THQ's UK office has hired popular Midway exec Mark Cook as product marketing manager for UK & Europe. Cook will look after the seven-month marketing campaign for Darksiders.

The regional office has also stated that it has adopted the firm’s new global strategy of marketing its games earlier – and is hoping the long-term approach will help it score a No.1 with action-adventure Darksiders next year.

The publisher has already begun promoting the title, which is due for release on Xbox 360 and PS3 in January 2010. THQ told investors in May that it would begin to market its games earlier, as part of a strategy to take it back to profitability after a $431 million annual loss.

“We decided early on that it was important to own a space with the release of Darksiders,” Cook told MCV.

“Releasing in January allows us to build anticipation for the title, engage consumers with the Darksiders brand through the peak period and set the tone for 2010 as the first major release of the year.”

THQ has already begun promoting the title with a strong presence at Comic-Con in San Diego, US this week.

Cook added: “Key asset drops and events will be supported with targeted media across online, print, social networks & TV as we begin the Countdown to Armageddon.

“We will also be taking advantage of new and innovative ways to engage our consumers, like the VidZone activity we will be using to support the Comic-Con drive this month.”

THQ has enjoyed recent success with UFC: Undisputed and Red Faction: Guerrilla, which respectively reached No.1 and No.2 in the UK All Formats chart.