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Warner Bros. says it's focusing on transforming its biggest franchises into live service games

tusharngf

tusharngf

Member
To "drive engagement and monetization of longer cycles".

suicide-squad-team-shot.jpg


As part of its latest earnings call, Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav has outlined the company's plans to transform its biggest gaming franchises from traditional console and PC releases into "always on" live service games.

Zaslav made the comments during his opening remarks to investors, in which referred to several of the company's franchises - Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Batman, and Mortal Kombat - as $1bn gaming properties. Developer NetherRealm's Mortal Kombat 1, he noted, has sold nearly 3m copies since launching in mid-September this year.

"Our focus," he continued, "is on transforming our biggest franchises from largely console and PC based with three-four year release schedules to include more always on gameplay through live services, multiplatform and free-to-play extensions, with the goal to have more players spending more time on more platforms."

"Ultimately we want to drive engagement and monetization of longer cycles and at higher levels," he continued. "We are currently under scale and see significant opportunity to generate greater post-purchase revenue."

Full article : https://www.eurogamer.net/warner-br...ts-biggest-franchises-into-live-service-games
 
M.W.

M.W.

Member
It's important to note that while live service games have their advantages, they also face challenges, such as managing player expectations, addressing issues like pay-to-win controversies, and maintaining a delicate balance between monetization and player satisfaction. The future of the gaming industry is likely to involve a mix of live service games, single-player experiences, and other emerging formats, as the industry continues to evolve.
 
LordBlodgett

LordBlodgett

Member
WB is the most bipolar company ever. In gaming they have MK and Hogwarts as recent huge successes, and then they have all the recent DC games being or looking like total shit. Their movie studios are the same, Barbie on the one hand, and the Flash or Blue Beetle on the other.

Anyways, this focus on GAAS needs to stop. I get that just one Warzone, Fortnite, or Apex can pay massive dividends, but it's really hard to move people off their faves. You really have to hit perfectly, and then also have a lot of luck as well.
 
radewagon

radewagon

Member
Instead of looking at the success of Fortnite, these publishers need to look at the failure of Avengers. I get the desire for that sweet GAAS money, but there's no reason to put all your eggs in that one stupid basket. Make, like, one GAAS game per year so that you don't destroy your lineup of games chasing a fool's errand.
 
Mibu no ookami

Mibu no ookami

Member
LordBlodgett said:
WB is the most bipolar company ever. In gaming they have MK and Hogwarts as recent huge successes, and then they have all the recent DC games being or looking like total shit. Their movie studios are the same, Barbie on the one hand, and the Flash or Blue Beetle on the other.

Anyways, this focus on GAAS needs to stop. I get that just one Warzone, Fortnite, or Apex can pay massive dividends, but it's really hard to move people off their faves. You really have to hit perfectly, and then also have a lot of luck as well.
Click to expand...

There are reasons for everything. Mortal Kombat has been trending up in recent years since they rebooted in 2011. Hogwarts got the attention that it needed, but there is really a level higher than that. Could have performed even better.

Flash and Blue Beetle are poor performers because WB/DC have lost sense of what they're doing. Their movies were actually performing really well, but they were in a rush to compete with the MCU, when they should have just run their own race and their own style. You look at the Dark Knight Trilogy, Man of Steel, Aquaman, Wonder Woman, Joker, and The Batman... and these movies have actually performed really well.

In their desperation they turned to a man they didn't fully understand.

radewagon said:
Instead of looking at the success of Fortnite, these publishers need to look at the failure of Avengers. I get the desire for that sweet GAAS money, but there's no reason to put all your eggs in that one stupid basket. Make, like, one GAAS game per year so that you don't destroy your lineup of games chasing a fool's errand.
Click to expand...

Like it or not, a GaaS Hogwarts Legacy game makes a ton of sense. It'll perform well.


IAmNotFromDelaware said:
I guess no way we're seeing a sequel to shadow of war.

God damn this clown.
Click to expand...

I'd be surprised if they don't go back to that well.
 
Heisenberg007

Heisenberg007

Gold Journalism
A

a multicultural team of v

Member
Puscifer said:
Honestly starting to feel more and more like it's a good time to bow out of modern gaming and start exploring the back catalog of the literally thousands of more than playable games than supporting this shit.
Click to expand...
We are at the point now where there are like 10+ high quality fan translations being released every year... and that is just fan translations! I'm probably way undercounting to be honest.

I don't think companies realize that modern gaming needs gamers, gamers don't need modern gaming.
 
rhodesianshepard

rhodesianshepard

Member
I know it crosses the line, but I'd be ok if these companies use Microtransactions for cosmetic outfits in single player if it meant they wouldn't make gaas games. This is just painful. These people have no idea what it takes to make a great gaas game in 2023. They just see a lottery ticket
 
Barakov

Barakov

Gold Member
tusharngf said:
To "drive engagement and monetization of longer cycles".

suicide-squad-team-shot.jpg


As part of its latest earnings call, Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav has outlined the company's plans to transform its biggest gaming franchises from traditional console and PC releases into "always on" live service games.

Zaslav made the comments during his opening remarks to investors, in which referred to several of the company's franchises - Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, Batman, and Mortal Kombat - as $1bn gaming properties. Developer NetherRealm's Mortal Kombat 1, he noted, has sold nearly 3m copies since launching in mid-September this year.

"Our focus," he continued, "is on transforming our biggest franchises from largely console and PC based with three-four year release schedules to include more always on gameplay through live services, multiplatform and free-to-play extensions, with the goal to have more players spending more time on more platforms."

"Ultimately we want to drive engagement and monetization of longer cycles and at higher levels," he continued. "We are currently under scale and see significant opportunity to generate greater post-purchase revenue."

Full article : https://www.eurogamer.net/warner-br...ts-biggest-franchises-into-live-service-games
Click to expand...
Me when this all comes crashing down on their heads
YUbRgqK.jpg
 
MagiusNecros

MagiusNecros

Gilgamesh Fan Annoyance
Only live service game that is any good is Deep Rock Galactic. These other companies don't have a clue.

The recipe for success is there but these companies have no passion and are full of greed to make a game players will openly support.
 
M

MALpractice311

Member
Lucie Goosey said:
Let the market take care of itself.

Either all these companies go bankrupt, or this pays off. Only time will tell.
Click to expand...

Dr. Samuel Hayden said:
This industry needs to crash and crash hard.
Click to expand...

Yup to both of these. This industry has gotten too big for it's britches. A nice crash to reset it is in order. Games used to be made by nerds, geeks, and weirdos who loved gaming and had ideas they were passionate about sharing with other gamers. It is now instead controlled by huge multinational corporations who just see gaming as something to prop up their stock value. A good market reset will get the corporate execs out of the industry and leave the passionate gamers.
 
Last edited:
Mr Reasonable

Mr Reasonable

Completely Unreasonable
It's possible that what they mean is that they'll add new characters, stages and events to MK for example, meaning that the game is kept more interesting and vital over a 4 year period.

If it means that, that's pretty good?

If it means "a constantly refreshed store with cosmetic items that cost $20 for a new outfit for your character" then not so much.
 
Majormaxxx

Majormaxxx

Member
I love this.

Honestly, forza horizon 1 and 2 with their sense of completion and accomplishment sucked. Much better to play forza horizon 5... Forever chazing the elusive end.

In fact for full immersion they should charge us real money for gas in driving games.

In batman they should charge us for the destruction in the city.

Follow me for more gaas ideas
 
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