The massive runaway success of THQ’s (THQI) UFC 2009 Undisputed has finally been picked up by the mass media. Here’s what the good folks at USA Today had to say about the game:
UFC 2009 Undisputed ($60, rated T for ages 13-up), based on the Ultimate Fighting Championship— the largest organization in mixed martial arts — has become the surprise hit of a slumping summer. It has sold more than 1.5 million copies since its release May 19, according to market tracking firm The NPD Group.
Publisher THQ has shipped nearly 3 million copies worldwide, and a Nintendo Wii version is in the works; so far, the game has been available only for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.
"We knew this was a strong brand, but this has actually surpassed our expectations," says THQ president Brian Farrell.
I am a THQ shareholder and therefore I’m far from an objective prognosticator, but UFC is THE next sports mega-franchise. The sport of mixed martial arts is exploding around the world and the UFC is leading the charge. It’s recent blockbuster UFC 100 event drew over 1.5 million pay-per-view buys, and marked the debut of the UFC on television in Mexico and China.
In addition, the UFC is about to penetrate the Middle East with an event in Abu Dhabi, UAE – a place with a rich combat sports tradition and lots of wealthy folks willing to pony up huge bucks for tickets.
Electronic Arts (ERTS) is making some waves with its own plans for an MMA game, but it’s facing an uphill battle. The vast majority of the sport’s recognizable stars are contracted with the UFC, and the EA MMA no promotion with which to tie itself. UFC is the NFL of MMA. Therefore, if EA really wants in on the mixed martial arts boom, it should just acquire THQ.
I’ll make one thing clear – I don’t own THQ because it’s a potential takeover target. I own it because it’s a publicly-traded proxy for the UFC, with the added bonus of having some other awesome franchises that only add value. Trading at about 0.4 times sales, it’s still dirt cheap and I’ll probably be buying more in the near future. While I also own Activision (ATVI), Perfect World (PWRD), and Take-Two Interactive (TTWO), I see THQ as having the most potential upside over the next 12 months.
Read related content on UFC 2009 Undisputed
Related posts: