Strengthens Ability to Deliver Popular Franchises Online
THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) announce the promotion of Martin Good to Executive Vice President, Kids, Family, Casual Games, and Global Online Services. He will report directly to THQ President and CEO Brian Farrell. The company also announced the integration of the Online Business Unit within the company’s Core Games and Kids, Family and Casual Games Business Units. In his new role, Good will also oversee Online Services, which will provide the delivery of online games across both business units.
Brian Farrell, President and CEO, said, “Martin’s leadership and experience uniquely qualify him to lead our Kids, Family, Casual Games Business Unit, while continuing his role in driving our online operations.”
Farrell continued, “Online and digital represents our industry’s largest growth opportunity and it is imperative that we integrate digital and online game strategies into all of our key franchise plans. Now that we have momentum in our online pipeline, this is a natural evolution of our organizational structure, putting the leaders of our two product-focused business units in charge of development across all platforms. The company will now be organized in two clear business units and we are aggressively creating content to be delivered to gamers in all possible formats.”
Good has significant experience in the video game industry, including a ten-year tenure at THQ, most recently as Senior Vice President of THQ Asia Pacific and Global Online Publishing, during which he led the creation of THQ’s direct publishing operations in Korea, China, Japan and Australia. He also brings extensive market expertise in online game development and publishing as he was responsible for overseeing THQ’s entry into the MMOG space in key regions in Asia.
Good said, “I am very excited to lead the THQ Kids, Family, Casual Games Business Unit. This is a vibrant product category and I am excited about our robust pipeline and partnerships. In addition, I look forward to leveraging my Asia online gaming experience to run the operations for online games across the company.”
Steve Dauterman has moved to the role of Senior Vice President, Core Games Product Development, reporting to Danny Bilson, Executive Vice President, Core Games. A key part of his role will be integrating online strategies and overseeing online game development within THQ’s Core Games Business Unit.
THQ’s growing online game pipeline includes free-to-play, micro-transaction based online PC games such as Company of Heroes® Online™ and WWE® SmackDown® vs. Raw® Online, as well as the Warhammer® 40,000™ Dark Millennium™ Online MMO. The company’s online portfolio also includes digital games for Facebook, iPhone/iPad, Xbox LIVE® Arcade and PlayStation® Network.
Rodney Block has been named Managing Director, Asia Pacific and will be responsible for overseeing THQ’s publishing operations in the Asia Pacific region.
The company also announced that Doug Clemmer has resigned but will remain with THQ during a transition period through the end of August 2010.
“I want to thank Doug for the tremendous contributions he’s made to THQ over the past eight years and for helping to build our Kids, Family, Casual Games Business Unit,” said Farrell. “We all wish him well in his next endeavors.”
About THQ
THQ Inc. (NASDAQ: THQI) is a leading worldwide developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software. The company develops its products for all popular game systems, personal computers and wireless devices. Headquartered in Los Angeles County, California, THQ sells product through its global network of offices located throughout North America, Europe and Asia Pacific. More information about THQ and its products can be found at www.thq.com and www.thqwireless.com. THQ, Company of Heroes Online, and their respective logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of THQ Inc. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.