Danny Bilson: THQ closure is a loss for gamers everywhere

THQ had a tumultuous year, one punctuated earlier this week by a packed hearing in a Bankruptcy Court that broke the company apart and sold it off to the highest bidders.

Early last year, in a move to stave off this final outcome, THQ board members removed executive vice president of core games Danny Bilson and named Naughty Dog co-founder Jason Rubin president of the company.

During his more than four-year tenure, Bilson made a name for himself at the company with his push to expand the publisher's reach with new marquee talent including movie director Guillermo del Toro, former Assassin's Creed creative director Patrice Desilets and former Ninja Gaiden creator Tomonobu Itagaki.

Bilson, a writer, director and producer of movies, television, video games and comics, left to continue teaching a video game writing course at the University of Southern California's School for Cinematic Arts. Reached for comment today, Bilson called the closure a loss for gamers everywhere.

"I feel for the many talented people who have suddenly lost their jobs — the teams in Agoura [Hills, Calif., THQ's headquarters], the people in the territories and the very creative game makers at Vigil in Austin," he told Polygon. "It's a loss for gamers everywhere when a company that has invested tremendous resource in the art form over the years is suddenly gone. In the end it means less games and less choices for all of us who love to play. If there is a bright spot, it is that the games that were well under way will get the funding they deserve to be completed. The studios and projects that were acquired should yield great experiences for years to come."

With THQ's dissolution, the games Bilson had a hand in starting are scattered or dead. 1666 goes to Ubisoft and its creator, Patrice Desilets, will likely return to the publisher that once sued to try to keep him from working at THQ. Del Torro's Insane trilogy reverted back to the movie maker. Itagaki's Devil's Third was placed up for sale last summer and then returned to Itagaki and his studio after a buyer couldn't be found.