E3 2012: THQ failed to break even on sold UFC franchise

THQ has revealed that its UFC franchise, which it recently offloaded to EA, had failed to break even.

According to Gamasutra, the publisher spoke to Wedbush Securities analyst Michael Pachter, telling him the break-even point was two million copies sold.

For a game that didn’t turn a profit, UFC Undisputed 3 did quite well, selling over 1.4 million units, and launching as the third-highest selling game in the U.S. this February.

THQ had previously said it was pleased with sales figures for the game.

The sale of the franchise to EA, which announced the aquisition at their E3 press conference, resulted in the shuttering of THQ’s San Diego office, which is reported to have employed around fifty developers.

The offloading of licensed games is part of the troubled publisher’s desperate restructuring, which has cost millions, led to the closure of several studios, and has seen the cancellation of several games. The result was a massive reduction of costs by the fourth quarter of last year.

The new company strategy is focusing on lower-cost titles such as South Park: The Stick of Truth, and an increased emphasis on free-to-play titles.