THQ Inc. (also known as THQ Nordic) was a North American developer and publisher of video games. Founded in 1989 in the United States, the company developed products for video game consoles, handheld game consoles, as well as for personal computers and wireless devices. Its name derives from "Toy Head-Quarters" during the time when the company was a toy manufacturer in the early 1990s.
The company published internally created, and externally licensed content in its product portfolio. THQ's internally created games included the Saints Row series, Frontlines: Fuel of War, the Red Faction series, MX vs. ATV, Company of Heroes, and the Dawn of War series, among others. The company also held exclusive, and long-term licensing agreements with leading sports and entertainment content creators, including Nickelodeon. As such, many Nickelodeon video games were published by THQ from 1992 to 2012, including under the Play THQ label starting in 2007.
After several years of financial struggles and an increasing amount of debt, THQ filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in December 2012. On January 22, 2013, the company sold off all but one of its studios and related properties at an auction to other video game developers, with the Nickelodeon license going to Activision. In addition, most of the remaining staff was laid off.
In 2014, the THQ trademark was acquired by Nordic Games, which had acquired some of THQ's properties in the auction. The company renamed itself THQ Nordic in August 2016. It was later announced on March 21, 2018, that THQ Nordic would be re-releasing many of THQ's Nicktoon video games for newer consoles.[1]
Nickelodeon games published by THQ[]
| Game title | Developer | Platform(s) | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Ren & Stimpy Show: Space Cadet Adventures | Imagineering Inc. | Game Boy | November 1992 |
| The Ren & Stimpy Show: Veediots! | Gray Matter | Super NES; Game Boy | October 1993 |
| The Ren & Stimpy Show: Buckaroo$! | Imagineering Inc. | NES | November 1993 |
| Super NES | April 1995 | ||
| The Ren & Stimpy Show: Fire Dogs | Argonaut Games | Super NES | June 1994 |
| The Ren & Stimpy Show: Time Warp | Sculptured Software | Super NES | November 1994 |
| Rugrats: Search for Reptar | n-Space | PlayStation | October 31, 1998 |
| The Rugrats Movie | Software Creations | Game Boy | December 1998 |
| Game Boy Color | February 28, 1999 | ||
| Rugrats: Scavenger Hunt | Realtime Associates | Nintendo 64 | June 29, 1999 |
| Rugrats Time Travelers | Software Creations | PlayStation | November 5, 1999 |
| Rugrats Studio Tour | n-Space | PlayStation | November 10, 1999 |
| Rugrats: Totally Angelica | Tiertex Design Studios | Game Boy Color | May 5, 2000 |
| Art | PlayStation | April 13, 2001 | |
| Rugrats in Paris: The Movie | Avalanche Software | PlayStation | October 29, 2000 |
| Nintendo 64 | November 12, 2000 | ||
| Software Creations | Game Boy Color | November 15, 2000 | |
| KnowWonder | Windows PC | January 1, 2001 | |
| SpongeBob SquarePants: Legend of the Lost Spatula | Vicarious Visions | Game Boy Color | March 14, 2001 |
| Rocket Power: Gettin' Air | Tiertex Design Studios | Game Boy Color | March 21, 2001 |
| SpongeBob SquarePants: SuperSponge | Climax Group | PlayStation | September 21, 2001 |
| Game Boy Advance | November 5, 2001 | ||
| Rocket Power: Team Rocket Rescue | Darkblack | PlayStation | September 4, 2001 |
| Rugrats: Castle Capers | Software Creations | Game Boy Advance | September 24, 2001 |
| SpongeBob SquarePants: Operation Krabby Patty | Awesome Productions | Windows PC | September 24, 2001 |
| The Wild Thornberrys: Chimp Chase | Helixe | Game Boy Advance | October 1, 2001 |
