Rumour has it that the recently merged giant wants the DC universe to have a more robust video game presence…
The merger of WarnerMedia and Discovery has created Warner Bros. Discovery, and there are reportedly already plans to overhaul DC Entertainment’s film, movie and video game production, Variety reports, citing sources. They want to maximize the value of DC Entertainment IP through a more cohesive plan. It makes sense that more popular characters (such as Joker or Harley Quinn) would have a better chance of being hired. Still, Warner Bros. Discovery management would also use Superman, who hasn’t had a standalone movie since 2013’s Man of Steel.
Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD from now on) is also looking into the gaming expansion of DC Entertainment characters. Since Discovery owns Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, three games have already been announced through them. WB Games Montreal (their last game, Batman: Arkham Origins, was released in 2013) is working on Gotham Knights, which is due out on October 25; Rocksteady (Batman: Arkham Origins, Batman: Arkham City, Batman: Arkham Knight) will release Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League in early 2023; while Monolith Productions (F.E.A.R., Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, Middle-earth: Shadow of War) will release Wonder Woman at an as-yet-unknown date.
But Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment doesn’t have much to stretch beyond that. TT Games (Traveller’s Tales) is mainly into LEGO games; Avalanche Software is coming later this year with Hogwarts Legacy (and its success could be a basis for DC characters later on); Warner Bros. Games Boston (formerly Turbine), San Diego and San Francisco are all focused on mobile games; and WB Games New York seems to be nothing more than a support studio at this point. That leaves NetherRealm Studios, who are either working on Mortal Kombat 12 or the new Injustice. The latter is based on DC characters, but fighting games are still a niche genre… so anything could happen here.
So if the rumour is true, WBD should either buy up studios or license their IP. There is simply no other option.
Source: WCCFTech