THQ Nordic is making headlines again for doing what it is does best: buying game development studios. This time, it has purchased two of them —Â Wreckfest developer Bugbear and Goat Simulator studio Coffee Stain.
Bugbear is a small Finland-based developer who has made a name for itself through games focused on vehicular mayhem. Specifically, it is best known for the FlatOut series (2003-2007), Ridge Racer Unbounded (2012) and, most-recently, the aforementioned Wreckfest (2018).
Meanwhile, Coffee Stain is both a developer and publisher from Sweeden best known for the GOAT title Goat Simulator (2014). Beyond that, however, it has also been involved with projects such as the Sanctum series (2011-2013) and Deep Rock Galactic (2018).
According to the announcements, THQ Nordic will be operating in an auxiliary manner for both newly-acquired companies, with it seeking to “make long term investments” to help foster Bugbear’s growth and act like a “a highly complementary third leg” for Coffee Stain.
And with both companies under its belt, THQ Nordic once again finds itself it familiar territory: getting involved with mid-sized gaming projects.
Just last month it bought the Alone in the Dark IP, and in August, it bought Timesplitters. Then there’s the acquisition of Koch Media/Deep Silver back in Feburary, which earned it the rights to the Saints Row, Homefront and Dead Island franchises.
Of course, THQ Nordic is doing more than just purchasing development studios — it has quite the lineup of titles coming in the near future. Things kick off later this month with the arrival of Darksiders III, which will be followed next year by Metro Exodus and Biomutant. Then there’s also Generation Zero and a new rumored Saints Row title.
It was only five years ago that THQ went under and had to give off the rights to many of its games and even its own name, but it’s clear from recent developments that those dark days are well in the past.
