Publisher THQ Nordic will celebrate its tenth anniversary with its first-ever digital showcase that promises franchise revivals and new looks at long-in-development games. Known today for everything from SpongeBob SquarePants: Battle for Bikini Bottom – Rehydrated to Biomutant, THQ Nordic originally started when Nordic Games bought the remnants of the original THQ following the latter company's bankruptcy. Thanks to an endless string of acquisitions of smaller companies and IP associated with THQ, the company has grown significantly in its decade of existence alongside several other publishers under the purview of Embracer Group, which is still acquiring more studios.
As promised in an anniversary-themed video, THQ Nordic will hold its own digital showcase on September 17 at 12 PM PDT/3 PM EDT. Hosted by The Game Awards' Geoff Keighley, the main event will contain six new game announcements, including sequels to "beloved games" and what THQ Nordic describes as the return of "legendary franchises" that have been out of the public eye for decades. Additionally, the team has updates on the upcoming releases of open-world RPG Elex 2 and CRPG Expeditions: Rome, and the pre-show will contain updates from HandyGames. The stream will go out on THQ Nordic's Twitch and YouTube channels, as well as its official publisher page on Steam.
As for what exactly THQ Nordic have waiting in the wings for this showcase, it's hard to say. The company has access to a vast array of franchises, many of which could fit the bill of what it's hinted at. The publisher has previously announced work commencing on a new TimeSplitters game, but it wouldn't be out of the realm of possibility to see something completely out of left field show up during the stream. Either way, with several other publishers revealing digital showcases in the coming weeks, September is quickly becoming a very newsworthy month in the gaming industry.
Source: THQ Nordic