The bankruptcy and break-up of THQ is still having wide-ranging implications for the gaming industry. While many of the publishers who bought nearly-finished games in the auction are polishing up the titles for release, the future of some of the less popular game franchises that sold in January are a bit up in the air.

One of the biggest acquisitions of the auction was Sega’s purchase of Relic Entertainment. Relic is a well-known developer of real-time strategy games such as the Warhammer 40,000: Dawn of War series and Company of Heroes.

Now, one of Relic’s first RTS games has been sold off by what’s left of THQ. Homeworld, considered a classic by RTS gaming fans has, been sold to Gearbox. The series uses three-dimensional battlegrounds where ships face off in outer space.

Gearbox has stated that it intends to port Homeworld and Homeworld 2 for “today’s leading digital platforms,” which implies that the classic games could soon be coming to Steam (or possibly iOS and Android devices).

The Gearbox announcement, in full:

Gearbox Software has prevailed as the highest bidder in the acquisition of the Homeworld franchise from THQ. Brian Martel, Gearbox Software’s Chief Creative Officer, has great love and respect for Relic’s brilliant, fun and innovative game and personally spearheaded the acquisition.

Brian intends as first priority to direct Gearbox’s interest to preserve and assemble the purest form of the original acclaimed and beloved games, Homeworld and Homeworld 2, with the intent of making them accessible on today’s leading digital platforms.

Please visit the Gearbox Software Forums to share with us and Brian what you think should be done with Homeworld moving forward. And, please try to get our attention if you have capability and interest to join the effort in developing or enabling Homeworld’s future.

Gearbox is the developer that found success last year with Borderlands 2. It is also the developer that found failure this year with Aliens: Colonial Marines. Hopefully Gearbox will treat the Homeworld IP with the care and attention it deserves.