WB Confirms Plans To License IPs To Other Developers For Future Games

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Abiyan

At Tech4gamers, I cover all sorts of gaming news. Whether it’s a leak of any upcoming game or an update, an announcement, or a rumour, I like to write about it all. Over the weekend, I sit and write features where I talk about games that I miss or want to see return.

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Warner Bros. Games saw massive success last year with the release of Hogwarts Legacy, which became the best-selling single-player title of the year. However, 2024 has been a poor year for the publisher since Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League became one of its worst releases.

This led to Warner Bros. Games’ revenue dropping by over 40%. Following this outcome, the publisher is now looking to license its franchises to other studios.

Why it matters: Warner Bros. Games owns some of the biggest IPs like Batman, Justice League, Looney Tunes, Harry Porter, and more. This means that there are many opportunities to experiment with different ideas and studios.

As reported by IGN, the CEO of Warner Bros. Games, David Zaslav, and the president of global streaming and games, JB Perrette, were asked about the strategic value of games to the studio during the recent earnings call.

Both of them explained that they want to grow the gaming business, and they are focused on free-to-play titles. However, both executives admitted that this part of the industry has its ups and downs.

The CEO further stated the studio is no longer solely relying on Warner Bros. Games’ eleven studios. According to David Zaslav, many other developers are looking to work on their IPs, and they are considering that option.

We have 11 studios here, and we have a lot of IP. And there’s also a lot of interest among others in coming to take advantage of some of that IP for gaming, which we’re looking at.

-David Zaslav

The recent success of Hogwarts Legacy shows that Warner Bros. Games IPs are valued much more in the gaming industry than their recent success shows. Therefore, working with massive studios would benefit the publisher.

Although it remains to be seen how the publisher will move forward, this should open up opportunities for more frequent releases based on IPs like Mortal Kombat and Harry Potter.

Perhaps some studios will even consider working on the lesser-known Warner Bros. Games IPs for unique projects.

Abiyan

[News Reporter]

Abiyan is on track to complete his Computer Science bachelor’s degree. His enthusiasm for writing and gaming motivates him to keep readers and gamers updated with the latest information from the industry. In his free time, Abiyan enjoys playing Dota 2 and Rocket League. Abiyan has also been cited in reputed websites such as Kitguru, Comicbook, GamingBible, Eurogamer and Gamingbolt.