Let's see..

Poor Advertising
Short Length
Limited Replay Value
Niche Premise
New IP

I think that's about covers why..

http://wii.ign.com/articles/958/958309p1.html

No wonder they didn't advertise Deadly Creatures:

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THQ's Bankruptcy Odds
Analyst says it's 50/50 for the publisher.
by Greg Miller

March 2, 2009 - After laying the smackdown for a number of years, THQ might finally be on the ropes -- at least according to Janco Partners analyst Michael Hickey.

"You have mediocre product and you're running out of cash," Hickey said. "Not the situation they want to be in right now."

The somber report came today from the Los Angeles Business Journal. In an article focused on THQ's current predicament -- in the past ten months, the company's lost $334 million, watched its stock price go from about $20 to just above $2, and cut about 600 jobs -- Hickey placed the odds of THQ declaring bankruptcy at 50-50, but THQ Chief Executive Officer Brian Farrell dismissed the thought.

"I know that makes for good print and sells newspapers, but those aren't the kind of things we focus on right now," Farrell said. "When the stock price is depressed, the naysayers can have their day in the sunshine. But we have a plan that we're very confident will give us cash and return the company to profitability."

A stumbling block to that return could be the fact that a contract with Disney-Pixar is almost up. For the past few years, games such as Ratatouille, Wall-E, and other Disney Pixar tie-ins have made up about a fifth of THQ's revenue, but the contract only covers two more movie-based games, which includes Up. After that, analysts expect the movie games to go to Disney Interactive.

Farrell would not tell the Journal if THQ planned on bidding on the license again, but he did stress that the company is taking steps to make it through the rough times -- THQ is currently looking for a line of credit in case it's needed and recently borrowed about $26 million against "auction rate securities -- a form of long-term debt -- to bolster its balance sheet."

"The watchword for everyone in the company is to focus and execute," he said. "We know how to do this."

Every hear of Creepy Crawlers?  I sure did when I was growing up. Whatever you brought up didn't fail cause it was bugs.  It failed cause it sucked.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creepy_Crawlers

They should have totaly got the the creepy crawlers license for this game lolol

I bought the game last week and I'm quite sorprised it's one of the most unique adventure games that I've played, the enviroments are great, the sound is top-notch and the most important thing, feels really original.

The game's a brawler-exploration the control feels really good but it's quite confusing when you're on the ceiling or climing a wall. With time you'll get more attacks and combos, but don't expect the corographic sttuf that you see on God of War or Devil may Cry.

Deadly Creatures also it's a really serious game, believe it or not the game mood is something similar to "No country for old man" a quite serious and depressing mood for what looks like a simple game for "kids who love bugs" in fact; in certain way this's a more mature game than those bloody generic FPS.

It's a really nice and original title... and I guess that's curse. I'm getting a Psychonauts vibre from this title. So well rent it first ..... but this title can be more appreciate it with time. (just like Psychonauts)

The fact that it was done by a developer not known for quality, such as THQ, along with the horrendous price tag of $50. A game about bugs, does not have any selling appeal.

Hey! I had a Creepy Crawlers set! And I'd like to play Deadly Creatures! Coincidence? I think not. I'm pretty sure it's common knowledge that boys tend to like weird bug things. I agree with all the people who are saying that this was a missed marketing opportunity.

Because, you know, we're made of snakes and snails and puppy dog tails. So naturally bugs are yes.

For everyone who said no advertising/marketing for the game, how would YOU advertise it?

Deadly creatures was a waste of money and shouldn't have been made. im not saying that its a bad game. its just really hard to market a game like that. not to mention we're in a recession and people aren't buying new IP's they know nothing about. THQ had to know this game would fail.

Arachnaphobia is one of the highest ranked fears out there, did anyone really believe this game wouldn't flop?

Needed more guns, space marines and basically do what other action games do then claim there innovative.

That would of got it much more hype here and sales.