THQ Nordic has just announced that it will be hosting a digital showcase in celebration of its tenth anniversary. The show will be hosted by Geoff Keighley, the executive producer and host of The Game Awards, as well as the recent Gamescom Opening Night Live event. While the stream may be used largely to celebrate important milestones and moments in THQ Nordic's 10 years, there's sure to be some exciting new game announcements.
THQ Nordic has a reputation for purchasing a bevy of properties, and the publisher also owns several major franchises such as Destroy All Humans! and Darksiders. The publisher has also been able to publish games based on Nickelodeon TV shows, one of many teams putting their spin on the classic television properties. With the news that this showcase will also feature "the return of legendary franchises and sequels to beloved games," the stream is sure to be exciting. Here's what gamers should know about THQ Nordic and they can expect from this showcase.
What Is THQ Nordic?
THQ Nordic began operations in 2011 under the name Nordic Games GmbH. It was founded as a subsidiary of the Swedish publishing company Nordic Games Publishing AB, now known as Embracer Group. The company originally had a quiet first few years, releasing and acquiring smaller games and IPs from lesser-known developers that had just gone defunct.
August 2013 was when Nordic made some of its earliest strides: it acquired all of the leftover properties from the bankruptcy auctions of THQ for $4.9 million. This meant the company earned the rights to 150 individual games, including franchises such as MX vs. ATV, Darksiders and Red Faction (though it would trade that IP to Koch Media in 2020).
This would not be the only transaction involving THQ and Nordic Games. In June 2014, the company acquired the "THQ" trademark itself, allowing it to publish games under that name. By August 2016, Nordic had officially rebranded, changing its name to THQ Nordic. The decision served to bring back that well-known name while putting its own spin on it and distancing itself from the issues that led to THQ's closure in 2012. Since then, THQ Nordic has redistributed several THQ games, as well as new titles like the Destroy All Humans! remake and Biomutant.
How to Watch THQ Nordic 10th Anniversary Showcase
THQ Nordic's upcoming showcase will occur on Friday, September 17. It will begin at 9 PM CEST / 12 PM PST / 3 PM EST / 8 PM BST / 10 PM MSK. The show will be streamed through YouTube, Twitch and Steam, and it has been confirmed on Twitter that content creators will be allowed to co-stream the event on their own channels. Additionally, THQ Nordic is working to make sure that all music can be part of the stream without any risk of copyright.
No information has been announced yet on how long the event will be. With only six game reveals and a handful of updates, though, the main showcase will likely last around 30 minutes. However, it appears there will be a pre-show of some kind, as THQ Nordic confirmed that viewers who tune in early will get a look at something new from HandyGames, the team that recently ported SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated to iOS and Android.
What Will Be Announced at THQ Nordic 10th Anniversary Showcase?
THQ Nordic has confirmed that the show will feature six new titles. While it has noted that this includes "the return of legendary franchises and sequels to beloved games," the company didn't provide any further details. However, it has confirmed ELEX II and Expeditions: Rome will be showcased alongside the reveals. No other games were confirmed, though Black Forest Games has been hiring for a new project that is believed to be a Destroy All Humans! 2 remake. Otherwise, don't expect to see TimeSplitters or the recently revealed reboot of Saints Row at this event, as those IPs are owned by Deep Silver.
The publisher has fueled speculation surrounding the announcement of a new Nickelodeon game, specifically one based on SpongeBob SquarePants. In 2018, THQ Nordic announced a partnership with Nickelodeon that would let it re-release classic THQ Nickelodeon games, but the only title to come out of that so far has been SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom - Rehydrated. However, the publisher has been tweeting SpongeBob GIFs, even writing "We hope you are ready, kids!" in one, a clear nod to the show's iconic theme song. With that in mind, its safe to expect a Nickelodeon-related announcement at this show.
It's safe to expect a new Nickelodeon announcement to come at this upcoming showcase.