People Can Fly with THQ

THQ today announced that it has signed on to publish the upcoming game from People Can Fly, the Polish company that developed the PC shooter Painkiller. As part of the deal, People Can Fly will join THQ's studio system, which currently consists of 12 internal studios and more than 25 independent developers.

The publisher has not named the game or its platform, but did reveal that the game is intended to be released in the fall of 2007 on next-generation platforms. It will not be a Painkiller follow-up, however, as the publisher made it clear that the new game will be an original property.

Agoura Hills, California-based THQ has no problems making international relations. The company is working with Ukrainian developer GSC World, UK developer Climax, and went so far as to acquire Canadian developer Relic Entertainment. "THQ's strategy is to work with world-class developers to bring highly innovative, original IP to market," said Dan Kelly, senior vice president of business development.

People Can Fly developed the PC first-person shooter Painkiller for DreamCatcher Interactive in 2004 and is shipping Painkiller: Hell Wars for the Xbox later this month.