From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Inc. In 2003, they co-published their first video game,
Looney Tunes: Back in Action. EA was the other publisher
of the game.[3] In 2004, Warner Bros. acquired developer
Monolith Productions.[4] In 2005, WB Games. label was
created. The first game that Monolith developed in con-
junction with Warner Bros. Entertainment was The Ma-
trix Online which SEGA helped co-publish. In 2006, they
bought a 10.3% stake in SCi Entertainment, the owner
of Eidos Interactive. That same year, they released their
first self published title (with no co-publishers), Justice
League Heroes, it was distributed by Eidos on the Xbox.
In 2007, their goal was for a five year plan to expand in
Type Division of Warner Bros.
the video game industry, which includes the acquisition
Industry Interactive entertainment of studios for internal development and the creation of a
Computer and video games studio (WB Games) in the Seattle area that will run all the
Founded 1993 (as Warner Bros. Consumer Products) games published and developed by the company;[5] start-
ing with the acquisition of TT Games that same year for
Headquarters Burbank, California, United States[1] the amount of £100 million.[6]
Products Mortal Kombat series
Batman: Arkham series
Lego series
F.E.A.R. series
Spy Hunter series
Lord of the Rings Online
Owner(s) Time Warner
Parent Warner Bros.
Website www.wbgames.com
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Inc. (WBIE) is a
division of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. It
is a worldwide publisher, developer, licensor and distrib-
utor of video games for both internal and third party ti-
tles. Under the WBIE umbrella is Warner Bros. Games (al-
so the division’s major publishing unit), which focuses on
the creation, development and production of first-par-
ty titles. Because of the distribution, marketing and sales
infrastructure of Warner Home Video, WBIE is a signif-
icant worldwide publisher for both internal and third-
party game titles.[2]
History
In 1995, Warner Bros. Interactive licensed out their first
game property under their current name, Batman For-
Logo of the Warner Bros. Games brand
ever to Acclaim Entertainment.[citation needed] They con-
tinued to license games based on Cartoon Network, DC
In April 2008, they increased their stake to 35% gain-
Comics, Hanna-Barbera, Looney Tunes and various
ing distribution right of all Eidos games in the United
Warner Bros. film properties over the years to such video
States, Canada and Mexico.[7] On December 15, 2008,
game publishers as Ubisoft, EA, Infogrames and THQ.
right after SCi changed their name to Eidos plc, Warner
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
acquired a total of 10 million shares of the company, on the DC Comics license.[21] On April 9, 2010, Warner
raising its owned amount to 19.92%, after an agreement Bros has announced it will publish a third installment
which prevented Time Warner from acquiring more to its F.E.A.R. series in fall of this year.[22] Warner Bros.
shares was scrapped one month earlier.[8] On January Home Entertainment Group announced on April 20, 2010
28, 2009, The Hollywood Reporter reported the deal also the acquisition of Turbine, Inc. the developer of the fa-
gave Warner the rights of the Tomb Raider film series,[9] mous company MMOs Dungeons & Dragons Online and
previously owned by Paramount Pictures. On February Lord of the Rings Online.[23]
12, 2009, SQEX Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Square On June 4, 2010, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
Enix, announced a takeover offer worth £84.3 million Group and Turbine, inc. have said that the massively mul-
(32p per share) for Eidos plc,[10] which was backed by tiplayer online title Lord of the Rings Online is to become
Warner Bros. as shareholder.[11] Square Enix eventually a free-to-play game this autumn.[24] Warner Bros. Inter-
took over the company April 22, 2009 and later changed active Entertainment announces on June 10, 2010, Mortal
the name to Square Enix Europe. Kombat, the most brutal installment of the landmark
Warner Bros. announced on February 4, 2009 it had fighting game to date for release on the PlayStation 3
purchased independent developer Snowblind Studios.[12] computer entertainment system and Xbox 360 video
Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition game and entertainment system from Microsoft in 2011.
