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And the new owner of the Darksiders series is…

darksiders_nordic

It’s Nordic Games. I was planning to build suspense, blurt the name, and hop into a waiting car to a chorus of “EH?”s. Sadly, it’s not yet lunchtime and I’d have to return to reporting the news after a couple of limp laps around the block. So then: Nordic Games are the new custodians of Darksiders, Red Faction, Titan Quest and Supreme Commander. I suppose you’d like to know who this lot are, and why they’ve bought up a sizeable portion of THQ’s back catalogue?

Nordic Games Licensing AB, the company responsible for the the $4.9 million deal, are based in Sweden. The business of selling, distribution and “evaluation of sequels and new content” for the acquisitions, however, will be handled by Nordic Games GmbH – the Viennese publishing outfit responsible for the Painkiller: Hell and Damnation remake that’s been sitting in my Steam library for months.

Nordic plan to “cooperate with the original creators or best possible developers” in conceiving new sequels and expansions to the former THQ licenses.

The 150 or so titles Nordic have picked up from THQ will join a further 50 the publisher acquired alongside the “entire product- and brand-portfolio” of DreamCatcher Interactive in 2011. Since its foundation in the same year, Nordic has published games as DreamCatcher, JoWood and The Adventure Company, including RTS/RPG SpellForce 2 semi-sequel Faith in Destiny and Sam and Max Season 1.

“First and foremost we are very happy about this deal which also turns over a new leaf for the entire Nordic Games Group,” said Lars Wingefors, owner and CEO of Nordic Games Group AB. “In the long term, we either want to cooperate with the original creators or best possible developers in order to work on sequels or additional content for these titles.

“A very important point for us is not to dash into several self-financed multi-million dollar projects right away, but rather to continue our in-depth analysis of all titles and carefully selecting different financing models for developing new instalments of acquired IPs,” he added.

The licenses will pass into Nordic’s hands following expected approval by the US Bankruptcy Court on May 13. In the meantime, the publisher has invited fans to their forums to discuss the future of Darksiders, Red Faction et al.

Crytek USA, the studio form from the ashes of original Darksiders developers Vigil Games, had previously stated their intention to bring the series “home” during the weeks-long THQ auction, but were outbid by Nordic in the event. Where would you like to see the license wind up?

Thanks, Polygon.