Get your facts straight on when THQ's big titles are hitting.
THQ hosted one of those gripping investor conference calls the other afternoon, revealing all sorts of numbers for analysts and stockholders to... enjoy at their leisure. The publisher also used the event to talk about a bunch of release dates and windows, which just so happens to be of major interest to us as dudes who like to actually play video games. Here’s a rundown of the bigger news on this front.
Don’t go looking for Homefront on March 8 as previously announced; it won’t be at stores. During the call, president and CEO of the publisher, Brian Farrell, announced that the shooter’s release date has been pushed to March 15 from its original March 8, 2011 date.
Farrell and THQ haven’t cited a specific reason for the delay, but the “we think we have a great opportunity to dominate retail on this date” statement given to Joystiq after the call makes a whole lot more sense when you consider that Homefront is no longer launching against Dragon Age II, a new sequel in an established franchise. Different audiences, sure, but there's some crossover.
This delay affects all three versions of Homefront, so expect the PC, Xbox 360, and the PS3 version of the shooter to all hit on March 15. Of course, the 360 version will still get all the DLC exclusively first.
Want more Saints Row action? You’ll get some in 2011 if plans hold. During the call, it was revealed that Saints Row 3 will hit later this Fall 2011, though no other specifics about the follow-up to the goofy open-world shooter were discussed.
"In the Fall, we plan to launch the latest installment of our Saints Row franchise, which we view as a significant growth driver in fiscal 2012,” Farell revealed, adding, "[Developer] Volition is setting a new bar for this outstanding franchise and we look forward to unveiling this game in the near future."
Saints Row 2, a huge improvement over the original entry in the fledgling franchise, hit in 2008 for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PS3 back in 2008. It's speculative at this point, but I doubt any of these three platforms will be excluded from receiving Saints Row 3.
Here's the first bummer of the call: as was speculated after the sudden announcement of the Company of Heroes Online beta closing, the promising free-to-play strategy game was confirmed to be canned during the call, according to VG247. WWE Online has met the same fate, too.
DARKSIDERS 2, INSANE, WARHAMMER 40K MMO, AND THE DEVIL'S THIRD According to the call, Vigil Games' Darksiders 2 and its Warhammer 40K MMO are scheduled to hit at some point in FY 2013, meaning we should see them somewhere between April 12, 2011 and March 2013.
The Devil's Third has this same vague release window as well. Oh, and Guillermo del Toro's inSANE? That game is still slated for a release in calendar year 2013, as was announced at the VGAs.
And that's it! Lots of stuff to sort through there. I'm pretty surprised that The Devil's Third is still so far away, but I suppose putting together a new studio and then making a game isn't easy.
THQ hosted one of those gripping investor conference calls the other afternoon, revealing all sorts of numbers for analysts and stockholders to... enjoy at their leisure. The publisher also used the event to talk about a bunch of release dates and windows, which just so happens to be of major interest to us as dudes who like to actually play video games. Here’s a rundown of the bigger news on this front.
Don’t go looking for Homefront on March 8 as previously announced; it won’t be at stores. During the call, president and CEO of the publisher, Brian Farrell, announced that the shooter’s release date has been pushed to March 15 from its original March 8, 2011 date.
Farrell and THQ haven’t cited a specific reason for the delay, but the “we think we have a great opportunity to dominate retail on this date” statement given to Joystiq after the call makes a whole lot more sense when you consider that Homefront is no longer launching against Dragon Age II, a new sequel in an established franchise. Different audiences, sure, but there's some crossover.
This delay affects all three versions of Homefront, so expect the PC, Xbox 360, and the PS3 version of the shooter to all hit on March 15. Of course, the 360 version will still get all the DLC exclusively first.
Want more Saints Row action? You’ll get some in 2011 if plans hold. During the call, it was revealed that Saints Row 3 will hit later this Fall 2011, though no other specifics about the follow-up to the goofy open-world shooter were discussed.
"In the Fall, we plan to launch the latest installment of our Saints Row franchise, which we view as a significant growth driver in fiscal 2012,” Farell revealed, adding, "[Developer] Volition is setting a new bar for this outstanding franchise and we look forward to unveiling this game in the near future."
Saints Row 2, a huge improvement over the original entry in the fledgling franchise, hit in 2008 for the PS3, Xbox 360, and PS3 back in 2008. It's speculative at this point, but I doubt any of these three platforms will be excluded from receiving Saints Row 3.
