THQ Turns New Leaf - Low-Cost AAA Titles, F2P Console Games

[News Portal]

Having sold the rights to their UFC franchise, THQ have announced a new direction for the company. They will now be focussing on producing games that require a smaller investment, and therefore require selling less units to break even. The upcoming South Park: The Stick of Truth will be the first release in this new direction, requiring a smaller investment due to its simpler animation style. THQ have also added that they will be entering the free-to-play market as well, focussing on next generation console games.

Source: Gamasutra

Read full article by GON News

[TRB]

So basically they've announced they'll be making mostly **** games.

Good to know.

[PalZer0]

So it's RIP Saints Row then?

If so, that really sucks as I really enjoyed Saints Row 3.

[>XaartaX<]

They'd better not screw over Relic.

[InAUGral]

Relic is all I care about that THQ own oh and STALKER I spose (but with that cancelled the STALKER franchise/name is what I fear for).

[Novocaine]

I just hope they don't skimp on game quality. I'm super hyped for the South Park game especially.

[Artful-dodgeR]

Relic, Volition, I'm scared about you two

[TRB]

No one else picked up on the oxymoron that is "low cost AAA games"?

[Mekon]

No one else picked up on the oxymoron that is "low cost AAA games"?

AAA is a term generally used to describe quality, not budget. As such, its perfectly applicable to a low-cost, high-quality game.

That said, the video game industry (publishers and journalists alike) uses the expression in all kinds of weird and wonderful ways, so I can see why you might be confused.

[SaNE]

AAA is a term generally used to describe quality, not budget. As such, its perfectly applicable to a low-cost, high-quality game.

Which comes back around to the good old triangle of Fast, Cheap, Good.

[Mekon]

Which comes back around to the good old triangle of Fast, Cheap, Good.

This is true. Although not entirely applicable to the current state of gaming, where current blockbuster titles can command budgets in the tens/hundreds of millions to develop.

If you reduce the scope but maintain the quality, you can easily come in at a fraction of the cost, yet still deliver a professional product. Think of a super-polished indie-style title. Or even some iPad apps - there are some great iOS games out there that aren't in the same budget ballpark (or even the same city) as Murder Simulator #593, yet provide many hours of entertainment.

[Nekosan]

No one else picked up on the oxymoron that is "low cost AAA games"?

AAA is a term generally used to describe quality, not budget. As such, its perfectly applicable to a low-cost, high-quality game.

That said, the video game industry (publishers and journalists alike) uses the expression in all kinds of weird and wonderful ways, so I can see why you might be confused.

Lately it has been more likely to mean "big budget" than "high quality", these days AAA is more easily labeled as "we spent a lot of money on the advertising for this".

[TRB]

No one else picked up on the oxymoron that is "low cost AAA games"?

AAA is a term generally used to describe quality, not budget. As such, its perfectly applicable to a low-cost, high-quality game.

Quality isn't limited to any single aspect of a game.
as such spending little money yields little quality over-all, even if specific aspects have a high quality.
Thats not to say low budget games are all bad, but it is to say that AAA games are not low budget unless most of the staff are working for no pay.