THQ’s de Blob will anchor a new partnership with Syfy Kids.

FEB. 11, 2010 • THQ and the Syfy cable network have joined in a strategic alliance to create and publish original content across all media platforms. The partnership plans on developing new concepts and intellectual property, as well as expanding THQ’s better franchises  into fully integrated multi-platform properties. THQ’s de Blob platform game franchise will be the key anchor of the new Syfy Kids brand.

Impact: To compete with other publishers THQ has been exploring a unique media cross-over advantage for a number of years. Rather than relying on the one-way relationship of turning film and TV properties into games, the strategy is to develop a two-way relationship whereby THQ content gets translated to television. That’s the kind of relationship THQ has had with Nickelodeon, which has resulted in more than 50 million units sold worldwide, and $1 billion-plus in revenue. THQ not only developed games based on popular Nickelodeon properties like Spongebob, but also co-created a game/TV show franchise with Tak and the Power of Juju.  Unfortunately for THQ, the deal with Viacom owned Nickelodeon is set to expire in 2010.  Thus it is no surprise that THQ would set up a similar arrangement with child-themed Syfy Kids.