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Darksiders ships 1.2 million as THQ posts small profit

Publisher reports $542,000 in net income--way up from $191.8 million quarterly loss one year ago; MX vs. ATV Reflex to top 1 million by April 1, WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 sells 3.5 million units in three months.

The past week saw Capcom, Nintendo, Microsoft, Namco Bandai, and Tecmo Koei all report earnings for their most recent quarter. Today, it was THQ's turn, with the company posting a $542,000 profit on $356.7 million in sales for the October-December quarter. Though a six-figure profit seems small when compared to such large revenue, it is a marked improvement from the $191.8 million loss the company suffered during the same quarter in 2008.

THQ is playing up the bright side of Darksiders' sales.

THQ is playing up the bright side of Darksiders' sales.

Though the company had not provided guidance for the quarter, THQ president and CEO Brian Farrell said "We are on track to achieve all of our fiscal 2010 financial targets," thanks to massive cost cutting and UFC 2009 Undisputed selling 3.5 million units. He also said that WWE Smackdown vs. Raw 2010 sold over 3.5 million units during the quarter, a figure not reflected in the NPD Group's monthly reports, which do count sales at Wal-Mart.

In a conference call with analysts, Farrell also called out The Biggest Loser as the most popular "independently developed fitness game in the US" with over 1 million units sold. He also expects MX vs. ATV Reflex to surpass 1 million units by April 1 and said that Drawn to Life: The Next Chapter has now topped 1 million units of lifetime sales.

For the 12 months ending March 31, THQ expects to post higher sales than it did during its 2008-2009 fiscal year. The company also expects to achieve profitability despite having to pay out $32.8 million to Jakks Pacific and $13.2 million to the World Wrestling Entertainment over a deal to exclusively publish WWE games for the next eight years. The company anticipates having at least $50 million in cash on hand at the end of its fiscal year, which also saw it strike a deal with DreamWorks Animation to make games on such films as Kung-Fu Panda 2.

THQ also used today's earnings presentation to announce that Darksiders has shipped--not sold--1.2 million units worldwide in just four weeks. There had been some doubt amongst analysts that the new fantasy IP, which launched in North America on January 5 to solid reviews, had achieved the publisher's sales goals. However, THQ declared the game now ranks alongside Red Faction, Saints Row, and de Blob in its first tier of wholly owned properties.

Executives re-confirmed a Red Faction: Guerrilla sequel for the coming fiscal year and said Saints Row 3 and Darksiders 2 were already in development. A new de Blob game is also planned, as is a sequel to the Biggest Loser and undetermined "brand extensions" of the WWE franchise.

68 Comments

  • Abberon

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 10:59 am GMT

    I was trying to decide on whether I would buy Darksiders or Bayonetta. I chose Darksiders because I thought the art style was great and it looked like something I could get into. The main character in Bayonetta looks retarded to me and I was amazed by how badly designed she was. Then I realized that SEGA was publishing the game and it was being developed in Japan and it all made sense to me.

  • Lionoversusking

    Posted Feb 8, 2010 4:30 am GMT

    Darksiders was dull so dull it was such a shame

  • firehawk998

    Posted Feb 6, 2010 7:25 am GMT

    Darksiders was great. The game reminded of such great games such as ZELDA, GOD OF WAR,etc( yes I know that the game borrowed some elements from the said titles) hope Vigil works for the second one and lets hope they do not rush the game.

  • im-a-roustabout

    Posted Feb 5, 2010 1:56 pm GMT

    I hope this is a trend that continues throughout 2010. Let us wipe the stank of 09 off us, right fellas?

  • CloudKicker9

    Posted Feb 5, 2010 1:23 pm GMT

    @GamemasterX & Krystyan68
    I see Katra's point. It is an expansive game, full of incredible amounts of action and story, and the only way that story can progress is with a great main character. A protagonist makes the game what it is. I don't see a real problem with either game, as both of them have tons of enemies to kill, and lots of action to be had.

  • Gamesmasterx

    Posted Feb 5, 2010 12:47 pm GMT

    @Katra
    I agree entirely, the character is what really put me off of Bayonetta.
    Story based games NEED good characters, and to me that one does not.

  • Krystyan68

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 5:24 pm GMT

    @Katra: Yeah, I thought the creativity in Bayonetta was great, levels, enemy design. But Bayonetta herself, while a interesting looking character, tried too hard to be overtly sexual, making her seem silly.

  • X-RS

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 2:00 pm GMT

    dont let them get to you thq!!!!
    climb the hill slow n steady. quality>quantity, the rest of gamers will bite soon!

  • MERGATROYDER

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 1:13 pm GMT

    Darksiders is friggin amazing.

  • deadspace2

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 12:26 pm GMT

    Darksiders make pc version pls pls

  • Katra

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 11:58 am GMT

    @Krystyan68

    Too bad people can't see how good of a game Bayonetta is because they can't accept the protagonist. Developers learn your lesson and come up with a cooler and less sex for sales character and maybe you would of had more sales. Such great game play but the over sexualized nature of the character gets annoying. The story was rather lame as well.

  • Robinvd1986

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 11:16 am GMT

    THQ did a good job with the new Darksiders game! really enjoying that game for my beloved ps3.

  • tevic

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 10:27 am GMT

    I like THQ, I'm glad th're getting out of trouble.

  • ibsrfn

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 9:29 am GMT

    Hey THQ - make sure you hook up relic and let's hurry it up with the Dawn of War Console game...I've been waiting forever !!!

  • Heromoua

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 9:00 am GMT

    "Ships"...not sold

  • edant79

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 7:50 am GMT

    Gotta give it up for Joe Mad.

