The financially struggling publisher’s move to offer its best games for charity have worked well. THQ is now waiting for Phase 2 of the plan to kick in as they look forward to good Karma.
The publisher may be struggling on the financial front and have only another month before they have to pay up to Wells Fargo, the financial institution, but instead of going for some of the usual means to get back on a strong footing, the company seems to want to give something back.
THQ’s financial woes have been public knowledge for quite some time and the studio may not have been around if it hadn’t been for the success of Darksiders 2 or rather, more importantly, the higher than expected sales of Saints Row: The Third.
The game, which is pretty much a parody of the Grand Theft Auto and many other series, really found itself in the mainstream and being purchased by more consumers than THQ expected. The result was the fact that the publisher could afford to stay open a bit longer.
At the same time, the publisher also announced a host of games set to be released within the coming months on which THQ’s future relies. Those titles are the next instalment in the Saints Row series, which was originally meant to be a DLC but was later scrapped in favour of a full title, South Park: The Stick of Truth, Company of Heroes 2 and Metro: Last Light.
If these games prove to be a success financially then the studio may just pull through. However, the dire financial situation has not stopped THQ from getting into the festive spirit and doing something for others.
It recently launched its Humble Bundle which offers all of its top games for the a pay as you wish price model with the minimum price set at $1. Any extra money spent is donated to various charities. Not only that spending more than a dollar also gifts players Saints Row: The Third.
The offer is available via Valve’s digital distribution platform, Steam, and includes a number of games, including the first Darksiders game, Company of Heroes and Red Faction: Armageddon.
Company of Heroes comes with all the DLC for the game as well.
THQ will be hoping that the second phase of their plan will come through as they have made the first move and will be hoping Karma will take to them differently. It will be interesting to see how the next few months pan out and whether or not THQ will be here to stay for the long run.
Disclaimer: Phase 2 of the plan is fictitious. The views and opinions expressed in this article do not reflect the editorial policy of wishfree.com in any way.