10 Ill-Fated Choices That Wrecked Video Games Instantly

With a wide range of games published under their banner, THQ once stood as a bastion of the middle market title. The publisher also tried their hand at capitalising on changes in gaming audiences. Conceived as a console accessory, the uDraw gaming tablet aimed to add a bit more interactivity and creativity to the gaming experience with specific titles.

Boasting a simple and straightforward user interface, many pundits agreed it would make a strong complement to Nintendo's system. It did well enough at first, selling one million units on the Wii.

What seemed like a reasonable idea at first quickly turned into a bargain bin bust as the accessory had no hope of cracking the hardcore console market. Despite a big marketing push for its second holiday season, gamers simply weren't interested in the device. The fact that it only worked with a limited range of games didn't help either.

The damage the uDraw tablet did to THQ is truly staggering; forced to cease production in February 2012, the unravelling was swift. While the Wii was a worthwhile install base for the tablet, the move towards PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 was a calamitous decision that cost THQ dearly. An eye-watering 1.6 million units sat in the company's inventory collecting dust, generating a revenue shortfall of around 100 million dollars. It was a major factor that contributed to their bankruptcy in December 2012. The way one peripheral dragged down an entire publisher after twenty-two years in the business still looms large.