Warner Bros. continues operations, announcing a new live service game, despite reported losses of over $200 million and the death of Wonder Woman in a previous live service game.
Warner Bros. Shifts Focus to Live Service DC Games
Warner Bros. has announced a significant restructuring plan, with a focus on revitalizing its flagship franchises, including DC Comics, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and Mortal Kombat. This shift comes after a challenging year for the gaming division, with a 48% decrease in revenue and a 66% drop in spending on games, as reported in a financial report this spring [2].
One of the most notable changes is the cancellation of the planned open-world Wonder Woman game, a decision made as part of a strategic shift following a series of discontinuations and studio closures [2]. However, Warner Bros. is not abandoning the DC universe entirely. Instead, the company is developing a new live service game based on a DC Comics intellectual property, to be led by WB Games Montréal, the studio behind Gotham Knights and Batman Arkham Origins [3].
The exact DC IP for this new game remains unconfirmed, but speculation is rife, with Superman being a popular choice due to the character's recent popularity in films under James Gunn’s leadership. Other possibilities, such as Teen Titans or Justice League Dark, are also being discussed by fans [1][2].
Despite the underperformance of recent live service titles like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and the commercial flop of Gotham Knights, Warner Bros. is continuing to invest in this model for their DC franchise games [2][3][5]. The executive producer at Warner Bros. Games will work closely with the Creative Director and studio leadership to ensure the project delivers on time, on budget, and to critical and commercial success, with a particular emphasis on guiding post-launch content and live service strategy to ensure ongoing player engagement [3].
The restructuring plan at Warner Bros. might involve a focus on specific franchises, such as DC, for live service titles. This shift could be seen as a response to the failure of Concord, which might have had an impact on PlayStation's approach to live services [4]. Meanwhile, PlayStation is still investing in new live services.
The job listing for the executive producer position at Warner Bros. Games is deliberately vague, requiring someone to lead the development of a game based on one of the iconic IPs from the vast Warner Bros. and DC Comics catalog. The successful candidate will oversee the entire production lifecycle of the game, from concept to launch and beyond, with a focus on ensuring the game meets the highest standards of quality, innovation, and player engagement [3].
In summary, Warner Bros. Games is shifting away from large single-player open-world DC projects and is now focusing on a new live service DC game at WB Games Montréal, slated for AAA-level production. This move comes despite prior financial setbacks and skepticism around live service models in superhero games [1][2][3][5].
[1] https://www.gamespot.com/articles/wb-games-montreal-is-working-on-a-new-live-service-d/1100-6503296/ [2] https://www.ign.com/articles/wb-games-cancels-open-world-wonder-woman-game-monolith-productions-closed [3] https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2023-03-15-wb-games-montreal-looking-for-executive-producer-for-live-service-game [4] https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2023-03-15-playstation-reviews-its-approach-to-live-services-following-concord-failure [5] https://www.pcgamesn.com/gotham-knights/wb-games-live-service-focus-dc-games-future
- Warner Bros. is revitalizing its DC Comics franchise, having announced a strategic shift following a challenging year in the gaming division.
- The company is moving away from large single-player open-world DC projects and focusing on a new live service game, developed by WB Games Montréal.
- This live service game is expected to be of AAA-level production and is based on a DC Comics intellectual property.
- Despite financial setbacks and skepticism around live service models in superhero games, Warner Bros. is continuing to invest in live services for its DC franchise games.
- The successful candidate for an executive producer position at Warner Bros. Games will oversee the entire production lifecycle of the game, from concept to launch and beyond.
- The underperformance of recent live service titles like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and the commercial flop of Gotham Knights haven't deterred Warner Bros. from pursuing live service gaming, as it continues to explore opportunities within the DC universe.
