THQ Nordic’s new interim report has casually dropped several big announcements about some major game series and studio acquisitions.
The first-quarter report focused on April-June 2019, explains that THQ Nordic – along with Deep Silver and Coffee Stain – achieved a 33% year-on-year sales growth, with a total net sales figure of SEK 641 million (about $67 million USD). It’s an impressive set of numbers, and the report proceeds with a batch of announcements.
The first is that Volition is working on the first new Saints Row game since 2013’s Saints Row IV. The team is “deep in development” on the next title, which they have called a “full entry”. Although no further details were given, it seems Saints Row V or something like it is on its way. After the somewhat lacklustre Agents of Mayhem, let’s see if Volition can get back on their feet.
The report also talks about Deep Silver’s acquisition of the TimeSplitters license last year, saying that Steve Ellis, one of the series’ original creators, has joined THQ Nordic to “help plot the future course for this franchise”. The last TimeSplitters game was 2005’s TimeSplitters: Future Perfect. In related news, Deep Silver Dambuster Studios – what became of TimeSplitters developer Free Radical Design after Crytek sold it – has become the latest developer to take on the troubled Dead Island 2. The report also states that Fishlabs, known for their Galaxy on Fire game series, is working on several unannounced projects and a new IP.
Furthermore, THQ Nordic announced their acquisition of Gunfire Games, the developers of Darksiders III. In a press release, group CEO Lars Wingefors stated that they are “strengthening THQ Nordic’s footprint in the US and are adding an experienced and talented development team that we know very well from having collaborated on Darksiders.”
Finally, on top of the Gunfire acquisition, THQ Nordic has also acquired Milestone S.r.l and Goodbye Kansas Game Invest, and revealed a proposal to change their parent company group name to Embracer Group. THQ Nordic AB currently has three wholly-owned operative groups: Koch Media / Deep Silver, Coffee Stain, and THQ Nordic GmbH, all of which will remain unchained should the name change go through.
It’s a busy time over at THQ Nordic, with many projects in the pipeline and plenty of different studios and franchises to get excited for. We’ll report on the results of Nordic’s efforts as they crop up.