serves to strengthen the publisher’s internal develop- Mortal Kombat is being developed by the newly re-
ment effort. In 2009, Warner purchased most of the assets named NetherRealm Studios, led by Mortal Kombat cre-
of American publisher Midway Games, operating under ator and creative director Ed Boon.[25] Branching out
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, for $49 million dol- from Game Party for the Wii, Warner Bros. Interactive
lars. The assets purchased include Midway’s studio in Entertainment set its sights on the Xbox 360’s newest
Chicago[13] and Surreal Software, resulting in the owner- piece of technology on June 14, 2010, revealed Game Par-
ship to the rights to the Joust, Mortal Kombat, The Suffering, ty: In Motion for Kinect. Arriving November 4 as a launch
Spy Hunter and Wheelman series.[14] Midway Games had title, In Motion for Microsoft’s full-body motion-sensing
previously worked with Warner Bros. on several games technology brings sports and arcade games to the hard-
including Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. Midway in- ware.[26]
tended to hold an auction of its assets on June 29, 2009, On August 1, 2011, Warner Bros. Interactive an-
but no other bids were placed. On July 10, 2009, the sale nounced that they were going to publish Grasshopper
to Warner was completed for approximately $49 milli- Manufacture’s Japanocentric game Lollipop Chainsaw.
on.[15] In the process, WB Games became the owner of the Which is going to be produced by Suda 51 of No More
Blitz: The League series. On July 28, 2009, Midway’s Mor- Heroes and Shadows of the Damned fame. It is also going to
tal Kombat team was rebranded WB Games Chicago by its be penned by James Gunn.[27]
new owners[16] and, in 2010 was re-named NetherRealm
Studios.[17]
On January 13, 2010, it was announced that Warner
Studios
Bros. Interactive Entertainment will produce and have
exclusive rights to Sesame Street video games starting in Current
fall 2010 with Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure and Cookie’s Count- • Monolith Productions in Kirkland, Washington
ing Carnival.[18][19] On February 23, 2010, Warner Bros. (Official site), founded in 1994, acquired in 2004.
Home Entertainment Group announced it had acquired • NetherRealm Studios in Chicago, Illinois (Official
majority stake in Rocksteady Studios, an independent de- site), founded as Midway Games Chicago in 1988,
velopment studio based in London. Rocksteady and acquired from Midway Games on July 27, 2009.
Warner had previously worked together in Batman: • Rocksteady Studios in London, England (Official site),
Arkham Asylum, and as been announced to work in the founded in 2004 and acquired majority stake in
future with more Warner Bros. licenses.[20] February 2010.
On March 22, 2010, Warner Bros. Interactive is the • Snowblind Studios in Kirkland, Washington (Official
latest videogame company to open a studio in Quebec. site), founded in 1997, acquired in 2009.
Current president Martin Tremblay will lead the new • TT Games in Buckinghamshire, England (Official
Montreal studio, which will be known as WB Games Mon- site), founded in 2005, acquired November 8, 2007.
treal. This new studio will gradually grow to include • Turbine, Inc. in Needham, Massachusetts (Official
more than 300 people by the end of 2015. It is obvious site), founded in 1994, acquired in 2010.
that the new studio will take advantage of the great in- • WB Games in Kirkland, Washington[28] (Official site),
centive program offered by the Québec government. started in 2005, became an internal developer in
Tremblay also said that Warner will open another studio 2007.
in another city soon. Martin Tremblay told us that the • WB Games Montreal in Montreal, Quebec[21] (Official
new Montreal studio will focus on creating games based site), founded in 2010.
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Defunct • Vacation Isle: Beach Party
• Wanted: Weapons of Fate
• Surreal Software in Kirkland, Washington, founded
in 1995, acquired from Midway Games on July 27,
2009.
Upcoming titles
• Gotham City Impostors
• Happy Feet Two: The Video Game
Games published, developed or • Lego Harry Potter: Years 5–7
licensed •
•
Lego City Stories
The Lord of the Rings: War in the North
This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it. • The Witcher 2: Assassins of Kings[29]
• Sesame Street: Once Upon a Monster[30]
Cartoon Network games • Sesame Street: Ready, Set, Grover![31]
Main article: List of Cartoon Network games • This is Vegas (rumor of being cancelled)
• Lollipop Chainsaw[27]
DC and Vertigo Comics games • Rock Band (working title) (originally published by MTV
Main article: List of DC and Vertigo Comics games Games)
Hanna-Barbera games See also
Main article: List of Hanna-Barbera-based video games • List of Batman video games
• List of video games based on DC Comics
Looney Tunes games • List of Looney Tunes video games
Main article: List of Looney Tunes games • List of Superman video games
• List of Tom and Jerry video games
Warner Bros. Pictures games • List of Tiny Toon Adventures video games
Main article: List of Warner Bros. Pictures games
References
Other games
[1] http://www.wbie.com/games.html
• The Bachelor: The Video Game
[2] http://www.warnerbros.com/#/page=company-
• Bastion
info/divisions/home_entertainment/
• The Clique: Diss and Make-Up
divisions_iinteractivenetertainment
• Condemned 2: Bloodshot
[3] http://www.highbeam.com/doc/
• F.E.A.R. 2: Project Origin
1G1-111035864.html
• F.E.A.R. 3
[4] "Warner Bros. Buys Monolith". TechSpot.
