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Gaming Feud of the Moment: Take-Two vs. THQ
For the longest time, the big feud in the gaming industry was between Activision and EA. After all, the two are basically vying for supremacy as THE BIG COMPANY in the gaming world, and have even gone head-to-head with competing, big-name first-person-shooters Call of Duty and Battlefiled.
But that feud is so 2011. This is the future, baby. Yesterday, according to a post on Joystiq, Take-Two’s CEO Strauss Zelnick was speaking at the MIT Business conference, where he was highlighting the differences between his company’s strategies and those of THQ, which has been going through a series of high-profile financial troubles over the last few months.
Said Zelnick:
“THQ’s strategy was licensed properties, first and foremost. License stuff from other people, whether it’s UFC or WWE or a motion picture property, and make a game around that. And our approach, since we took over the company, is 100 percent owned intellectual property […] The most important difference is quality. Take-Two has the highest quality ratings among third-party publishers, according to Metacritic and most people in the industry. Quality really, really, really matters. THQ has had some good games, but their quality levels aren’t even remotely … the quality hasn’t measured up. Strategy didn’t work and the execution was bad. To put it another way: the food was no good and the portions were small.”
And Zelnick capped off his comparison with quite a bold statement:
“THQ won’t be around in six months.”
In response, THQ got in touch with Joystiq and a representative offered the following statement:
“Obviously, Mr. Zelnick’s perception of THQ is outdated and inaccurate. His comments are irresponsible and false. Perhaps he would be better off commenting on his own business.”
Oooh…SICK BURN.
Of course, maybe Zelnick was just saying out loud what we’ve all been thinking. I mean, some might say that the writing’s on the wall. And we haven’t heard much out of THQ lately to reveal the ways in which the company’s righting the ship, you know?
What do you think? Was Zelnick out of line? Or was he just speaking the truth?
Via Joystiq
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THQ: “They’re catching onto us…”
*Sees links* MOTHER OF GOD THQ IS DYING
Well THQ isn’t making as much good games as they used to sooooo……BURN MOTHER FUCKER BURN!!!!
Saint’s Row.
That is why THQ must live.
Duke Nukem Forever is Take-Two’s vanguard of quality.
Now THAT’s a zing!
That literally made me laugh out loud.
“What do you think? Was Zelnick out of line? Or was he just speaking the truth?”
I’m just here to pop popcorn and enjoy the show.
As the old saying goes, the truth hurts. And unfortunately, Zelnick was speaking the truth. He could have left out that line though. That was a bit unnecessary.
I’m still bitter about them getting Red Faction killed off. I think he was right for the most part, but his words were too harsh. I hope they’re around in 6 months, because I’m really excited about Last Light.
He would be better off commenting only on his business. I don’t care that someone else is failing. I want to hear why your company is doing well. If it isn’t doing well then tell us why it isn’t doing well and what your doing to change that. Taking cheap shots at a competitor is always in poor taste.
Take 2 doesn’t have a lot of room to stand and criticize other games and companies when their games haven’t always done all that well.
He may be right about THQ being in a bit of trouble, but there’s a little thing called tact. I personally feel that he was out of line.
Besides, why is he comparing his company to one that is in financial peril in the first place?
Also, Darksiders 2!
Haha never thought I’d see my username in the title of an article.