THQ’s fiscal 2013 second quarter call today was not filled with much joy, and the company was quick to end it.

Firstly, South Park: The Stick of Truth was scheduled for March 5, 2013, but it’s now scheduled for “early fiscal 2014,” which means sometime after March 31, 2013. Company of Heroes 2 and Metro: Last Light are now both scheduled for vague releases in March, though presumably before the fiscal year is up on March 31.

Darksiders II was released to a decent amount of fanfare in August, but it hasn’t translated into stellar sales, with THQ characterizing the sequel as having underperformed.

The company also refused to issue any financial guidance for the future, and cancelled the traditional Q&A session with analysts and investors at the end of the call. THQ basically hung up the phone, but alluded to the publisher continuing to have money flow problems as it continues its painful transition.

It doesn’t seem like things are going to get any easier at THQ anytime soon.

THQ’s fiscal 2013 second quarter call today was not filled with much joy, and the company was quick to end it.

Firstly, South Park: The Stick of Truth was scheduled for March 5, 2013, but it’s now scheduled for “early fiscal 2014,” which means sometime after March 31, 2013. Company of Heroes 2 and Metro: Last Light are now both scheduled for vague releases in March, though presumably before the fiscal year is up on March 31.

Darksiders II was released to a decent amount of fanfare in August, but it hasn’t translated into stellar sales, with THQ characterizing the sequel as having underperformed.

The company also refused to issue any financial guidance for the future, and cancelled the traditional Q&A session with analysts and investors at the end of the call. THQ basically hung up the phone, but alluded to the publisher continuing to have money flow problems as it continues its painful transition.

It doesn’t seem like things are going to get any easier at THQ anytime soon.

Fuck, fuck, and fuck again.

:(

No... Please just let Metro make it!

I was really hoping that Darksiders 2 would help but in hindsight pinning your hopes on that one title did seem to be folly. Better get that next Saints Row out the door quick!

DICKTITS!

nooo my metrooo!

Pretty sad news, they've been putting out some of the more interesting games in the last couple years.

Should've seen this coming...but still disappointing. I hope Metro makes it by March. I'm kind of surprised Darksiders didn't sell better. It's hardly the most popular series out there but the sequel had a decent amount of hype behind it before it came out.

This news makes me sad. Very sad.

This might be it for THQ, I did buy all there games this year Saints Row 3, Darksiders 2, and WWE 13 to try and help them but it seems it is not enough.

South Park nooooooo

I don't like the sound of this. If they kill Relic I'll never get Homeworld 3.....

Boooo. I got both COH 2 and SP pre-ordered. Wonder if I will get a refund if they get canned.

if you read into it via the forbes.com article. it really looks like they're done.. or will be done before Q2 next year.. I sure hope not! I love THQ.

@Abendlaender said:

I don't like the sound of this. If they kill Relic I'll never get Homeworld 3.....

Relic will survive, the studio will likely be picked up by another publisher... I just hope it's Square and not EA or Activision.

just a whole lot of sad news :( I didn't end up liking Darksiders 2 but I bought it just to throw some money their way. A real shame for THQ, I hope they can make a come back.

Please don't cancel Company of Heroes 2. Please.

Darkiders 2 underperformed? They are fucked!

Oh, fucking hell. CoH 2 needs to happen. This cannot become the victim of mere financial bullshit.

@Winternet: Yea from what I have seen Darksiders 2 sold like shit.

Damn that sucks, THQ is a company I want to succeed and just can't seem to get the hits that they need to survive. I should've bought Darksiders 2 day one to support them but I'm also glad I didn't from what I have heard, it's good but not as much fun as the first one. What other games have they released since Darksiders 2? That can't be the one they put all their eggs into that basket....

I was really looking forward to that South Park game.

I hope they stick around long enough to publish Darksiders 3. I loved Darksiders but Darksiders 2 felt incomplete. It was kind of haunting, especially the music, but it felt like the first 2/3 was polished and ready while the last third was a rush job with no real resolution. Regardless I still enjoy the universe and hope we see more from Vigil games soon.

@Korwin said:

@Abendlaender said:

I don't like the sound of this. If they kill Relic I'll never get Homeworld 3.....

Relic will survive, the studio will likely be picked up by another publisher... I just hope it's Square and not EA or Activision.

Eh, after what happened to C&C I don't think EA has any interest in an RTS Studio and as long as they don't plan a Call of Duty RTS Activision wont care either. Maybe Take Two could pick them up.

Of course IF THQ dies, which I don't hope....

I was really hoping things would get better for THQ. Im really looking forward to both the south park RPG and metro last light. Lets hope THQ doesn't collapse before there released.

