THQ Nordic picks up Kingdoms of Amalur IP from 38 Studios’ wreckage

THQ Nordic announced Thursday that it has acquired Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning and its related intellectual property — including the never-made MMO project code-named Copernicus.

Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed. Amalur and its associated IPs were part of 38 Studios’ 2013 liquidation after the studio, founded by former MLB pitcher Curt Schilling, went bankrupt in 2012. 38 Studios developed, and Electronic Arts published, Kingdoms of Amalur: Reckoning for PlayStation 3, Windows PC and Xbox 360 earlier that year.

The fantasy role-playing game was well-received critically, but sold nowhere close to what the studio needed to repay a $75 million loan guaranteed by Rhode Island’s economic development agency. The state liquidated 38 Studios’ assets at an auction, but Amalur evidently went unclaimed at that time.

Copernicus was to have been a free-to-play MMO. Rumors suggested 38 Studios was eyeing a 2013 launch for the game had the company not been liquidated. Videos, art and other assets later surfaced showing where developers were when work shut down.

THQ Nordic, formerly Nordic Games, acquired the THQ name as well as Darksiders, Red Faction and other properties from that publisher, which was liquidated in early 2013. It took the THQ Nordic name in 2016 in light of acquiring so many brands associated with THQ.

Earlier this year, THQ Nordic acquired Koch Media, the parent company of publisher Deep Silver, meaning THQ’s old Saints Row franchise is back under that label. And a month ago, THQ Nordic bought the TimeSplitters franchise from Crytek.