| Rocket Power: Extreme Arcade Games | THQ | Windows PC | October 2, 2001 |
| Rugrats: All Growed-Up | THQ | Windows PC | October 21, 2001 |
| Rocket Power: Dream Scheme | Helixe | Game Boy Advance | November 3, 2001 |
| Jimmy Neutron, Boy Genius | AWE Games | Windows PC | November 7, 2001 |
| Human Soft | Game Boy Advance | November 9, 2001 | |
| BigSky Interactive | PlayStation 2 | September 26, 2002 | |
| GameCube | December 17, 2002 | ||
| Hey Arnold!: The Movie | Altron | Game Boy Advance | May 29, 2002 |
| SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman | Vicarious Visions | Game Boy Advance | September 10, 2002 |
| BigSky Interactive | PlayStation 2 | November 21, 2002 | |
| GameCube | December 18, 2002 | ||
| The Wild Thornberrys Movie | Human Soft | Windows PC | September 20, 2002 |
| Game Boy Advance | November 13, 2002 | ||
| The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron vs. Jimmy Negatron | AWE Games | Windows PC | September 22, 2002 |
| Human Soft | Game Boy Advance | September 25, 2002 | |
| Rocket Power: Beach Bandits | Evolution Games | PlayStation 2 | September 20, 2002 |
| GameCube | September 24, 2002 | ||
| Helixe | Game Boy Advance | October 19, 2002 | |
| Rugrats: Munchinland | THQ | Windows PC | September 23, 2002 |
| The Fairly OddParents: Enter the Cleft | Altron | Game Boy Advance | November 4, 2002 |
| Rugrats: I Gotta Go Party | Eurocom Entertainment Software | Game Boy Advance | November 8, 2002 |
| Rugrats: Royal Ransom | Avalanche Software | PlayStation 2 | November 16, 2002 |
| GameCube | November 27, 2002 | ||
| Rugrats Go Wild | THQ | Windows PC | May 28, 2003 |
| Magellan Interactive | Game Boy Advance | ||
| The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Jet Fusion | Krome Studios | GameCube; PlayStation 2 | September 16, 2003 |
| Helixe | Game Boy Advance | September 24, 2003 | |
| Tak and the Power of Juju | Avalanche Software | Game Boy Advance; GameCube; PlayStation 2 | October 15, 2003 |
| The Fairly OddParents: Breakin' Da Rules | Blitz Games | GameCube; PlayStation 2; Xbox; | November 3, 2003 |
| Helixe | Game Boy Advance | ||
| Gorilla Systems | Windows PC | ||
| SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom | Heavy Iron Studios | GameCube; PlayStation 2; Xbox | October 21, 2003 |
| Vicarious Visions | Game Boy Advance | ||
| AWE Games | Windows PC | ||
| The Fairly OddParents: Shadow Showdown | Blitz Games | GameCube; PlayStation 2 | September 8, 2004 |
| ImaginEngine | Windows PC | September 14, 2004 | |
| Helixe | Game Boy Advance | September 20, 2004 | |
| The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Attack of the Twonkies | THQ Studio Australia | GameCube; PlayStation 2 | September 13, 2004 |
| Tantalus Interactive | Game Boy Advance | ||
| Nicktoons: Freeze Frame Frenzy | Altron | Game Boy Advance | September 27, 2004 |
| Tak 2: The Staff of Dreams | Avalanche Software | GameCube; PlayStation 2; Game Boy Advance; Xbox | October 11, 2004 |
| All Grown Up!: Express Yourself | Altron | Game Boy Advance | October 19, 2004 |
| Nicktoons Movin' | Mass Media | PlayStation 2 | October 21, 2004 |
| The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie | Heavy Iron Studios | GameCube; PlayStation 2; Xbox | October 27, 2004 |
| AWE Games | Windows PC | ||
| WayForward Technologies | Game Boy Advance | ||
| Aspyr Media | Mac OS X | November 7, 2005 | |
| Danny Phantom: The Ultimate Enemy | Altron | Game Boy Advance | September 8, 2005 |
| Tak: The Great Juju Challenge | Avalanche Software | GameCube; PlayStation 2; Xbox | September 19, 2005 |
| WayForward | Game Boy Advance | ||
| Altron | Nintendo DS | ||
| The Fairly OddParents: Clash with the Anti-World | Razorback Developments | Game Boy Advance | October 18, 2005 |
