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View Full Version : THQ Lays off 100, Focuses on Smart Phone Games only


arn
01-31-2009, 03:48 AM
http://venturebeat.com/2009/01/30/thq-lays-off-100-focuses-wireless-games-on-smart-phones-only/

As part of our goal of aligning our business to focus on our most competitive product categories, we have decided to streamline our THQ Wireless operations to focus only on games for high-end handheld devices. Given today’s market environment, we believe our focus on the high-end handheld market is critical to strengthening our market position and achieving profitability.

As a result, we will be downsizing our wireless group and will be closing our San Diego, UK and Germany wireless offices. Approximately 100 employees will be affected. Our Universomo studio will continue to be the center of our wireless development business. Universomo has been recognized for product quality and we look forward to continuing to develop and publish quality games for devices such as the Apple iPhone.

arn

rootbeersoup
01-31-2009, 04:04 AM
I don't blame them... Why waste time making shitty cell phone games that are shitty?

Frand
01-31-2009, 04:08 AM
I tip my hat to the guys at Universomo. Their talent and professionalism has always been top-notch.

It's sad that they closed down the other studios of course, I'm sure the teams would have excelled at iPhone & N-Gage development if given the chance.

ITrocks
01-31-2009, 07:08 AM
I don't blame them... Why waste time making shitty cell phone games that are shitty?

But they're still going to continue to make shitty cell phone games that are shitty :( they're just not going to make console games :D

Zandog
01-31-2009, 10:06 AM
THQ has announced six titles already for the iPhone. I don't see this effecting touch platform users at all.

jawslover
01-31-2009, 12:57 PM
But they're still going to continue to make shitty cell phone games that are shitty :( they're just not going to make console games :D

they said that they were laying off 100 developers from the WIRELESS divison of THQ

Fletch
01-31-2009, 01:02 PM
THQ has announced six titles already for the iPhone. I don't see this effecting touch platform users at all.
What titles? anything that sounds good?

Zandog
01-31-2009, 01:10 PM
What titles? anything that sounds good?

IGN Trailer (http://media.wireless.ign.com/articles/944/944988/vids_1.html)

bryhon
01-31-2009, 02:14 PM
THQ has never really been a top notch developer for me. They have always been one of those shovelware, grab the latest popular franchise companies. It will be interesting to see if they come out with something truly unique and fun for the device, so I look forward to at least seeing what they have to offer.

PoV
01-31-2009, 02:30 PM
Well, there's still plenty of smaller cellphone developers doing "other" mobile games. Plus one or more new studios tend to open up every time a developer closes down. They've just decided not to spend their own time on the other platforms, but that doesn't mean they wont be farming the J2ME or Brew work out.

mjonesgraphics
02-05-2009, 08:44 PM
Yikes!

I applied for a job there a while back...:(

Mark
www.mjonesgraphics.com