Los Angeles, CA – Warner Bros. Discovery’s gaming boss J.B. Perrette recently shared the company’s gaming strategy during a speaking event held by Morgan Stanley. Perrette emphasized the focus on more live-service, mobile, and free-to-play games as part of their future plans for growth in the gaming industry.
Perrette highlighted the importance of doubling down on games as an area for potential growth, leveraging the company’s intellectual property and development capabilities to position themselves as both a game publisher and developer. While recognizing the success of AAA console games like “Hogwarts Legacy” selling 22 million copies, Perrette also acknowledged the unpredictability of the gaming market, citing the disappointment of “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.”
To mitigate volatility, Warner Bros. Discovery aims to concentrate on core franchises and expand into the mobile and free-to-play space, alongside continued investment in live-service games to ensure consistent revenue streams. Perrette hinted at the upcoming release of new mobile free-to-play games while maintaining a commitment to developing big single-player AAA titles around popular brands like Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and DC.
With 11 internal game development studios under their umbrella, Warner Bros. Discovery plans to implement a strategic investment plan to enhance the success of future games. Perrette expressed optimism about the meaningful growth gaming could bring to the company in the coming years, albeit emphasizing the time required for game development and the anticipated returns in 2025, 2026, and 2027.
Looking ahead, Perrette emphasized the significance of owning intellectual property and studios in navigating the evolving gaming landscape, pointing to emerging technologies like virtual reality and “virtual worlds” as areas for expansion and adoption in the future. Upcoming projects include a Harry Potter Quidditch game and a Wonder Woman title from the creators of Shadow of Mordor.
Warner Bros. Discovery’s approach to gaming differs from Disney’s as the former focuses on in-house development and publishing, while the latter now licenses its franchises to other companies. Disney’s recent collaboration with Epic Games for Fortnite exemplifies this shift, alongside partnerships with EA, Ubisoft, Zynga, and Quantic Dream for Star Wars games, as well as a deal with Microsoft/Bethesda for Indiana Jones and the Great Circle and Blade.