Netflix has formally announced its intent to purchase Warner Bros. Discovery for the eye-watering sum of $82.7 billion. While the deal is far from done and will require regulatory approval, the buyout is expected to be completed by Q3 2026 and will give Netflix ownership of numerous movies and TV franchises, as well as Warner Bros.’ video games division.
While the focus of this proposed deal has been on everything but video games, Netflix could gain a significant foothold in the video game industry by acquiring Warner Bros. Games. The publisher owns several major studios, including those responsible for hit games such as the Batman: Arkham series, Mortal Kombat, and Hogwarts Legacy. Things have been turbulent behind the scenes lately with big flops like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the cancellation of the long-in-development Wonder Woman game, and the closure of Monolith Productions. More recently, the focus has been put on games from four established IP: Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat, and DC.
Next year will see the release of Traveller’s Tales’ Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, and Avalanche Studios is reportedly working on a sequel to Hogwarts Legacy. Among the big studios are numerous developers under the Warner Bros. Games umbrella, responsible for several big games across multiple platforms. Here’s a closer look at the video game developers that Netflix could take complete ownership of next year.
Portkey Games
Portkey Games is the publishing label that handles all games set in the Harry Potter Wizarding World franchise.
Avalanche Software
Founded in 1995, Avalanche Software worked on numerous games like NFL Blitz and the Disney Infinity toys-to-life series. Eventually closed by Disney in 2016, Warner Bros. acquired the studio and reopened it in 2017. Its first release under Warner Bros. Games was Hogwarts Legacy, the No. 1 best-selling game in the US for 2023.
NetherRealm Studios
Following Midway Games’ filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and Warner Bros. purchasing all of its assets, NetherRealm Studios was born from the ashes of Midway Chicago. The studio has been a hub for the development of fighting games, as it revived Mortal Kombat for the modern era and the DC Universe fighting game series Injustice.
Rocksteady Studios
Famous for its work on the Batman: Arkham series, the last game from Rocksteady Studios was the critically panned Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. It’s rumored that the developer is returning to the Arkham series for its next project.
TT Games
Acquired by Warner Bros. in 2007, TT Games is the holding company overseeing several other studios that produce PC, console, and mobile games. The company is famous for developing games based on the Lego toyline.
Traveller’s Tales
The primary development division of TT Games, Traveller’s Tales has produced 22 Lego games to date, and it’s currently working on Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight.
TT Fusion
TT Fusion is the division focused on porting TT’s games to handheld platforms.
TT Games Publishing
Founded in 2003 as Giant Interactive Entertainment and reorganized as a division of TT Games in 2005 following its acquisition, TT Games Publishing handles publishing duties.
TT Odyssey
A mobile games developer founded in 2018.
Warner Bros. Games Montreal
Founded in 2010, Warner Bros. Games Montreal developed Batman: Arkham Origins and Gotham Knights. The studio also ported Batman: Arkham City to the Nintendo Wii U in 2012 and assisted in the development of Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
Warner Bros. Games Boston
Founded in 1994 as Turbine Inc. and renamed to Warner Bros. Games Boston following its acquisition in 2010, the studio is best known for its work on MMORPGs like Dungeons & Dragons Online and The Lord of the Rings Online.
Warner Bros. Games New York
Formerly known as Agora Games, Warner Bros. Games New York specializes in building online features and web-based communities for video games.
Warner Bros. Games San Francisco
Founded in 2013, Warner Bros. Games San Francisco focuses on mobile, social, and free-to-play games for Warner Bros. IP like Harry Potter and the DC Universe.
This is an intriguing development in the entertainment industry! The potential for Netflix to expand its gaming portfolio is certainly exciting. It will be interesting to see how this affects both companies and their audiences.
Absolutely, it is an exciting shift! With Netflix’s focus on interactive content, we could see some innovative crossovers between gaming and streaming that could redefine how we experience storytelling. It’ll be interesting to see how they integrate these studios into their platform.
great games coming out of this acquisition! It’s interesting to think about how Netflix might integrate its storytelling approach into gaming, potentially creating unique experiences that blend film and gameplay. This could really set them apart in the gaming industry!
Absolutely! The integration of Warner Bros. game studios could lead to some fascinating new content that blends popular IPs with interactive experiences. It will be exciting to see how Netflix combines storytelling from their shows and movies with gaming elements!