EA Could Be Considering Warner Bros Gaming Division Buyout

Noooooooooo
-Vader

Probably a better choice than Microsoft. At EA has some level of quality control.

Nooooo
not EA...

Still weird that it costs that much for basically a bunch of licenses.

They could sell and then instantly pull the rights to those franchises if they wanted and sell them elsewhere. (Obviously the buyer would have terms agreed to beforehand but still).

@Enuo WHAT??? EA have some QC??? 😂 😂 😂 😂 😂 Joke of the year...

Please god, no. I'll take any other company besides EA and Activision.

@Enuo Oh dear, you know the fanboy mentality is bad when you literally think Xbox are worse than EA. That’s just laughable.

Netherrealm is perfect for EA...the granddaddy of minimum effort for maximum DLC dollar

I'd rather ea to Microsoft

At least we’ll have a good chunk of really ***** games in one place now.

Please Sony, Microsoft or Nintendo jump in. Not them.

That would be beyond devastating, I can't think of a worse company to buy WB. I think crappy Activision would be a step up, even Ubisoft in all of it's mess would be preferable.

Pretty sure that if they buy WB they won't have the licenses for the DC stuff, since those are under Warner Media and not the game studio.

@AdamNovice Be ready,to pay a dollar ,for every batarang thrown.

Surely there's a publisher out there that would be a perfect fit for it.

Part of me was thinking Sony could buy it, but ramp the deal up. $8 billion, but also includes DC Comics, DC Comics movies, Lord of the Rings full rights and movies and their TV wing.

But the sad thing would be things going exclusive, that weren't exclusive and other concerns. Maybe Sony might make multi-platform LEGO games?

But I really want Monolith Games (or whoever) to remaster/remake/port F.E.A.R, well it doesn't have to be Monolith. Someone buy Warner Games that will put F.E.A.R on PS5 and PS4 and I'll be happy.

Can't they just buy Jared Leto instead? He's a fantastic Joker that would be perfect for an EA lootbox with a 99% drop rate as a middle finger to players dumb enough to buy it.

And before you misinterpret my comment, yes I am calling you an idiot if you buy lotboxes. You are the players who encourage the plague of modern gaming

@Rhaoulos But true gamers stan Heath Ledger as the Joker?

It is a shame because Sony can develop a great Batman game compared to EA or even MS. I can imagine EA turning every gadget and skins to microtransactions.

@nessisonett They are actually.

@nessisonett Nothing against Xbox buying WB games but looking at Halo Infinite, even EA`s worst titles look better than it.

@PeakyBlinder well at least Microsoft games are actually fun compared to EA games

If they buy WB Games, I'll never buy scribblenauts again.

@Arnna that's no way to treat scribblenauts

I'll take anyone but Microsoft into buying WB, seriously, F* Microsoft. Titanfall dev Respawn has been consistently good with their launches so that gives me hope they won't ruin Rocksteady.

Won't be the first time EA handles a Mortal Kombat game.

@__jamiie Microsoft needs them most and in my opinion it would be the best fit tbh. I'd like to see Sony buy them, but they don't really have a need for them considering they have so many great studios already.

@SolarSailor Microsoft would be absolutely be the best fit. I want them to buy right now.

@Gravity_Bear I don't think Sony can own both DC and Spiderman...

Not Microsoft: YESS!!
It's EA: NOOO!!

I want to think EA would be good after Respawn and the Command & Conquer remaster, but they did tank Bioware. Still better than Activision, which is more EA than EA itself, and Ubisoft considering the HR burying rape allegations and manager creep cancelling games that aren't cookie cutter open-world AAAs. Sony would be a good owner but doesn't need them, Nintendo doesn't seem like the type to buy WB, and as much as Sony fanboys hate to admit it, MS would probably be alright.

@Enuo Dude, just no lmao! It would suck for all those properties to become Microsoft exclusives, but I’d rather that than have EA buy them, request all these ridiculous mandates, and then those studios get shuttered like every other talented studio EA buys up, chews and spits back out. Hell mutha-f—kin’ nah brah!

Honestly I say let Microsoft have Batman/DC Comics stuff and let Sony handle Marvel since they seem to be the only company that can do Marvel licenses justice. I mean, Square Enix clearly can’t make a good Marvel game... might as well cancel that sh— show of a super hero looter bull.

