THQ cans Frontlines PS3, Juiced and Stuntman franchises

by Ludwig Kietzmann on Jan 23rd 2008 7:30PM

Confirming earlier rumors, THQ has announced that the PlayStation 3 version of dystopian shooter, Frontlines: Fuel of War, has been canceled. And it's not the only game to have its plug unceremoniously pulled. Indeed, THQ's update to its fiscal 2008 outlook brings to mind Joystiq's consistently inept maid who's always yanking all the cables out with her feet while she's dusting the office TV.

In describing the publisher's third fiscal quarter (ended December 31, 2007), the report notes "non-cash charges of approximately $27 million" in relation to the cancellation of not only the PlayStation 3 edition of Frontlines, but the PlayStation 2 version of Destroy All Humans!: Big Willy Unleashed. THQ also notes a decision "not to pursue" its Juiced and Stuntman properties, the latter particularly described as underperforming following its release on Xbox 360 and PS3 last year.

Also appended are two unannounced titles for Xbox 360 and PS3 which "had" been scheduled for release in THQ's fiscal year 2010. One of them was being worked on by THQ's Concrete Games Studio, also the victim of a closure according to the report. Though it would be easier to blame the maid, THQ CEO and president, Brian Farrel, deemed the decouplings necessary to "strengthen [THQ's] pipeline and position [the company] to compete aggressively with compelling, high quality games."

Source

Tags: BreakingNews, Concrete-Games, Destroy-All-Humans, Destroy-All-Humans-Big-Willy-Unleashed, DestroyAllHumans, Frontlines, Juiced, PS2, PS3, Stuntman, THQ, Xbox-360

Reader Comments (85)

I'd refuse to buy "Destroy All Humans!: Big Willy Unleashed" because of the name alone.

If the PS2 version has been cancelled, then that means the Wii version is still go...

Oh, geez. Big Willy Unleashed on the Wii. [rolls eyes]

biig wiily unliished?

Add another title to the PS3's growing list of canceled games...

However in Sony's defense, this looks more like major house cleaning for THQ rather than them having issues with the PS3 platform/development.

Except they're continuing to develop Frontlines for the PC and 360. And Frontlines looks awesome - saw some great previews of gameplay.

I think this is just a symptom of the increased cost of games production on next gen consoles. It can't be easy for these companies to turn a profit with b-line franchises like Stuntman and Juiced (Not a comment on their quality, never played them. Just their popularity.)

I'm playing the PC beta right now... Fun as hell.

The thing is, if THQ had any reasonable expectation that Frontlines would be able to sell enough to make up for the full development cycle, they would do so. However, THQ figures it is better to just eat the current costs and not further development since finishing and selling the game would result in greater losses. The PS3 isn't a gamers system right now, it is a BluRay system.

Oh I agree with you guys, I just think that with all the cancellations taking place that THQ is trying to cut corners all around, not just on the PS3. But yeah, of course they're going to cut corners on the House Sony Built rather than the 360- to do otherwise would be utterly ridiculous.

But i thought the constant porting was a sign of the cost of next-gen development?

I think this (in this case) is more about THQ realignments

Juiced can go, but Stuntman will probably be missed

Unfortunately Stuntman will not be missed by many, only fans of the original will. This sequel, or whatever it was, sucked balls. Horribly made, horrible physics, last gen graphics, etc...

Had the game just had the creativity that the old one had, that would have been the shit, but they tried to make this new one far too "glamorous", rather than just making a fun-as-hell skin and bones game like the original.

Fuel demo sucked on XBL... all those other games sucked pretty bad... of course they sold terribly... if THQ would make GOOD games there wouldnt be a problem...

since they already pretty much wrapped up 360 version... im sure the desicion to cancel only the PS3 version had to do with that fact. why waste more money releasing it on the PS3... no PS3 owner would touch that garbage...lol.

theCardinal said it.

Even 2nd tier games are expected to meet expectations set forth by the hardware's potential capability. The bar has been risen to a point where only a handful of games can demand the budget to compete!

Both Microsoft and Nintendo have addressed rising development costs in various keynote speeches. It's a very serious issue for the stability of the game industry that is widening the gap between 1st tier and 2nd tier games and forcing smaller developers out of the picture (or towards XBLA or the Wii).

I've no idea what this game's about. I've not even heard about it before until yesterday when the first cancellation post appeared. Is it something I ought to miss? I have a 360 also so if the game's something really good there's still hope I suppose, but it makes such a racket I avoid playing on it these days...

Frontlines is an awesome multiplayer online shooter - you have a DMZ where you fight over borders. You win the battle, the border shifts.

GameSpy has a great dev video.

It's a Battlefield-ish game being developed by the guys who made the Desert Combat mod for BF1942, if you ever played it. I'm in the PC beta and although there are some performance issues (probably... no, definitely my 1GB RAM), it's shaping up to be pretty good.

