, Dark Millennium, in 2013. "We've already announced the Imperium in the MMO as a class you can play," he says, "and if you combine that it's very active, as opposed to the more turn-based stuff. I'm not sure there's room for Space Marine." But there is more coming for you, battle brothers: "We are heavily invested in the 40K universe, so there's more stuff coming in the 40K universe, absolutely. We extended the deal for quite a while."
As for this year, THQ's latest push is obviously Saints Row (which is out on November 15), and Bilson lays out the beginning of 2012 succinctly: "We've got WWE on the 22nd of November, UFC 3 in February, and then Darksiders 2 will be our next big release after that. It's coming, we're just finishing it up, it's really great."
According to Bilson, the company is trying to narrow its focus, and has done so by investing strongly in five key studios. "We have five studios now: Relic, Volition, Vigil, San Diego, which is going to be building UFC in the future. And then Montreal, where we're building Patrice Desilet's game at the moment, so he's up there working away now."
Bilson says he's excited to have Saints Row out now, and just as excited to see it in a "fall season" full of high-profile releases. "For my opinion," he says, "the greatest lineup of games I've ever seen in my life are coming out the next two months. And Saints Row holds its own and stands among those, because it's not comparable to the other stuff. It's very different."
