Publisher THQ today announced that Big Huge Games, developer of the excellent RTS franchise Rise of Nations, is now up for sale.

"THQ informed the staff at its Big Huge Games studio in Timonium, MD, that it plans to close the studio if a sale is not completed in the near future," said THQ in a statement to CrispyGamer. "These actions were unfortunate but were necessitated by the difficult economic environment."

The move is part of a series of cutbacks at THQ due to disappointing financial results. The company plans to eventually slash 24% of its workforce.

THQ acquired Big Huge Games in January of last year. The studio most recently released Catan (XBLA) and collaborated with the now-closed Ensemble Studios on the Age of Empires III expansion Asian Dynasties.

Big Huge was reportedly working on two unannounced projects: an RPG scheduled for a 2009 release on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC, as well as a separate Wii title.

THQ also noted that Heavy Iron Studios (Up, WALL-E) and Incinerator Studios (Nicktoons: Globs of Doom, Cars) have been spun off into independent companies.

The Big Huge Games website has been updated with a new Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots beta patch. The second beta update fixes multiplayer sync issues and makes some balancing changes.

Microsoft has revealed it will released a Gold Edition of Rise of Nations, bundling the original game with the Thrones and Patriots expansion pack. Rise of Nations Gold Edition will ship this fall. Thanks Blues News.

The Thrones & Patriots page on the Big Huge Games website is now offering two new multiplayer maps for the Rise of Nations expansion pack. Together Skirmish and Missile are a 276kb download. Thanks Blues News.

Microsoft Games has released a Rise of Nations: Thrones & Patriots demo, allowing you to try out this strategy game expansion pack before it shows up in stores April 27. Here's what the 238mb download has to offer

In the trial version, gamers can choose between four nations: the Persians from the expansion pack, and three others from the original game. Players will be able to play through the tutorial and then get a taste of the Alexander the Great campaign, one of four historical campaigns in the retail version. Gamers will also be able to try their hand on the battlefield on one of three different random map types. This stand-alone trial version does not require gamers to own the original retail version of Rise of Nations.

More info on Thrones & Patriots can be found here.

1UP.com has posted a new Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots development diary. Big Huge Games' Dennis Stone talks about balancing the new features of this expansion pack.

A Rise of Nations expansion pack trailer has been released, showing 2:30 minutes of ingame footage from Thrones & Patriots. Thanks Blues News.

GameSpy has conducted a Tim Train Q&A, asking the Big Huge Games producer about the Rise of Nations expansion pack Thrones & Patriots. Questions are about the difficulty of adding new things to an already feature rich game, new units, balancing the new nations, and a few other things.

A new Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots development diary has been posted on PC.IGN. The brief update shows us some of the new Wonders added to the strategy game.

The Adrenaline Vault has dished out a Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots preview, taking a hands-on look at this upcoming strategy game expansion pack. And how can I not like an article which states "I'll start out by describing the Dutch, since they're now my favorite".

HomeLAN Fed also has a Thrones And Patriots preview today, taking a look at this Rise of Nations expansion pack. Another such preview can be found at Gaming Illustrated.

Worthplaying is the latest site with a Throne and Patriots preview, offering extensive impressions along with several screenshots from this upcoming Rise of Nations expansion pack. Throne & Patriots is due out in May.

PC.IGN has posted a new Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots designer diary. Unnamed person from Big Huge Games offers info on the architectural styles in this upcoming strategy expansion pack.

New on GameSpy this morning is a preview of Thrones & Patriots, the first expansion pack for Rise of Nations. The preview offers hands-on impressions.

GameZone's Rise of Nations: Thrones and Patriots preview, offering brief but hands-on impressions of this upcoming strategy game expansion pack.

GameSpot has a Rise of Nations: Thrones & Patriots preview posted, taking a look at the features this expansion pack will bring to the table. Seventeen new screenshots are included. PC.IGN also has a preview.

There is a Rise Of Nations: Throne and Patriots Q&A on fan site Rise of Nations Evolution, asking Big Huge Games president Brian Reynolds a few questions about this strategy game expansion pack. Thanks HomeLAN Fed.

1UP.com has posted a Thrones and Patriots development diary, written by Big Huge Games' Douglas Kaufman. The designer explains what we can expect to see from this Rise of Nations expansion diary. Thanks Blues News.

New on HomeLAN Fed today is this Rise of Nations: Throne and Patriots Q&A. Paul Stephanouk of Big Huge Games is asked about the goals for the expansion pack, new nations, favorite new units, additional gameplay features, the release date and what we can expect from Big Huge Games in the future.

PC.IGN has a quick article on the Rise of Nations expansion pack Thrones and Patriots, offering some details and several new screenshots.