Initially, I had no intention of purchasing this game. Another FPS, I have enough; what could this game possibly add to the FPS genre? Well, one Sunday morning, I was bored, decided to download the demo. My son & I both enjoyed the hell out of it. It went from a no sale, to several sales (myself and 3 boys). I'm very much looking forward to this game now. If you have a 360, you owe it to yourself to take the demo for a spin and see if it floats your boat.

@ Ludwig

You seem to be pretty obessessed with Fernando...weren't you the one to hit him with the banhammer last time?

And what exactly makes Fernando or his comments different from any other poster?

Anyways its just my opinion but really I think some people are just bitter and hating on him. If you're so comfortable with your psTRIPLE then why all the bashing on Fernando?

the beginnings of the end for SONY muahahhaahah MS+EA= dirty whore lovers lol

What's wrong wit lovin' sum dirty whorez?

Kaz is not amused.

Kaz is on a beach, drinking Mai Tais and enjoying retirement.

Okay, before the PS3/360 battle of e-penis dominance begins, I think both sides can be pleased in knowing that they've discontinued the Juiced series.

Now, HAVE AT YOU!

"... just wait until MGS4..."

(Probably it will be a multiplatform title anyway)

OMG CANCELLATIONSTATION 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Prepare yourself Fernando...

You know whats coming...

That being said though you're absolutely right...at some point "waiting" becomes pretty useless right? Should we just wait for the ps4?

Oh, how I hate Sony Fanbois like you, always telling us to wait until game X comes out...

[/irony]

Seriously dude, no-one's even said "just wait until MGS4", why did you feel the need to bring this topic up?

Oh right, troll, yeah.

You must be hungry - here, have some food.

Fernando get in the kitchen bitch and make me a taco, NOW!

I thought you were going to stop trolling?

I'm watching you, Mr. Rocker.

@Hyams They have said it, it was just sandwiched in between "wait til FF13", "wait til LBP", "wait til Killzone 2" and my personal favourite "wait til Lair".

@Ludwig

Its about time you noticed, no offense Ludwig. Its OK when there are small little jokes and puns, but when the same thing gets repeated and the same person just comments just to get attention and start a fanboy war, then the comment section of these news threads just get plain stupid/pointless.

Just shut up Fernando. You just troll and then hide behind the whole "I'm just stating the truth", garbage. You are worse than Jack of no Trades was.

What's funny is it seems like Fernando is the only person that even says that anymore. Most of us that own PS3s are actually pretty content with Uncharted, UT3, R&C, Resistance, etc... plus the various multiplatform games. I've actually got Folklore and Heavenly Sword still in the plastic (both Christmas gifts) because I can't stop playing Warhawk. That's where I've spent the bulk of my gaming time since the Omega expansion pack.

Why all this hating against Fernando ? I mean he doesn't troll anymore than the next guy. I think all of you guys like to beat down a dead horse. Let him be. From my point of view he is not hurting anyone.

In fact he makes me laugh, because I do agree with him in many cases. But most of you guys that already know him don't even pay attention to him, so why bother comment ?

People like Fernando are also important to this gaming community. You need to have all types of opinions. Besides who said a little Flame bait is bad for anyone?

My 2 Cents...

He's cool, MOST OF THE TIME, but his hating on the PS3 was just getting old. I say that in a past tense because he did admit to wanting to try out Little Big Planet, which meant to me that there's a glimmer of hope in there somewhere.

I's apologize Master Joystiq. I's apologize. He tir'd he is. Please forgives him Master Joystiq.

@Cyro

Say what? He yes he trolls more than most people. And what makes it even more annoying he always says the same things over and over and over and over and over.

@ Vidikron,

From what I've seen, Fernando's PS3 comments aren't any more obnoxious than your knee jerk cheerleading for BR & the PS3.

Just an observation.

it's okay ps3 owners, youre not missing anything worth a damn. I dont own a ps3, but this doesnt exactly make me anymore proud to be a 360 owner. I played the demo of frontlines, it's doo doo.

You're in the vast minority.

i agree, played the 360 demo and it was terrible you guys aren't missing anything

agreed to the fullest... the xbl demo sucked pretty bad... i think i got to the remote control piece of crap... then deleted as fast as i could. i actually think THQ was smart to cancel the PS3 version... they know PS3 owners dont waste their money on these types of low quality games (doesnt ANYONE know how to use the UE besides epic? STOP LICENSING UE IF YOU CANT USE IT PROPERLY!!!)

Yeah, they waste their money on Lair.

moogar, they did? Because I could have sworn it sold terribly.Yeah, it did. You phail.

@Jonah Falcon

Ummm, no he's not. Most of the comments I read about the Frontlines demo were fairly negative. I own a 360 and didn't even bother downloading the demo after I read so many negative comments about it. You're actually the first person I've seen that is very positive about the demo,

Why do I feel like no one's disappointed?

Because the game sucks.

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THQ cans Frontlines PS3, Juiced and Stuntman franchises

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