THQ has named Naughty Dog co-founder Jason Rubin as president, effective immediately. In this role he will be responsible for all of THQ’s worldwide product development, marketing, and publishing operations, reporting to THQ chairman and CEO Brian Farrell.
Meanwhile, Danny Bilson, THQ executive vice president, Core Games, has left the company “to pursue other interests.”
It’s been rough going at THQ lately. For fiscal year ended March 31, THQ posted a $240 million annual loss, up from a $136 million loss the previous year. That was despite an approximately 25 percent growth in revenue to $830.8 million and the elimination of just over 350 jobs.
THQ recently proposed a reverse stock split in the face of possible delisting from the NASDAQ.
Rubin takes the controller as THQ continues to shift from general audience licensed games to hardcore interactive experiences based on wholly owned intellectual property. Among the titles THQ is set to release in fiscal 2013 are Vigil Games’ Darksiders II, Volition’s Saints Row: The Third – Enter the Dominatrix (pictured); and Relic Entertainment’s Company of Heroes 2.
At Naughty Dog, Rubin served as co-creator and game director on market-leading franchises like Crash Bandicoot for PlayStation and Jak and Daxter for PlayStation 2, which combined have sold more than 40 million copies.
Rubin continued to lead the Naughty Dog team after its 2001 acquistion by Sony Computer Entertainment America until 2004. He went on to co-found media mashup tool Flektor, which was acquired in 2007 by News Corp.’s Fox Interactive Media.
THQ also appointed Flektor co-founder Jason Kay as its chief strategy officer and announced the departure of Dave Davis, senior vice president Core Studios.
Related links:
THQ – official site
THQ – press release
Los Angeles Times – THQ: Danny Bilson is out, Jason Rubin is in
Forbes – Naughty Dog Founder Rubin New THQ President
Dow Jones Newswire – THQ Names Rubin President As Part Of Restructuring Efforts
Kotaku – In a Previous Life, This Video Game Executive Made Awesome Movies
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