Netflix has announced that it will acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, and according to a spokesperson, the purchase will include Warner Bros. Games. This will include Rocksteady, Traveler’s Tales, NetherRealm Studios, and Warner Bros. Montreal.
The purchase, which is in cash and stock totaling up to $82.7 million, won’t go through until it is approved by the FTC and when Warner Bros. separates from Discovery Global. If approved, Netflix will own the rights to the DC universe, Harry Potter franchise, Game of Thrones, and countless more. Additionally, based on comments made to Game Developer, the gaming division will also be assimilated, which includes the LEGO games and Mortal Kombat series.
Netflix co-CEO, Greg Peters, said the following about the purchase in a press release: “This acquisition will improve our offering and accelerate our business for decades to come. Warner Bros. has helped define entertainment for more than a century and continues to do so with phenomenal creative executives and production capabilities.
With our global reach and proven business model, we can introduce a broader audience to the worlds they create—giving our members more options, attracting more fans to our best-in-class streaming service, strengthening the entire entertainment industry and creating more value for shareholders.”
UPDATE: Paramount has launched a hostile bid of Warner Bros. to counter Netflix’s acquisition. The new bid is for $30 in cash a share, or approximately 108 billion dollars. Paramount intends to go directly to the shareholders of WBD, casting Netflix’s initial purchase in doubt.
Earlier this year, Warner Bros. Games was restructured into four new divisions. These divisions are focused on Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat, and the DC universe. The restructured Warner Bros. Games also applies to the studio heads. Warner Bros Games Montréal studio head Yves Lachance has been promoted to senior vice president, development, and will oversee the development teams working on Harry Potter and the Game of Thrones games. NetherRealm studio head Shaun Himmerick has been promoted to senior vice president, development for the Mortal Kombat and DC games.