EA, Activision & Take-two are all equal opportunity mtx live service black holes as opposed to M$ being pc/xbone centric so all three would be a potential suitor. But EA's roster away from Star Wars (Disney), Fifa & Battlefield as their big three, has looked a bit thin, so the prospect of stuff like Mortal Kombat, & WB licenses like Batman etc., would be rather tempting.
WB stuff was already very live service mtx ridden so highly doubt that'll change. Its just a question of who's more desparate for the licenses.

Well either a EA or Microsoft buyout will be the end of those studios I've not seen a purchase from either where all the talent hasn't ended up leaving, they just become a shell with only the developer brand i.e bioware and ruined IP's being left behind, new corporate masters have big ideas and like to push people around like any new boss really

@NomNom They could, I don't think there is any restrictions. It might seem weird being characters like Batman, but they have made other comic book movies. Bloodshot is one example.

A Batman and Spider-man movie is probably out of the question. If it is okay, hopefully they don't read this. ???

EA & WB are welcome to each other. Both produce titles full of season passes and micro transactions. Gamers just need to stop funding these horrible policy's

@AdamNovice like Spider-Man and the avengers?

Wait, some people on here are okay with the prospect of future Batman games being Xbox.exclusives?!

Am I on the wrong site? The header is I'm blue but maybe I'm mistaken and it's actually green!

😉

Hell no, give me EA over MS. Rocksteady are too good to ruled by that Phil Spencer frat boy wannabe.

Batman is the only tolerable superhero for me so I wouldn't want Phil Spencer's gang getting it.

@Col_McCafferty be nice to see Sony buy them out for sure.

IF Microsoft do obtain the rights to the DC universe and other franchises then Sony needs to fight fire with fire.

Who owns Bethesda?

🤔

Arkham is pretty much the only non Japanese developed 3rd Party AAA game that I’ve really enjoyed. Arkham Knight was the reason I bought a PS4.

The thought of EA calling the shots over Batman is a strong mark against getting a PS5.

Kiss goodbye to those IPs then after a game or 2 and filled with MTs and LBs, seasons passes etc

@NomNom
Indeed. People getting offended by 'EA better than Ms' should understand PlayStation gamers dont necessarily want an xbox exclusivity deal.

@PeakyBlinder
That was an old build from several hours ago though.

@Col_McCafferty
Exactly. Also it seems Ms is trying to turn every big franchise into GaaS now with their Gamepass

@Gravity_Bear and if Sony buys all that, it would make their movie rights to Spider-Man and some Marvel IP amusing given that they suddenly own DC IP!

Marvel vs DC? 😂

oh well, if it happens... it was good while it lasted.

Can't say I'm fussed whoever they go to but I feel sorry for those who liked the Batman games and it goes to EA.

Out of those options, I think Microsoft is the least worst choice for buying them.

RIP Mortal Kombat if EA get their grubby micro transaction filled claws on it

I mirror what others are saying that I'd rather EA over Microsoft. Can't believe I actually trust the former more now but Microsoft have proven they have no clue what a good game should be.

And after Jedi Fallen Order I feel like EA may be on the path to redemption.

On that note. EA, bring back The Lord of the Rings The Third Age if you acquire them please.

I'm good with it, be it EA or Microsoft. I love the Arkham Trilogy, but I'm done with this series. I can always replay those games and i haven't cared for Mortal Kombat since it went from 2D to 3D.

I rather ea than Microsoft or take 2.i do like the batman Arkham games.word up son

I wouldn't want some of those studios going exclusive to any platform, and ditto some of their licenses such as the DC stuff and LotR etc. either Sony or Microsoft owning WB Games would be bad for the industry. Those griping at EA over loot boxes and Micro-transactions, I hear you, but WB Games are hardly saints in those regards either, so it wouldn't be much of a change if EA bought them, and yes, I find the nickel-and-diming of the big publishers egregious and it needs to stop. However, as long as stupid gamers drop money on these things then games will continue to be made around micro-transactions.

@Juanalf No unless you want something like those awful Amazing Spider Man Games or for them to make MORE COD games EA and Activision are both equally bad.

@SirAngry Wow man, imagine choosing EA over Microsoft and Sony cause you don't like exclusives but you'll be fine with lootboxes and microtransactions.

