THQ Nordic have been on a spending spree for the better part of two years. They now own Timesplitters, a licensing agreement with Nickelodeon, and Saints Row and Dead Island through Deep Silver. They've also expanded via the acquisitions of Black Forest Games, HandyGames and Experiment 101. Most of these acquisitions haven't yet borne fruit, but it gives you a general idea of where the company is heading in the future. Today, we add one more name to the pile in Kingdoms of Amalur.
We are beyond proud to announce that THQ Nordic has acquired the "Kingdoms of Amalur" IP, among other assets, from 38 Studios.#THQNordic #KingdomsofAmalur pic.twitter.com/YSnXPm7M7e
— THQ Nordic (@THQNordic) September 6, 2018
For those unfamiliar, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning is a third person action RPG pitched as a prequel to the then-upcoming MMO Capurnicus. A long and sprawling game, Kingdoms of Amalur's legacy is in its engaging melee combat and unique storyline. You play as a "Fateless", a hero that can choose their own destiny in a world controlled by destiny.
Developed by 38 Studios with funding from the state of Rhode Island and published through the EA Partners program, the game made waves. However, the studio's well-documented collapse after the game's release put a halt to all further plans for the franchise. THQ Nordic has acquired publishing rights to Reckoning and assets from the canceled MMO. Whether those ever see the light of day in a new product is anyone's guess.
Quick Take
I played a whole lot of Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning on release, even if it was just obviously content from the MMO sliced out into a single player experience. It's one of those games that had all the potential in the world. I'm happy to see that it might get a second chance or a remaster with a bad name at least. I'm also excited at the prospect of what a THQ Nordic booth at E3 looks like in a couple years. Just make sure you guys do TimeSplitters first OK?