It might be best to go down in a blaze of glory, but THQ would rather stay alive than fold right after the success of Saints Row: The Third. Meanwhile, Capcom is learning that one has to make games in order to sell games, and Sony's hoping to steer customers towards the 3G Vita despite the fact that 3G can't actually be used for multiplayer gaming.

THQ QQ

Last week we mentioned that game publisher THQ is having a difficult time financially. This week, a flood of negative news poured out from the company, leading some to wonder if it will be able to survive its current crisis. As the company reduced staff globally during its restructuring efforts, it was threatened with a stock delisting because it had been trading for less than $1 a share for over thirty days. Soon after that warning, news arrived that the company was laying off 170 more employees, including people outside the areas that were "restructured" as of last week's announcement.

The success of Saints Row: The Third has helped stave off an even worse crisis at THQ, but it couldn't make up for the company's numerous unprofitable ventures over the last several years. The company is now seeking a partner to help fund and develop its planned MMO, Warhammer: Dark Millennium Online, showing that it is trying to save its core projects despite the financial difficulties. Several other highly-anticipated titles such as Darksiders 2 and South Park: The Game are scheduled to be published by THQ, so we hope the company survives and can follow through on its promise to focus on these core games rather than on Kid's Movie 2: Shovelware Boogaloo.

Capcom Doesn't Release Games, Fails to Make Money

Capcom went through its own strategic restructuring in 2011, which meant that the company released very few games and did its very best to make Mega Man fans cry. Because of the lack of releases, the company's profits fell by more than fifty percent. We assume Capcom was prepared for such a result, and the company's statements in relation to its financial results were fairly nonchalant. Capcom seems interested in moving towards more social and mobile games, so while the company's financial results may be better next year, we recommend that Mega Man fans buy a large supply of Kleenex.

Star Wars: The Million-Plus Republic

One thing that isn't going down very much is the population in Star Wars: The Old Republic. Electronic Arts has finally released numbers for the new MMORPG, which sold 2 million copies and now has 1.7 million active subscribers. That's a pretty good conversion rate from purchase to subscription, so if the game can keep those numbers up, it'll be in good shape. EA had previously stated that Star Wars: TOR needed about 500,000 active subscribers in order to make a substantial profit.

In other Star Wars: TOR news, certain conservative groups have been protesting BioWare's plans to add homosexual romance possibilities into the game in a future patch. The thing is, TOR is a game that allows players to make a wide range of moral decisions for their characters. Regardless of how one feels about same-sex relationships, allowing them is very much in line with the game's development philosophy of providing players a great deal of choice in their character's personal story.

North American Launch News for the PlayStation Vita

Despite what a number of observers have seen as lukewarm Japanese launch sales for the PlayStation Vita, Sony insists that the device is off to a good start. Perhaps the biggest test of the Vita's legs will be its success in North America, where the PlayStation Portable failed to catch on with consumers. Sony seems to agree, as the company has been announcing a number of incentives that aim to entice people to buy the Vita at its North American release this month.

The company has confirmed that downloadable Vita titles on the PlayStation Network will be cheaper than store-bought boxed titles, which is nice considering that all Vita games will be available digitally. The current speculation is that the discount will be around ten percent, but Sony hasn't officially announced details yet.

There will also be bundles and giveaways for early Vita adopters, especially those who pick up the more-expensive 3G version of the console. Gamers can pre-order a "First Edition Bundle" that comes with a 3G Vita, 4 GB memory card, limited edition case, a free 250 megabyte 3G data session, a free unspecified PSN game, and the game Little Deviants for $349.99. Pre-ordered Vitas will be available for pickup on February 15, a week before the official launch. Canadians can buy the same bundle except with a Wi-Fi only Vita (and without the free 3G data session and free PSN game) instead of the 3G model for $299.99. Personally, I think Canadians get the better deal, especially since the word is that U.S. First Edition Bundle customers will need to purchase 3G time from AT&T before receiving the free data session and possibly the free PSN game as well.

For those who prefer standing in line on launch day, Sony is releasing a limited edition 3G Vita bundle at the February 22 launch, which will come with the 3G Vita, an 8 GB data card, the free 3G download session, and the free PSN game for $299.99. Sony believes that this limited edition will sell out quickly, and advises customers to line up early for the bundle. We'll see if the 3G Vita holds enough allure to make Sony's prediction come true.

By Becky Cunningham Contributing Writer @BeckyCFreelance Date: February 3, 2012

*The views expressed within this article are solely the opinion of the author and do not express the views held by Cheat Code Central.*