It appears THQ didn't make it and is selling off their assets and filing for bankruptcy. So does everyone think EA ends up with the WWE license or will someone else step up?

At the very least they went out publishing the strongest Yukes WWE game in quite some time. It will be interesting to see if the next publisher with the license retains Yukes or takes it a new direction.

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Originally Posted by Habbler It appears THQ didn't make it and is selling off their assets and filing for bankruptcy. So does everyone think EA ends up with the WWE license or will someone else step up?

You really need to stop reading the headlines and read the entire articles on this stuff. THQ has filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy, but are already being heavily invested in by Clearlake Capital Group. They are not closing their doors, but are in fact continuing to work on current and upcoming projects. Here ia a link to the community message from Jason Rubin, their President.
http://www.thq.com/us/go/article/vie...m_campaign=THQ

Originally Posted by mykevermin Are there any cases of someone moving up to WWE and *improving* in their work? He's an anomaly as far as I can tell.

If we count the women, maybe Kelly Kelly. However, at her best, she's still pretty awful. Eve has been quite good. Dunno if it's an improvement because I didn't really pay any prior attention to her. As for the dudes, I'm unsure. Maybe someone like Elijah Burke who began in OVW, and, after getting put on the main roster, had good matches with AKI Man, CM Punk, and those stuck in WWE's half-ass version of ECW.

Originally Posted by ced . . . UFO . . .

<o> \o/ <o> \o/ <o> \o/


And as for THQ's impending demise, I hope WWE takes away the license from Yuke's (if they have the license). We need a new engine. I have nothing but negative things to say about the Toukon Retsuden engine. I have WWE 13, and while it's an improvement, the engine is still garbage. Just my opinion, tho.

Probably watch it tonight.

http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/WW...?trkid=2361637

Originally Posted by Vulcan2422 Probably watch it tonight. http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/WW...?trkid=2361637

Heya, thanks for the heads-up. I don't know when they added it, but the Top 50 Finishers of All-Time or whatever it's called is on there as well.

EDIT: Looks like they also added the Rock/Cena Once in a Lifetime one.

Originally Posted by Chase And as for THQ's impending demise, I hope WWE takes away the license from Yuke's (if they have the license). We need a new engine. I have nothing but negative things to say about the Toukon Retsuden engine. I have WWE 13, and while it's an improvement, the engine is still garbage. Just my opinion, tho.

IIRC, THQ's license was some weird agreement between them & Jakks Pacific. Which caused some lawsuit that eventually ended with THQ getting the game license directly from WWE until 2018.

There is some license agreements that have weird clauses in it(it mostly happens with foreign companies licensing). Where if the company files for bankruptcy, the license reverts back to the original holder(WWE). So WWE might be able to get it back easily and be the deciding factor on who gets the license next.

What if Shane McMahon were the leader of Aces & Eights?

Originally Posted by tangytangerine IIRC, THQ's license was some weird agreement between them & Jakks Pacific. Which caused some lawsuit that eventually ended with THQ getting the game license directly from WWE until 2018. There is some license agreements that have weird clauses in it(it mostly happens with foreign companies licensing). Where if the company files for bankruptcy, the license reverts back to the original holder(WWE). So WWE might be able to get it back easily and be the deciding factor on who gets the license next.

Honestly, I wouldn't hold out much hope for THQ losing the licence. THQ is going to remain in business for at least long enough to get WWE '14 out the door, and WWE likely won't want to rock the boat. One of the bigger issues is that WWE '13 didn't tank... I don't have numbers, but I want to say it may have been the most successful one in a while. If it had shit the bed, WWE might have looked for an out... but why leave at a peak? The other problem is that WWE, especially with their current financials, isn't stupid. They're greedy enough to stick with THQ if the other option is to take a different deal with a company that, let's be fair, won't have a game out until fall 2014 at best. They'd basically skip an entire year of easy revenue, which I wager they won't do unless they're forced to.

Short version: THQ will be around long enough to release at least '14, and WWE won't go anywhere until they're forced to because they like money.

THQ could always sell the liscense like they did with UFC. I am not sure what the numbers difference was between the sales of the Undisputed series the WWE series compared to how much spent for the rights, but I can see THQ selling off if somebody was willing to pay up. Maybe EA could snap it up and tweak the engine used in Def Jam Vendetta or Def Jam Fight for NY.

