THQ confirms Wii launch quartet

By Tim Surette, GameSpotPosted Oct 16, 2006 11:17 am PT

Avatar: The Last Airbender, Pixar's Cars, SpongeBob SquarePants, Barnyard to debut alongside new hardware.

Gamers eager to take home a Wii the day it first hits retail are getting a better idea of which games they may be able to bring home with it, because today another publisher revealed its launch-day contributions. However, those looking for violent games about gangsters, espionage, or World War II may be a bit let down.

THQ, which has found retail success with its games based on children's properties, is holding with its strategy for its contribution to the Wii's launch. The publisher confirmed four titles for the system that will be available on November 19, the day the console launches in the US, and each one has been given a family-friendly E-for-Everyone rating.

The four games are Rainbow Studios' Cars (based on the Pixar Studios film of the same name), Avatar: The Last Airbender and Blitz Games' SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab (both based on Nickelodeon cartoons), and the film-to-game adaptation Barnyard.

THQ vice president of worldwide marketing Kelly Flock said, "As the number-one third-party publisher of software across all Nintendo gaming systems, THQ's library of popular mass-market brands aligns perfectly with Nintendo's strategy of creating fun and accessible experiences for the new Wii system."

The four games from THQ up the number of North American launch titles for the Wii to more than two dozen. Nintendo previously stated that approximately 30 Wii games would be on store shelves by the end of the year.

THQ has not yet confirmed retail prices for any of the games.

103 Comments

  • monkkito

    Posted Nov 1, 2006 2:29 pm PT

    ............

  • Bandit_Haze

    Posted Oct 21, 2006 9:10 pm PT

    Runningflame570
    "The Kidtendo movement just got a second wind here.. "

    yes.. because everybody knows that when attempting to make a console that appeals to all generations, you must only make games that get an M rating..

    .. btw, incase you couldn't tell, i was being sarcastic.. of cause there are going to be kids games available, why wouldn't there be. they're also planning on having plenty of other games available at launch including, Zelda: TP, Call of Duty 3, FarCry, Red Steel and Splinter Cell Double Agent.

    i guess you forgot about those

  • BluSamuraiG

    Posted Oct 21, 2006 8:29 pm PT

    Berfomek_666, who said they are bad games?

  • Berfomek_666

    Posted Oct 21, 2006 9:50 am PT

    well....i guess they can't have only good games right?

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Oct 21, 2006 1:17 am PT

    Ugh..

  • Runningflame570

    Posted Oct 20, 2006 10:11 pm PT

    BluSamuraiG: They are kids games because they are targeted towards children. Regardless of SpongeBob Squarepant's popularity with adults, and whether or not Avatar: The Last Airbender has made some ground with adults..whether or not Pixar movies are popular with adults they are designed with children in mind first and foremost..they are kids games.

    The Kidtendo movement just got a second wind here..

  • BluSamuraiG

    Posted Oct 20, 2006 10:47 am PT

    what makes these kids games? i know people my age (im 17) and older who has seen the movie cars and barnyard(and loved it) , watches avatar and spongebob all the time. have any of you played these games ? no the wii hasent come out yet.

  • _Sam_

    Posted Oct 19, 2006 7:19 pm PT

    I might rent them sometime, but I don't think I'll be buying them

  • MarioMainic

    Posted Oct 18, 2006 4:04 am PT

    Exallent.

  • hemakm3

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 6:27 pm PT

    Revenue from games like this can go towards more mature games-hopefully.l

  • Phazevariance

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 1:12 pm PT

    Uh yeah... I'm still waiting for more mature games, like Red Steel, Zelda, and who knows what else... so "Shut the smurf up!"

  • metdevthegamer

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 11:56 am PT

    That's good, adds to the selection of games to choose from. Can't force me to buy them though.

  • PixyMisao

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 9:28 am PT

    The only reason Gamecube was a kiddy console is because that's what the general perception was by gamers and developers alike. Very few companies even gave the Cube a chance, (cheers to companies like Ubisoft who have never waivered in the quest to bring the best games to all systems) PS2 was the popular one, Xbox was the fallback... and no one tried to change that. Gamecube has plenty of Teen and Mature rated games and exclusives, but the mindless Sony and M$ fanboys would never admit to being wrong. Yet if things go as planned for Nintendo, the Wii will attract even older gamers with it's simplicity, an audience that Sony and M$ could never dare dream to achieve. And not every game has to be DMC, WWII, Halo or GTA. Some people like games that are actually fun... remember that? When video games were fun? Of course you don't. How could you? You've been playing the same games for 5-10 years.

  • capthunt

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 8:37 am PT

    pff consoles

  • mr_squibble

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 6:57 am PT

    Giving the consumers lots of choices for a console launch is pretty sweet. Every game will not be for every gamer, but at least gamers will have a wide variety of titles/genres from which to choose.

  • SavoyPrime

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 5:28 am PT

    To the average gamers eyes, these are the worst games to launch with a system. But on paper, these games sell and bring in bucks for THQ. Smart business move.

  • Nintendus

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 4:36 am PT

    It's part of business live with it, some people play certain kinds of games.

  • TekkenMaster606

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 2:10 am PT

    In the words of a caveman. Gaming big business, kids games fly off shelves, stockholders happy.

  • Heathcliff

    Posted Oct 17, 2006 1:54 am PT

    To all the fools already calling the Wii, a kiddie system, because of these games (conveniently forgetting about Red Steel, CoD3, and Far Cry) . . . None of these games are exclusive. They're on PS2, xbox, and 360 as well. And for the love of God. . . what's wrong with having something for the kiddies at launch?!

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