Remember THQ? The major game publisher undone by a dumb accessory? They used to publish UFC games, before selling the license to EA, and now, whatever’s left of the company is suffering from a pretty serious case of seller’s remorse. Or, at least, they think they can squeeze some money out of the UFC and EA.
Essentially what it boils down to is that THQ believe Zuffa, UFC’s parent company, and EA used inside knowledge of THQ’s terrible finances to make them sell the UFC license for half of what it was worth. You know, because it wasn’t obvious, in 2011, that THQ was headed down the drain.
“Prior to the Demand Letter, EA contacted Zuffa, informed Zuffa of THQ’s perilous financial condition and expressed interest in acquiring the UFC franchise directly from Zuffa, causing Zuffa to threaten termination of the UFC license.”
THQ believes that at the time, the UFC franchise was worth at least $20 million and likely more than that to EA.
If you’re wondering why, precisely, THQ is filing this lawsuit now, looking at the demands is enlightening. They want the $10 million they believed they were stiffed, all profits EA has made from their UFC games… and Zuffa to dismiss their $1.96 million bankruptcy claim against the smoking crater that is THQ.
Hmmmm, call us crazy, but one suspect that this maybe, just maybe, might have more to do with getting rid of that bankruptcy claim than anything else; forgoing $1.96 million is a lot cheaper than getting audited. Not that we think it’s beyond EA to do something utterly evil, but they do generally reserve that kind of behavior for their employees and customers, not their fellow publishers.
If this works, and it probably will, expect THQ to stay undead, a shambling, litigious zombie, reminding us that really we only cared about Saints Row anyway.