Updated: THQ Splits Into Three Gaming Divisions: Core, Family And Online

Updated: 12:39PM PST

The big corporate gaming news just keeps on coming today.

Publisher THQ has just announced that it has split itself into three separate business divisions: Core Games, Kids/Family/Casual Games, and Online. THQ president Brian Farrell said of the move:

“The new structure specifically aligns our primary business units with our product strategy, enabling each team to focus on planning and execution in highly defined product areas with full profit and loss responsibility.”

The three divisions will be headed by THQ executives Danny Bilson (executive vice president, Core Games), Doug Clemmer (executive vice president, Kids, Family and Casual Games) and Steve Dauterman (senior vice president, Online), each of which has been involved in an executive capacity at THQ for some time.

THQ’s Core Games lineup contains most of the company’s upcoming heavy-hitters, including Darksiders, MX vs. ATV Reflex, HomeFront and Warhammer 40,000 Space Marine. Last week, Danny Bilson told Industry Gamer that THQ is pouring the majority of its resources into pursuing and developing original IP. Clearly, having a singular unit to oversee that goal should prove highly effect as THQ continues to tighten itself up and refocus its vision.

On the casual side, Doug Clemmer says that THQ will continue to support games that promote the family gaming experience. Clemmer points to the Nintendo Wii and even Microsoft’s Project Natal as key platforms for those experiences going forward. The Casual games division will also receive support from the Online division in order to boost the connectivity potential of casual and family gaming. Online’s senior vice president Steve Dauterman also said that his division’s strategy will be to “leverage our established brands such as Company of Heroes, Warhammer 40,000 and WWE into the dedicated online space.”

So big happenings over at THQ today, and given that the news just broke, you can bet we’ll be hearing more about it all shortly.

As of this posting, I am waiting to hear back from executive vice president of Core Games, Danny Bilson. So as soon as I hear something, you’ll be the first to know.

Update: When asked what benefits will come from having a Core Games division, as far as developing original IP is concerned, THQ's executive vice president of Core Games, Danny Bilson, told me:

"We can focus all our resources, both product development and marketing to execute against one unified vision - product quality."

Well, if there's one thing gamers appreciate more than unified visions it's quality games. Now we'll just have to wait and see if THQ can capitalize on its new strategy.

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