At this point, someone would pick up Metro and Company of Heroes (especially Company of Heroes) even if THQ goes under. They have to be mostly done by this point. It might delay things, but those games should come out. I'm not as sure about South Park, since that doesn't have a great game track record, but I imagine just having the name would be enough to sell it to enough fans to make money. Unless it's an absolute mess or something.

An investor call where the company says "everything is fucked, we don't want to talk about it" and hangs up? Ouch, the vultures are really circling now.

Guys, this might be our chance, what if we create a kickstarter to save THQ and get Homeworld 3 at the same time!!!

Of course I make light of a sad situation. It is always sad when a publisher and/or Developer dies, because with it im sure many games never get sold, and so get bought up by a bank, or are just lost forever. Which I have no doubt happened to Homeworld when Sierra shut down. The same thing happen to System Shock and it will happen again.

@Equal_Opportunity_Destroyer497 said:

I was really hoping that Darksiders 2 would help but in hindsight pinning your hopes on that one title did seem to be folly. Better get that next Saints Row out the door quick!

I never believed that game could sell well enough to save a company. Darksiders is meant to be a supplementary title. I guess a better question is what, exactly, is supposed to be THQ's headliner? Because I think even CoH 2 is a stretch.

That's a fucking shame. THQ may not be the biggest name in the game, but they make damn solid titles and it'd be awful if they end closing up shop.

@Dagbiker:

I don't really care about THQ's other games but if you make something that has something to do with something called "Homeworld 3" (I would also take WorldHome 3, WomeHorld 3 or "that other space thing from them guys who did some Warhammer stuff) in it I will do everything you want. Every.Thing!

All this cause of a stupid fucking drawing tablet. What a shame.

If Metro gets cancelled, I don't know what I'll do with myself. First S.T.A.L.K.E.R. and now (possibly) this?

Well, I am looking forward to South Park so damn.

I just hope the Toy Headquarters remains solvent long enough to deliver us "The Next Great Sequel in the Saints Row Franchise".

No, not Toy Headquarters too!

@Scratch said:

Please don't cancel Company of Heroes 2. Please.

That shouldn't happen it had a massive showing at this years Eurogamer Expo and has just entered internal (Relic/THQ) testing. Closed beta is due to start this month too.

THESE ARE ALL GAMES I AM HEAVILY INTERESTED IN PLAYING PLEASE DON'T GO OUT OF BUSINESS THQ ALSO SAINTS ROW 4 ALSO MANY PEOPLE MAKE THEIR LIVELIHOOD WORKING THERE AND THE INDUSTRY IS ALREADY NOT DOING SO HOT RIGHT NOW OKAY THANKS FOR HEARING ME OUT GUYS.

You know I didn't really care much for darksiders 2 and only bought it cause there was on for $25 on steam some weekend really soon after it came out. I just started playing it this weekend and holy shit is that a loooooooong game. I was expecting something close to 8-10 hours but it's easily double that. There is a crap ton of content in that game.

Makes me wish it sold better.

Just make Saints Row: Quatro and they'll make some money!

THQ isn't doing great. Unfortunate, but a known factor at this point.

@MideonNViscera said:

Well, I am looking forward to South Park so damn.

Yeah, same here, that's a long time to wait now. I'm not all that surprised, since THQ's dire financial straits have been known for a bit, but you can't help but feel sorry for them. They really seem like they are trying their best. Stupid uDraw really fucked 'em over, apparently.

I'm really looking forward to South Park. :(

I also nearly punched the screen when I read ''2014'', but then I realised what it meant. It better not be delayed again. -_-

@Hef: It's only long because the game is so padded out with shit quests that make you do the same thing over and over again. I'd say there is probably less content than the original, just more bloat.

As for the the delay to South Park, did anyone really expect it not to be? This is Obsidian making this game, to expect timely, well polished games is just foolish.

@Abendlaender said:

@Dagbiker:

I don't really care about THQ's other games but if you make something that has something to do with something called "Homeworld 3" (I would also take WorldHome 3, WomeHorld 3 or "that other space thing from them guys who did some Warhammer stuff) in it I will do everything you want. Every.Thing!

Yes.

3 games I want delayed at once. Bummer...

I really love THQ, I feel real bad for them. Darksiders II deserved to do better for them - whatever you think of the game, it was an ambitiously-scoped sequel in a sea of sequels that would rather rest on predecessor's laurels - and... man, they have the 40k license. And they've been real nice to it, too! They have heaps of brilliant developers under their wing. ...THQ is probably my favourite "big" publisher, and it hurts to see them in this sort of situation, honestly.

I suggest Kickstarter, THQ. Err'ones doin' it!

THQ has some games I really want to play. Metro and more Saints Row... I hope they can pull through.