With THQ publishing titles that skew all the way down to the most kid friendly of genres all the way up to something like Saints Row: The Third, it seemed like only a matter of time before one side gave out. During an investor call today, it looks like THQ has made their decision, and it means more farts and punches to the groin, kind of.

After revealing that Saints Row: The Third has sold some 3.8 Million units, and is on its way to 5 or 6 Million lifetime, THQ said they want to refocus their brands, and in essence do away with their kids' licensed entertainment work.

In order to be a "more streamlined organization focused only on [their] strongest franchises" it was inevitable that the weak links would get dropped. Nobody could have predicted it would sell this well, but Saints Row did it, and has really influenced THQ to change their tune.

In fact, digital content for the game, which includes a Season Pass, downloadable costume packs, and the first DLC side mission, has netted THQ their "highest digital revenue of any console title." Not too shabby for the game with the phallic bat.

While THQ wouldn't point towards which brands they are keeping and doing away with, just looking at their upcoming slate should paint a pretty clear picture, with titles like UFC Undisputed 3 and Darksiders 2 coming this year. The obvious candidates for getting dumped are the Nickelodeon and Disney games like Kung Fu Panda and SpongeBob.

The biggest unknown for this transition will be titles that might not skew young, but don't necessarily appeal to mature audiences — titles like Voltron or You Don't Know Jack. THQ has, for some time, been exploring interesting forms of alternative gaming, and we don’t want to see them stop, but fear that is part of this whole new business model.

THQ does have a business call slated for early February, the 2nd to be exact, where they will reveal more about this new model. But for now, it's best to hold on to your treasured Nickelodeon and Disney franchises while they still exist.

How do you feel about THQ abandoning their "kiddie" brands for more mature fare? What properties would you like to see them do away with and which would you like to see continue?

Source: CVG