Recently-bankrupted publisher THQ is auctioning off the rights to its games today, though its upcoming RPG based on the South Park cartoon may not be among them.
IP owner and creator South Park Digital Studios filed a complaint (PDF) with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court saying that South Park: The Stick of Truth can not have a new owner without the studio's approval, according to the original contract signed between the two companies.
Further, South Park says that according to its agreement, it has the rights to buy the game back itself, for the exact cost that THQ has already put into it. And to top it off, the studio also claims that THQ still owes it $2,275,000.
In response (PDF), THQ says that while it's working with South Park to resolve its issues, "certain rights" for the game can be sold without any additional approval. The company also says that it doesn't owe any money.
I learned my lesson ><
And Saints Row 4.
And that actual South Park game that looks like South Park.
I really hope those IP rights end up in the right hands.