Here's the first bummer of the call: as was speculated after the sudden announcement of the Company of Heroes Online beta closing, the promising free-to-play strategy game was confirmed to be canned during the call, according to VG247. WWE Online has met the same fate, too.
DARKSIDERS 2, INSANE, WARHAMMER 40K MMO, AND THE DEVIL'S THIRD According to the call, Vigil Games' Darksiders 2 and its Warhammer 40K MMO are scheduled to hit at some point in FY 2013, meaning we should see them somewhere between April 12, 2011 and March 2013.
The Devil's Third has this same vague release window as well. Oh, and Guillermo del Toro's inSANE? That game is still slated for a release in calendar year 2013, as was announced at the VGAs.
And that's it! Lots of stuff to sort through there. I'm pretty surprised that The Devil's Third is still so far away, but I suppose putting together a new studio and then making a game isn't easy.
According to the call, Vigil Games' Darksiders 2 and its Warhammer 40K MMO are scheduled to hit at some point in FY 2013, meaning we should see them somewhere between April 12, 2011 and March 2013.
There's quite a few typo's in this here article. I count three, but the news is pretty interesting. That said I'm only really interested in Darksiders 2.
Saints Row 3 and Darksiders 2, eff yeah. Weird that Space Marine isn't mentioned at all, I worry about how little of that game has been shown considering its suppose to release this year.
I hated playing Saint's Row 2 on the PC. The performance was awful, the animations were abysmal. Everything about it was complete shite and was an insult to PC gamers.
" As long as they keep the PimpSlap in Saints Row 3 I'll be a satisfied customer "
And streakin', gotta have streakin'. Woo-hoo, I'm naked...again!
More Saints Row has me more hyped than any potential news for another Grand Theft Auto. I'm sorry to hear about the Company of Heroes F2P getting canned but since I have the retail game on my PC I'm not too heartbroken. I knew Warhammer 40K MMO was a far off release so no new news there, but I was surprised by the distance for Itakai's Devil's Third. I was hoping for a 2012 release date, but I guess not.
Fuckin' loved Saints Row 2. Best console co-op evs.
Probably a good idea not putting Homefront up against DA2 if they don't have to, but you'd expect the DA2 purchasers to still be occupied with it the following week too. Plus it also puts Homefront only one week before Crysis 2, which is obviously more direct competition. I don't know, but they seem to have boxed themselves in here pretty badly imo - the week before DA2 would have made sense.
Still disappointed to know I won't get any 40K action for a few years still. But then again that gives them time to make it a game I'll want to actually play. :)
Waiting an extra week for Homefront won't be too bad considering that I'll still be playing Killzone 3. It did come as a surprise to me that Saint's Row 3 is coming out towards the end of the year, especially since nothing has been shown or talked about but I bet it will make an appearance at E3 11.
" Am I the only person that thought Saint's Row was Trash aimed at Trash? "
Yes. "
No. Saints Row is garbage aimed at the idiots who thinks Jet Packs in GTA are more important than practical shooting mechanics. Also, its painfully unfunny. The gaming version of Disaster Movie or Meet the Spartans. "
" Am I the only person that thought Saint's Row was Trash aimed at Trash? "
Yes. "
No. Saints Row is garbage aimed at the idiots who thinks Jet Packs in GTA are more important than practical shooting mechanics. Also, its painfully unfunny. The gaming version of Disaster Movie or Meet the Spartans. "
I feel the same way. People were like, "WAY BETTER THAN GTAIV, DUDE YOU CAN PEE OUT YOUR CAR WINDOW AND STEAL A SEPTIC TRUCK AND SHOOT SHIT AT EVERYONE!" And I'm like...yeah that sounds like the dumbest thing ever. I'll stick with my well-developed storytelling. Thanks!
My lot of po-faced gamers out there. Saints Row 2 was great if you never took it seriously (i feel sorry for those that did) What was great about it was that the current state of your avatar was incorporated into the cutscenes, which injected much needed hilarity to the gangster bullshit storyline. Forget about all that shooting shit stuff, the humor was when your hotdog-costume-wearing cockney granny was holding court.
I REALLY hope they up the customisation and (most importantly) more voices for SR3.
" What the hell does FY 2013 stand for? I really don't want to wait that long for what will be the best MMO ever. "
Fiscal Year 2013. Every company's 'year' ends at different times though and with game devs/publishers/whatever they never seem to be Jan-Dec of said year.
I think Brad meant to put April 12, 2012 not 2011. That would mean that THQ's fiscal year for 2013 would start April 2012 and end March 2013.
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