THQ reported further terrible losses today. They need a huge hit to come back, and it looks like they are betting on the UFC game to turn things around:
“THQ needs a hit title to break back into profitability,” said Colin Sebastian, a San Francisco-based analyst with Lazard Capital Markets LLC, who has a “hold” rating on the stock and doesn’t own it. The UFC game is “definitely being looked at by investors as an important milestone.”
“UFC 2009 Undisputed” with St-Pierre on the cover simulates the sport’s mix of jujitsu, karate, kickboxing and wrestling, with its choke holds and flying arm bars. Buxom ring girls and excited ringside announcers add color to lure men to stores.
UFC’s male fan base is a main reason Todd Mitchell, a technology analyst with Kaufman Bros. in New York, projects the game will sell more than 2 million copies in nine months.
I’m no expert on the gaming industry, but I did read today that downloads of the UFC demo are in the top 1% of demo downloads according to Microsoft statistics. For those of you that follow the industry, will this be a hit? Is Mitchell underestimating or overestimating sales?