| SpongeBob SquarePants: Lights, Camera, Pants! | AWE Games | Windows PC | October 19, 2005 |
| WayForward Technologies | Game Boy Advance | ||
| THQ | GameCube | ||
| PlayStation 2; Xbox | October 21, 2005 | ||
| Nicktoons Unite! | Blue Tongue Entertainment | PlayStation 2 | October 26, 2005 |
| GameCube | October 27, 2005 | ||
| Climax Group | Game Boy Advance | ||
| Nintendo DS | January 10, 2006 | ||
| SpongeBob SquarePants: The Yellow Avenger | Tantalus Interactive | Nintendo DS | April 16, 2005 |
| PlayStation Portable | March 6, 2006 | ||
| Barnyard | Blue Tongue Entertainment | GameCube; PlayStation 2; Windows PC | August 1, 2006 |
| Wii | December 4, 2006 | ||
| Halfbrick Studios | Game Boy Advance | August 1, 2006 | |
| SpongeBob SquarePants: Nighty Nightmare | AWE Games | Windows PC | August 21, 2006 |
| Danny Phantom: Urban Jungle | Altron | Game Boy Advance; Nintendo DS | September 19, 2006 |
| Avatar: The Last Airbender | Halfbrick Studios | Game Boy Advance | October 10, 2006 |
| Tose Software | Nintendo DS | ||
| AWE Games | Windows PC | ||
| THQ Studio Australia | GameCube; PlayStation 2; PlayStation Portable | ||
| Wii | November 19, 2006 | ||
| SpongeBob SquarePants: Creature from the Krusty Krab | Blitz Games | GameCube; PlayStation 2 | October 16, 2006 |
| Wii | November 19, 2006 | ||
| WayForward Technologies | Game Boy Advance | October 16, 2006 | |
| Nintendo DS | October 18, 2006 | ||
| Nicktoons: Battle for Volcano Island | Blue Tongue Entertainment | GameCube; PlayStation 2 | October 24, 2006 |
| Halfbrick | Game Boy Advance | ||
| Natsume | Nintendo DS | ||
| Drake & Josh: Talent Showdown | Artificial Mind and Movement | Nintendo DS | July 30, 2007 |
| Avatar: The Last Airbender - The Burning Earth | Halfbrick Studios | Game Boy Advance | October 16, 2007 |
| THQ | Wii; Nintendo DS; PlayStation 2 | ||
| Xbox 360 | November 12, 2007 | ||
| Nicktoons: Attack of the Toybots | Blue Tongue Entertainment | GameCube; PlayStation 2 | October 23, 2007 |
| Natsume | Nintendo DS | ||
| Firemint | Game Boy Advance | ||
| Atlantis SquarePantis (video game) | Blitz Games | PlayStation 2 | October 23, 2007 |
| Wii | November 12, 2007 | ||
| Altron | Game Boy Advance; Nintendo DS | October 23, 2007 | |
| El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera | Barking Lizards | Nintendo DS | October 29, 2007 |
| Blue Tongue Entertainment | PlayStation 2 | March 11, 2008 | |
| Avatar: The Last Airbender – Into the Inferno | THQ Studio Australia | Wii; PlayStation 2 | October 13, 2008 |
| Halfbrick Studios | Nintendo DS | November 12, 2008 | |
| Drawn to Life: SpongeBob SquarePants Edition | Altron | Nintendo DS | September 15, 2008 |
| Tak and the Guardians of Gross | Blitz Games | Wii; PlayStation 2 | October 13, 2008 |
| SpongeBob SquarePants featuring Nicktoons: Globs of Doom | Incinerator Studios | Wii; PlayStation 2 | October 20, 2008 |
| Natsume | Nintendo DS | ||
| SpongeBob vs. The Big One: Beach Party Cook-Off | The Fizz Factor | Nintendo DS | June 8, 2009 |
| SpongeBob's Truth or Square | Heavy Iron Studios | Wii; Xbox 360 | October 26, 2009 |
| Barking Lizard Technologies | PSP | ||
| Altron | Nintendo DS | ||
| SpongeBob's Boating Bash | Impulse Games | Wii | March 2, 2010 |
| Firebrand Games | Nintendo DS | ||
| The Last Airbender | THQ Studio Australia | Wii | June 29, 2010 |
| Halfbrick Studios | Nintendo DS | ||
| SpongeBob Squigglepants | WayForward Technologies | Wii | April 12, 2011 |
| Nintendo 3DS | May 17, 2011 | ||
| SpongeBob's Surf & Skate Road Trip | THQ | Xbox 360; Nintendo DS | November 8, 2011 |
Gallery[]
THQ logo from 2000 - 2011, as seen at the beginning of many Nickelodeon games produced between those years.