@Severian Could be a movie about which is worse, Spider-man's angsting or Batman's brooding.

@Nepp67 wow, imagine being so stupid you fail basic reading comprehension... evidently you don"t.

I hate that AT&T is selling them off. Warner Bro. Gaming Division is probably my second favorite to Sony. Any of these mega publishers are not gonna use them right, but if any of them get them besides MS I guess that's a win.

so much hate for EA, not sure I agree. All EA games I have played have been fun. Rocksteady and Netherealm will probably not change at all, maybe a few paid costumes for any Rocksteady games, but not something that will affect the quality of the game.

@SirAngry "I wouldn't want some of those studios going 'exclusive' to any 'platform'"

"Sony or Microsoft owning WB games would be bad for the industry"

"Those griping at EA over loot boxes and Micro-transactions, I hear you, but WB Games are hardly saints in those regards either, so it wouldn't be much of a change if EA bought them"

You're clearly choosing EA over Sony and Microsoft cause you don't like exclusives and would choose microtransactions over it. How would Sony owning WB games be bad for the industry when they give their studios SO MUCH FREEDOM?

@Gravity_Bear https://bibliomantics.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/tumblr_inline_mfvh1fmp7t1qjwnf2.gif

@Severian ah yes, that's on another level. Very dark times for Peter.

@Gravity_Bear Maybe his mother's name will be Martha too.

@Nepp67, and you clearly said I'd be fine with loot boxes and Micro-transactions, which if you read my comment you'd certainly not believe. My point is how are EA and WB Games that different when comes to loot boxes and Micro-transactions? The reality is there's little difference between the two, so as far as I'm concerned EA buying WB Games would almost be a maintenance of the status quo. Whereas Sony or Mictosoft buying WB Games would be a tectonic shift in the industry, and not an entirely positive one, because it might lead to a studio buying war between platform holders, that would ultimately be bad for gamers / consumers because you'll end up with more platform specific games.

There is no right answer in that group of prospective buyers, unless you are a huge fan of one of them. Xbox would likely mean console exclusives so no Batman on PS5 or Switch. Boo.

@SirAngry
Yes I did misread you on that part and you are absolutely right on EA and WB not being much different when it comes to microtransactions and loot boxes but what do you mean by this?
"Because it might lead to a studio buying war between platform holders"

Microsoft has been buying studios left and right. Meanwhile Sony hasn't really been buying up much studios(Only one I can recall being bought is Insomniac Games) by the looks of it and especially Nintendo. It's even said that Xbox Series X will have the largest launch line up because of them buying up so many studios. I personally do not have an issue with platform specific games cause that's what got me to get a PS4 and an Xbone(Cause of Scalebound unfortunately).

Batman can't be killed....but EA could definitely pull it off, I'm sure.

@nessisonett What the use if it goes too MS then i just cant play the games anymore.

@Nepp67 Quality over Quantity

@__jamiie I rather see a multiplatform developer then those 3.

@Nepp67 Sony is in the market for new studios, it's well known within the industry they are sniffing around a number of studios, some they've worked with previously, others they've not really got much of a connection with. The trouble is WB Games isn't just a studio... it's a publisher, just off of the top of my head the studios I know they own are Rocksteady, Monolith, Nether Realms, TT Games (itself a publisher which includes multiple studios including Travelers Tales), and multiple WB Studios in San Diego, Boston, Montreal and I want to say San Fransico, but I'm not sure maybe even more. The truth is they have a hell of a lot of studios, some of whom are very, very talented, and either Sony or Microsoft purchasing them would exclude vast swathes of gamers from accessing their games, whichever way it fell. I'm not for that. I would like gamers to have access to as many games as possible, without having to buy too many systems. Gaming is an expensive hobby as it is.

I just don't think it would be at all healthy in the long run, not just for gamers, but also the people who work in studios themselves. Why? Because neither Sony nor Microsoft need that many developers or studios churning out games. That's why they've both been ruthless in the past at cutting studios like Lionhead (Microsoft have shuttered way more internal studios), Zipper Interactive, Studio Liverpool, Evolution Studios, and more. Microsoft and Sony snapping up studios here and there that would benefit from investment such as Bluepoint, Housemarque or on Microsofts side Ninja Theory and Obsidian I don't mind. Hell, pick up Lucid, Sumo Digital, Remedy and others if they are open to it, because some studios benefit from the stability of being under the wing of a platform holder, and it's the likes of Sony and Microsoft who can give these creative studios a home to thrive... but an entire publisher with the DC, LotR, Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat and many more IPs and franchises going platform exclusive? No thanks.