  • THE-ZOZ

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 7:08 am GMT

    Good to hear that THQ games are selling well because there were on a losing streak for the last 3 years.

  • Sins-of-Mosin

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 6:26 am GMT

    I'll be playing Darksiders this weekend, can't wait.

  • Cetanu07

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 6:16 am GMT

    im sorry but darksiders did nothing for me.i was really disappointed

  • FaintRain

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 5:47 am GMT

    Loved Darksiders so much,probably will be picking the sequel up,i just hope they add more weapons and more moves to the game

  • iceman_dan1979

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 3:20 am GMT

    i really enjoyed darksiders it just need some more polish like animation and a better counter system. UFC i found way better to play. i used to to like wwe games back in the day no mercy and the early smackdowns but i wont be wasting my money on another game as it is going no where.

  • coldsauce09

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 2:43 am GMT

    not bad, i enjoyed the game but i enjoyed bayonetta more though.

  • santinodrake

    Posted Feb 4, 2010 12:26 am GMT

    Great.....this game should have scored moar than bayonata

  • sensei_rt

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 11:54 pm GMT

    i think this is one of the 'few' games that didn't do any (including release date) huge wrong decisions..looking forward to hear about ds2. gg vigil & thq!

  • hotbodyboy_2006

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 10:51 pm GMT

    Good games like this and Dante's Inferno deserve good sales. Its sad that they are overshadowed by the more popular games even though those popular games sometimes end up really bad.

  • Shakezulah

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:55 pm GMT

    Glad to see this game doing well. That's pretty good for a new IP. I really had a lot of fun with Darksiders. Happy to see a sequel is confirmed now.

  • DivineMeliadoul

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:36 pm GMT

    Loving Darksiders. Glad to see they're gonna make a followup.

  • mayankahuja

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:35 pm GMT

    good

  • Dixteel

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:12 pm GMT

    yea, THQ published some nice games recently...Darksiders certianly looks like a new franchise and Vigil looks like promising developer as well.

  • Qirexian

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 9:00 pm GMT

    THQ is definitely on a roll and they are getting the public response they deserve.. They've brought original ideas to light and I'm glad the people have been there to appreciate that.

    I just hope they reconstruct Mars soon enough before everything gets demolished to the ground again..

  • rompetraseros

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 8:42 pm GMT

    bring Darksiders 2 on!!!

  • x_Xarion_x

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 8:42 pm GMT

    Darksiders was great, and considering this has been kind of a sleeper hit, (I'd never heard of it till I seen it in store, and not really much advertising for it), it's nice to see people are buying.

  • taylormadederek

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 8:36 pm GMT

    @ Bigbudd0045

    Ummmmmmm that is why they are one to watch.....if they were HUGE it wouldn't matter...........Watch THQ grow and develop great games in the future.

  • gamer082009

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 8:35 pm GMT

    lol..who the hell is buying those WWE games? There so boring now it's sad. I stopped playing wrestling games long ago because they are so repetitious.

  • Bigbudd0045

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 8:23 pm GMT

    @taylormadederek

    i wouldnt call this company one to watch, they arent exactly a new player for one. red faction, ufc, and darksiders are all good games, but they lack the polish to be upper tier (ufc could get there through iterational improvements) Hopefully they can push the quality dial up a little and turn these good/great games into just plain great games. still, at least they took a chance on a new ip in darksiders, hopefully that shipped number will be a sales figure soon....personally i dont know anyone who bought it.

  • magicalclick

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 8:19 pm GMT

    That's really cool.

  • Pixel-Perfect

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 7:54 pm GMT

    That's good news. Happy for 'em.

  • monson21502

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 7:47 pm GMT

    i liked darksiders.

  • IceJester45

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 7:26 pm GMT

    A de Blob sequel. Nice.

  • Guzthon

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 6:58 pm GMT

    Very impressive about THQ´s Darksiders. I hope that reach 2 million copies at the end of this ficscal year (2009-2010).
    "Keep up the good work THQ"!

  • taylormadederek

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 6:42 pm GMT

    This is the company to watch in the next few years.......you are going to see lots of NEW IP's........and you are going to love what they make.
    \
    \
    I am responsible for 4 or 5 of those sales........Still haven't beat it though.....put it on the backburner for school and Mass Effect.

  • brian_13un

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 5:49 pm GMT

    Great

  • ffviiifreak

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 5:48 pm GMT

    hopefully it sells more than 1.2 million

  • finalserenade75

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 5:46 pm GMT

    Darksiders 2 confirmed, yey!

  • Jbul

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 5:31 pm GMT

    Sweet... from all accounts this is a really solid game. Congrats THQ.

  • CreatureRising

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 5:26 pm GMT

    Darksiders was a definate buy for me (needed a excuse to play a god of war style game )

  • Kravyn81

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 5:22 pm GMT

    Darksiders has really surprised me. I had relatively low expectations for that game but it's gotten solid reviews almost everywhere. I'm definitely going to give it a rent after I'm finished with Bayonetta.

  • BLACKWINGS17

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 5:07 pm GMT

    Cheers to Joe Made and Vigil. They made Darksiders into a solid game and it easily became an all-time favorite for me. Bring on the Four Horsemen!

  • d_brown44

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 5:05 pm GMT

    Glad to see the Darksiders is doing so well. Happy to see a part 2 already in the works. I have to be honest, I had my doubts about it but when I bought it I couldn't put the controller down.

  • DEATH775

    Posted Feb 3, 2010 5:04 pm GMT

    Red faction sequel and Darksider 2, you can count me in.

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