THQ has a contract to publish two games from Double Fine, but it seems like they want some more from this very fine developer. They have already published the well-received Costume Quest, and Double Fine has what looks like another brilliant game on the way, titled Stacking.
Currently, Double Fine is working their way through a four game road map, having released Costume Quest, announced Stacking, and are in the middle of development on two other unannounced games. Danny Bilson, THQ’s head of Core Gaming, talked yesterday about their positive relationship with Double Fine, and where they’d like to go with it:
I really wanna do a lot more with Tim [Schafer]. I’ve always been a huge Tim fan. Grim Fandango to me is one of the greatest works of art in gaming. Stacking I fell in love with. When Tim brought that in, I was like, ‘Let’s do this game! This is fantastic!’
Stacking really does look fantastic, and unique as well. The game places you in control of a Russian stacking doll, who can interact with other dolls by hopping inside of them, which then gives the character special abilities to be used for game progression. It’s an interesting game mechanic, that should make for some good puzzling when it releases in the second quarter of this year. Danny Bilson not only expressed how pleased he was with the two games under contract, but also the situation is for signing Double Fine on for more downloadable fun.
There’s a few more that I’ve identified, but I haven’t made those deals yet. We’ve gotta get some hits rolling so I have more money to spend, to be honest with you.
So, if the money is there, then the games might be published? Sounds good. THQ is releasing Homefront, Red Faction: Armageddon, and Stacking later this year, giving them plenty of opportunity to bring in the all important cash. The real question then is will you support them with a purchase of one of their games?