@Severian probably, they'll all have mothers with that name, how else could they relate.

I give EA so little money as it is. Big nope from me.

@SirAngry Ah yea I forgot WB games isn't a single game studio. I can get that so maybe buying studios isn't suuuuuch a good idea now that I think about it. Honestly why don't they just make new studios instead and try to find new people to hire? I'm not a person that knows much about business and economics but that couldn't that be a better option? Sure it could cost more but that would open to more new IPs instead of constant sequels we've been getting.

@Flaming_Kaiser Agreed my man.

@Nepp67 Nice too hear.

@Nepp67 Microsoft and especially Sony do create their own internal studios, Sony San Diego, Sony Santa Monica, Sony Bend, The Coalition, The Initiative and more are all examples of both companies building studios from the ground up. However, doing that takes time, resources and a hell of a lot of hard work, and it might not always work out. Microsoft for example have shuttered so many internal studios over the years we've all lost count. So it's a big risk, you might not get the culture right and the chemistry between studio creatives might not produce results.

Buying established studios avoids that risk. You know what you are buying. Take a n independent studio like Remedy, we can see how good they are and the sorts of games their chemistry produces. They're a known quantity, I don't think their sort of games fit into the Microsoft ecosystem going forward, but Sony? Yeah, I can see a space for Remedy inside PlayStation Studios. Ditto Housemarque (also Finnish) and Blue Point amongst others. So buying studios gives publishers an already established base on which to build investment, and potentially get a quicker return.

On the Sony side of things, they feel they need more online games, the irony being they've had studios in the past that made such games, probably before the market was ready for them, games like MAG and Warhaek, from developers like Zipper Interactive and Incognito... Two teams I was amazed they shuttered because they were do clearly predicting trends in gaming before many others even knew the industry was going that way. Closing Evolution in the UK was the other grotesquely stupid mistake they made. However, they are sniffing around studios like Turtle Rock and Illfonic, and partnering with studios like Lucid Games (and others that aren't public yet) to produce online games. So I think we'll see Sony build relationships and also add studios via acquisitions over the next two years, and if the PS5 is the hit it appears to be then they'll need more studios to provide games and to take advantage of the market segments they create selling their console. There are areas where Sony's studios are weak. FPS games, racing games and RPGs. When it comes to third person story games, be they third person shooters, open world games or hack and slash ERS they've got that covered. Ironically they don't have too many cutesy platformers any more, but that's what they built their empire on. Sony have a wealth of dormant IPs they could take advantage of if they had the studios to revive them, but currently they don't, IPs like:

WipEout
SOCOM
Jak & Daxter
Sly Cooper
Motorstorm
Syphon Filter
Colony Wars
The Getaway
Resistance

And tons more. They have an embarrassment of riches in their back catalogue that other companies would kill for, and near dormant IP like Killzone and inFAMOUS that shift serious units too. Sony could, if they have the teams, develop multiple blockbusters a year.

Well say goodbye to mortal kombat. E.A will literally charge you $ for a character or will sell you packs in their suprise mechanics.

@FuhrerFPone You feel better after that rant?

😜

Yeah, I would like to be able to play new Batman games and Middle-earth games on the PS5. Why's that so surprising?

You think MS would pay money to develop these titles and still release them on the PS? If you think that then you're obviously very naive!

Also, I used to play on Xbox so I'm no Sony fanboy. I just prefer SP titles and this gen PS has been the best place to play. I imagine this will still be the case next gen as well as it seems to me that MS care more about online MP and GaaS titles. That's not what I'm interested in.

Is that okay with you?

🙄

I like EA, so great choice. Love The Neverhood, Dead Space and Alice. I say Batman would fit right in.

@FuhrerFPone Mate.

🤦

You just created an account to have a go at me or something?!

Oh no, you don't respect me. Oh woe is me!

😂😂😂

Seriously man, stop being a such an idiot.

@Xnx_gaming yep. EA are the worst.

ANYONE instead of Microsoft PLEASE :-/ So I hope EA get it(i never thought would ever say that)