Originally Posted by Aldogg THQ could always sell the liscense like they did with UFC. I am not sure what the numbers difference was between the sales of the Undisputed series the WWE series compared to how much spent for the rights, but I can see THQ selling off if somebody was willing to pay up. Maybe EA could snap it up and tweak the engine used in Def Jam Vendetta or Def Jam Fight for NY.

Yes, but UFC was a series of hugely diminishing returns for them. WWE, second likely to only Saint's Row, is one of very few 'money' properties for them. They sold UFC because it was failing for them, which is not a problem they have with WWE. Seriously, I think each UFC game sold like half as much as the previous one.

Originally Posted by 007 Yes, but UFC was a series of hugely diminishing returns for them. WWE, second likely to only Saint's Row, is one of very few 'money' properties for them. They sold UFC because it was failing for them, which is not a problem they have with WWE. Seriously, I think each UFC game sold like half as much as the previous one.

Your post got me interested in sales numbers for the UFC games, so I looked them up on vgchartz. I know it isn't extremely accurate, but it is about the only option.

UFC 2009 Undisputed: 1.97M (360) 1.70M (PS3)
UFC Undisputed 2010: 1.25M (360) 1.33M (PS3)
UFC Undisputed 3: 0.63M (360) 0.69M (PS3)

You were definitely right. I knew the sales were going downhill but I didn't remember them tanking that much. It kind of falls in line with how the UFC games were for me. I played the crap out of the first one, regretted buying the second one, and never bought the third one.

As for WWE 13, according to the same source, both the 360 and PS3 versions have each sold around 600,000 copies so far. Those numbers seem lower than I expected, as I thought this year's game was selling well. It is obviously still pretty early on in its life cycle, but looking at the previous few wrestling games, it would probably do well to get to one million (already sold about as well as last UFC game).

Dang. The Shield ed up Dreamer. (spoilered for pic size)

That's a pretty bothersome amount of swelling.

Wrestlemania Plans

For what it's worth, it's said that whatever plans WWE had worked in for WrestleMania 29 were changed over the past week. Apparently major changes went down and the only match that wasn't touched is Brock Lesnar vs. Triple H.

This doesn't necessarily mean that for example, The Rock vs. John Cena isn't taking place, but it could mean that twists and turns or stipulations are being thrown in.

On a related note, there has at least been talk that Sheamus going down with two clean losses to Big Show will set up him to win the Royal Rumble for the second year in a row. As noted before, Randy Orton vs. Sheamus for the World Heavyweight Title has been planned for WrestleMania 29.

Big E Langston Info

- It appears the debut of Big E Langston on WWE TV had not been planned for more than 10 days as he was pushed as the top babyface at the December 6th NXT tapings where he defeated Seth Rollins for the NXT Title since Rollins had debuted on RAW with The Shield. Because of the way NXT is taped, Langston's title win won't air for several weeks but the official NXT website has featured him in a graphic since debuting earlier this week.

McMahon Prepares For Media Backlash

There was concern at this week's TV tapings that the tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut may affect the product in some way because of an anti-violence media backlash, particularly when it comes to shows that draw kids. Vince McMahon told people that he expects to be targeted for the effect wrestling has on children, and that they will fight back with charity work and pushing the idea that WWE is family entertainment.

JBL receives hate mail

- JBL received a bunch of hate mail from fans of the Rangers Football Club, a soccer team in Scotland, when he mentioned on the December 17th RAW that they went bankrupt.

Originally Posted by pitfallharry219 Dang. The Shield ed up Dreamer. (spoilered for pic size)

Tommy got pretty messed up for a worked beatdown.

Originally Posted by pitfallharry219 Dang. The Shield ed up Dreamer. (spoilered for pic size)

I thought thats what he looked like normally?

Pretty sure he doesn't look like the dude from Mask on a regular basis.

Originally Posted by Brak What if Shane McMahon were the leader of Aces & Eights?

You just set my expectations really high. It'll wind up being Garrett Bischoff. He already gets X-Pac heat.

Originally Posted by pitfallharry219 Dang. The Shield ed up Dreamer. (spoilered for pic size)

#KayfabeNeverDie

WWE is going to make a play for THQ.

STAMFORD, Conn., December 19, 2012 – WWE (NYSE:WWE) is following the developments of THQ’s bankruptcy filing today and proposed sale under Bankruptcy Code Section 363. The Company anticipates actively participating within this proceeding.