Current Events > WB Games acknowledges they learned their lesson with Suicide Squad KTJL

(+) Yeah! (+)

oh wait no they fucking didn't
https://www.gamespot.com/articles/warner-bros-discusses-volatile-aaa-console-games-will-lean-into-free-to-play-and-mobile/1100-6521597/

During a recent Morgan Stanley speaking event, Warner Bros. Discovery gaming boss J.B. Perrette discussed some of the company's strategy for gaming going forward, and it includes more live-service, mobile, and free-to-play games.

He said, "We're doubling down on games as an area where we think there is a lot more growth opportunity that we can tap into with the IP that we have and some of the capabilities we have on the studio where we're uniquely positioned as both a publisher and a developer of games."
Perrette said WBD's recent gaming output has focused on AAA games for console, and that's great when a game like Hogwarts Legacy sells 22 million copies and becomes the best-selling game of the year, but this kind of success is never guaranteed in what Perrette said was a "volatile" market. He pointed out that one of WBD's latest big games, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, was a disappointment for the company.
So the plan going forward, he said, is to help reduce volatility by focusing on core franchises and bringing at least some of them to the mobile and free-to-play space, as well as continuing to invest in live-service games that people play--and spend money on--over a long period of time. This will help WBD generate more consistent revenue, he said, going on to tease that WBD had some new mobile free-to-play games coming this year. Also worth noting is that just because WBD may push into new places, that doesn't necessarily mean it will stop making big single-player AAA games.
"Rather than just launching a one-and-done console game, how do we develop a game around, for example, a Hogwarts Legacy or Harry Potter, that is a live-service where people can live and work and build and play in that world in an ongoing basis?" he said.
Perrette went on to say that WBD is uniquely positioned because it has popular brands--he singled out Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and DC as its biggest--as well as 11 different internal game development studios. He also teased that WBD has a "strategic investment plan" to help make future games more successful, adding that the company just recently brought someone on to help with brand management and sustainability.

If WBD can execute, Perrette said he expects gaming to bring "meaningful growth" to the company in the years to come. But making games takes time, so Perrette cautioned that the company is laying the foundation now for returns that could come in 2025, 2026, and 2027.
Perrette went on to say how he has no idea how the gaming landscape will evolve over time, but he believes owning the IP and studios could help WBD succeed where others might not. He also called out things like virtual reality and "virtual worlds" as places that will "increase in scale and adoption" in the future.
Some of WBD's upcoming video games include a Harry Potter Quidditch game and a Wonder Woman title from the makers of Shadow of Mordor.

Unbe fucking lievable how not just sinister that company is, but also insultingly incompetent to a degree it just makes anyone downright mad it's that stupid.

they're throwing darts to see what sticks and it's infuriating

If it worked once, it'll work again.

Eventually.

DrizztLink posted...

If it worked once, it'll work again.

Eventually.

Will Half Life 3 be out by then tho

Man I really hope everything that WB makes tanks

"All the Arkham games and Harry Potter, single player narrative driven games did exceptionally well! Thus is of course a one time thing, so we gonna do what we did with Suicide Squad, which I just admitted was a disappointment, but even harder. I make millions of dollars to make these decisions!"

Are people going to pretend there's a redemption arc going on and buy the game because of this?

ViewtifulJoe posted...

Are people going to pretend there's a redemption arc going on and buy the game because of this?

Considering what the topic is about behind the title I'm going to say no

They deserve their incoming loss of millions of dollars.

You know that blackjack tactic where you keep doubling your bet every time you lose?

yeah

"It's called Sex Panther by Odeon. It's illegal in nine countries... Yep, it's made with bits of real panther, so you know it's good. They've done studies, you know. 60% of the time, it works every time."

Jagr_68 posted...

We're doubling down

Wow, they even literally referred to it as "doubling down", instead of obfuscating that fact and having others refer to it as that.

Well, this is certainly a decision.

I'm convinced WB is run by a bunch of trolls.

