THQ president, Jason Rubin, has parted with $1,050 to own the seven games included in the
Humble THQ Bundle. Rubin isn’t the only one that seems to be overly enthusiastic to support the bundle with Turtle Rock Studios paying $1,024. The developer is currently working on an unannounced shooter for THQ, so it’s good to keep them onside. Elsewhere, @WrapBootstrap paid $1,000, an unnamed buyer paid $600, and a website by the name of YesTheTruthHurts.com paid $300.
As we reported yesterday, you can choose to pay just $1 to pick up Darksiders, Metro 2033, Red Faction: Armageddon, Company of Heroes, and the two Company of Heroes expansion packs, Opposing Fronts and Tales of Valor. If you pay more than the average contribution, which currently stands at $5.72, you will get your hands on Saints Row: The Third. The deal allows buyers to choose how they want to divide their contribution between THQ, charity, and a tip for the Humble Bundle. Unlike previous bundles, the games included here are to be activated through Steam rather than being completely DRM-free.
This is a smart move from THQ, which has been suffering financially in recent times. The publisher recently negotiated a deal with Wells Fargo Capital Finance to protect itself from defaulting on its credit facility. This deal expires in January, 2013, but THQ is reportedly in talks with a “financial sponsor” in an effort to find alternative sources of finance. THQ was forced to push back a number of games to 2013, including the likes of Company of Heroes, Metro: Last Light and South Park: The Stick of Truth. Including the prequels to some of these games could bolster interest and set THQ up for a more successful year. Investors seem to be backing the strategy as after the announcement of the bundle, the stock value of THQ rose by almost 40%.
This is the second time that the Humble Bundle has played ball with a major game industry name after previously linking up with EA. This was less well received as despite EA making indie games available to purchase, buyers were unable to allocate how much of their contribution went to any party. The biggest cause for concern was that proceeds did not go to charity. While the THQ bundle may not play by the DRM rules, at least it is keeping the charitable contribution in mind despite THQ’s financial burdens.
At the time of writing, the bundle has sold over 350,000 copies and has seen over $2 million raised in payments, although the split is unknown. There are still 12 more days left to purchase the bundle.