IP! It’s all we really want. IP! It’s all games really are. IP! It’s more precious than gold. IP! Creators don’t matter, only owners do. IP! It’ll eat your children, and your little dog too.

Another Homefront game has been confirmed (to Eurogamer) by THQ, in spite of middling to scathing reviews, which is because it sold pretty well. Sadly, apparently not well enough to ensure the future of its primary creators, New York studio Kaos. They’re being closed down as we speak, with the given reason being “a strategic realignment.”



This strategic realignment involves the IP being handed to THQ’s newish Montreal mega-studio, who will “take over product development and overall creative management for the Homefront franchise.” The Montreal lot apparently lent a hand on Homefront the first, and is currently being treated by THQ as one of its primary development houses, working on IP new and old. Recently joining their ranks is Assassin’s Creed co-creator Patrice Désilets.

The newly jobless New Yorkers will be given “the opportunity to interview for open positions with the company globally.” Said positions may be found in Montreal, as well as Vancouver and Austin. Now I’m not great at geography, but I’m pretty sure all those places are more than a bus ride away from New York. Hope a comfortable compromise is found for all involved.

So Homefront lives, but Kaos dies. IP: it can’t be bargained with. It can’t be reasoned with. It doesn’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop, ever, until it has another sequel or reboot.

Also being closed by THQ is UK studio Digital Warrington, reckons Develop. The folk there worked on Red Faction: Battlegrounds and the recently announced but mysterious console game Warhammer 40,000: Kill Team. The subtitle for the latter must now seem darkly ironic.

Best of luck to all affected.