MyMainAccount posted...

Considering what the topic is about behind the title I'm going to say no

I mean duh. There's business as usual like EA does and then there's "yeah so we're doubling down on this complete fucking Morbius-tier failure" lmao

Jeff_AKA_Snoopy posted...

"All the Arkham games and Harry Potter, single player narrative driven games did exceptionally well! Thus is of course a one time thing, so we gonna do what we did with Suicide Squad, which I just admitted was a disappointment, but even harder. I make millions of dollars to make these decisions!"

Right? I work in the entertainment industry in LA as an accountant and I can tell you it's very troubling when you have old execs who have no idea about the gaming industry as a whole, are familiar with predatory terms like "gatcha", "loot boxes", "battle passes" etc. They know what makes money and this is a problem when you make games to please shareholders instead of making games to please the very people you're trying to make games for...but maybe that's the point.

But I get the incentive to have GaaS as a safe investment. People look at Fortnite printing billions and wonder why most other game companies aren't making similar games. They are, but there's a finite amount of people that can only sink in soo much time in soo many games until it implodes on its own face.

Executives get paid insane money to be dumb as shit

I fully believe WB is run by people who were hired to destroy the company and it's brands then dip away with golden parachutes but then I remember this is typically how all companies operate, Square Enix in particular after several failed attempts at live service and gacha games still keep pushing gacha games with the most recent example being Kingdom Hearts Missing Link, an MMO create your CAC style mobage game that would have sold decently on consoles is effectively dead in the water because they tied that shit to cell phones Or Sega who despite constantly being told by their consumers that rushing out their products before they finish development and find tuning or not building a specific game with familiar gameplay in a way to coax new fans and new fans together is why their titles tend to get low scores and sells they continue doing it anyway then complain the game failed to meet financial goals

It's honestly absurd how far up their own asses people like this are, they're just far to insulated from reality to ever really give a single fuck

Jagr_68 posted...

So the plan going forward, he said, is to help reduce volatility by focusing on core franchises and bringing at least some of them to the mobile and free-to-play space, as well as continuing to invest in live-service games that people play--and spend money on--over a long period of time.

lol

There's nothing wrong with a live service game. Everything wrong with lazy live service games. Unfortunately, most of them are incredibly lazy.

"Rather than just launching a one-and-done console game, how do we develop a game around, for example, a Hogwarts Legacy or Harry Potter, that is a live-service where people can live and work and build and play in that world in an ongoing basis?" he said.

Have a real life? Forget it! You WILL spend 18 hours a day in our virtual paradise AND YOU WILL LOVE IT.

If they want to kill the company who am I to stop them

Although mobile gamers will play anything so maybe that will save them

I for one cant wait for WB to collapse

I want Warner Bros to burn down to the ground due to all of these decisions. And screw them for Mortal Kombat 1!

Seaman_Prime posted...

I for one cant wait for WB to collapse

I just don't want them to take DC down with them. Maybe they will sell it to someone else

Lets all laugh at an industry that never learns anything, tee hee hee!

They do this because the promise of a live service game that does fortnite numbers is too big to ignore, even if they make a hundred failed live service games they will continue to do so until the live service games that are successful are no longer making money at which point they move on to the next money making trend.

They literally had the highest selling game last year with Hogwarts Legacy. I guess they still want to chase the potential of the mythical game that prints money even after they got slapped in the face with the financial flop of Suicide Squad.

neverwin posted...

They do this because the promise of a live service game that does fortnite numbers is too big to ignore, even if they make a hundred failed live service games they will continue to do so until the live service games that are successful are no longer making money at which point they move on to the next money making trend.

Like how EA has spent, what, a decade and a half hopelessly chasing Call of Duty.

And while Acti-Blizz can go fuck itself, its satisfying watching EA unsuccessfully chase CoD for years only to then get another smack in the face when they tried their hand at MMOs with Anthem only for WoW and Destiny to shit all over it.