There’s a bit of an uproar about the failings of the triple-A gaming business model and speculation that THQ’s demise is just the first in a line, with many others to follow, as the industry transitions to more mobile and indie offerings. Former THQ president Jason Rubin rejects that view, however, asserting that THQ didn’t fall to the wayside because of industry changes. Rather, he admits that the publisher had “every chance to survive had it not made massive mistakes.” Very responsible and fitting reaction from the former THQ boss, in a time when everyone is looking for a cop out.
“Unfortunately, the mistakes that were made long before I joined, like the incredible losses attached to uDraw, massive wasted capital in the unpublished MMO that was cancelled, sticking with children’s and casual titles far after mobile and tablets had killed the business, bad, late, or otherwise inferior titles like Homefront, and a generally haphazard and inefficient approach to deal making, left the company with too much negative hanging on its books.
Despite this admission, even Rubin couldn’t deny the luck factor; sometimes its about being in the right place at the right time, and projects like Homefront and the scrapped Warhammer 40,000 MMO just weren’t at a place to succeed:
Also with every company you need a bit of luck on your side, everything is not always in your control, and they didn’t have that luck recently. If one of their titles had been a breakaway hit, maybe it could have been avoided.
He is sure to add, however, that “it would be a cop out to say that bad luck was the predominant force.”
These might be pretty ‘duh’ statements, but it is so important for someone of his position do more than bemoan a changing industry, and take stock in their company and how it was run, for better or for worse.
Good luck to Mr. Rubin and all other former THQ employees.
Published: Jan 31, 2013 04:12 pm