Though the last few days has seen a string of staff cuts and studio closures, there remains an encouraging opportunity for other businesses to grow into the vacuums left behind.

That’s what distributor THQ Asia Pacific is thinking of doing, as the recent fall of Australia's Red Ant has given the business a chance to expand further.

“THQ’s Asia Pacific headquarters and namely, its Australian based IceStorm Entertainment arm, are perfectly poised to manage any viable distribution opportunity,” said Martin Good, the senior VP of THQ Asia Pacific, speaking to MCV.

IceStorm’s opportunity comes after Red Ant, one of Australia’s largest wholesale distributors, was placed into administration. The news sparked fears that many of the firm’s publishing partners – suddenly without the regular means to distribute games across Australia and New Zeeland – may need to re-arrange their release schedules in the region.

Though the likes of Konami and Capcom have put such concerns to rest, numerous publishers will have to consider how their future releases can make their way across the region’s retail outlets. IceStorm may just be the answer.

Good implied that there was every chance that IceStorm could pick up the baton, yet stated  – "categorically" – that his company has not taken any action in doing so yet. Good didn’t specify whether IceStorm’s opportunities lied in publisher distribution deals or in attempting to buy Red Ant.