Jack Sorensen quits THQ
Worldwide studios boss steps down, publisher promotes three product development execs in management shake-up
Publisher THQ has announced that Jack Sorensen, executive vice president of worldwide studios, has quit the company.
In his place, the Saints Row publisher has promoted three senior execs to product management roles.
"Jack Sorensen has played an important role in building out THQ's studio system and has been a key contributor to THQ's success over the past seven years," offered Brian Farrell, president of THQ.
Roy Tessler has been promoted to senior vice president of production and worldwide studios, responsible for overseeing production at all internal development studios.
Focusing on THQ's own internal properties, Danny Bilson will become senior vice president of creative development, while Steve DeCosta has been promoted to senior vice president of product development finance and administration.
"This reorganisation creates a more efficient management structure, aligning Roy, Danny and Steve as my direct reports," continued Farrell. "I look forward to working directly with them to more expeditiously achieve our quality, predictability and profitability targets."
Tessler has been at THQ for six years where he was general manager at Cars and MX Unleashed developer Rainbow Studios.
Bilson was recently vice president of creative development at THQ, and prior to joining the company worked at EA on The Sims, Medal of Honor and Harry Potter franchises. DeCosta has been with THQ since 2001, working in corporate and finance roles.
THQ's last results showed that its losses nearly tripled for the first quarter of the fiscal year to USD 27.2 million, compared to the previous year of USD 9.3 million.
At the time, Farrell said that the company was focused on shaking up its product development organisation.
"We are making important improvements in our creative development organisation, which we believe will increase our product quality and competitiveness," he said.
Key titles from the publisher in the next few months include racing hope BAJA: Edge of Control, the publisher's answer to GTA IV, Saints Row 2, and wrestling favourite WWE Smackdown vs. RAW 2009.