• Game Party: In Motion
http://www.techspot.com/news/14759-warner-
• Guinness World Records: The Video Game
bros-buys-monolith.html.
• Lego Battles
[5] Alexander, Leigh. "Q&A: Warner Bros’ Ryan Talks
• Lego Rock Band (co-published with MTV Games)
Expansion, Acquisition, Superheroes". Gamasutra.
• Lego Battles: Ninjago
http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/
• The Lord of the Rings Online
news_index.php?story=15928.
• The Lord of the Rings: Aragorn’s Quest
[6] Kietzmann, Ludwig. "Report: TT Games sold to
• Mortal Kombat (2011)
Warner Bros. for approx. $210 million". Joystiq.
• Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe (co-published with
http://www.joystiq.com/2007/11/12/report-tt-
Midway Games)
games-sold-to-warner-bros-for-
• Overlord
approx-210-million/.
• Overlord II
[7] "Warner Bros. Strengthens Partnership with SCi".
• Primal Earth
Edge Online. 2008-04-28. http://www.next-gen.biz/
• Scene It? Bright Lights! Big Screen!
news/warner-bros-strengthens-partnership-sci.
• Scribblenauts
Retrieved 2009-01-31.
• Sesame Street: Cookie’s Counting Carnival
[8] "Time Warner has picked up an additional 10
• Sesame Street: Elmo’s A-to-Zoo Adventure
million shares, raising its total stake in Eidos to
• Super Scribblenauts
about 20% percent.". Game Daily. 2008-12-15.
• Tomb Raider: Underworld (co-distributed with Eidos
http://www.gamedaily.com/articles/news/time-
Interactive)
• TouchMaster 3
3
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
warner-grabs-20-stake-in-eidos/?biz=1. Retrieved [22] Brice, Katherine. "Warner Bros announces FEAR 3".
2009-01-31. gamesindustry. http://www.gamesindustry.biz/
[9] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/ articles/warner-bros-announces-fear-3.
content_display/film/news/ [23] "Turbine Inc. acquired by Warner Bros.".
e3i85756b4e0ca108bcc0e6cf82b7389501 GamePron. http://www.gamepron.com/news/
[10] "Offer for Eidos plc". Square Enix Holdings Co 2010/04/20/turbine-inc-acquired-by-warner-bros.
Limited. 2009-02-12. http://www.hemscott.com/ [24] Martin, Matt. "Lord of the Rings Online adopts
servlet/ free-to-play model". gamesindustry.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/lord-of-
HsPublic?context=ir.access&ir_option=RNS_NEWS&item=74249248987688&ir_client_id=3144.
Retrieved 2009-02-12. the-rings-online-adopts-free-to-play-model.
[11] Jenkins, David. "Warner Backs Square Enix Bid For [25] http://www.timewarner.com/corp/newsroom/pr/
Eidos". Gamasutra. http://www.gamasutra.com/ 0,20812,1996725,00.html
php-bin/news_index.php?story=22321. [26] Makuch, Eddie. "Game Party: In Motion slated for
[12] Nelson, Randy. "Warner Bros Interactive acquires Kinect launch". GameSpot.
Snowblind Studios". Joystiq. http://e3.gamespot.com/story/6265568/game-
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/02/04/warner-bros- party-in-motion-slated-for-kinect-launch.
interactive-acquires-snowblind-studios/. [27] ^ Johnny Cullen (2011-08-01). "Warner to publish
[13] Gilbert, Ben. "Mortal Kombat team sheds Midway Grasshopper’s Lollipop Chainsaw". vg247.
skin for ’WB Games Chicago’". Joystiq. http://www.vg247.com/2011/08/01/warner-to-
http://www.joystiq.com/2009/07/27/mortal- publisher-grasshoppers-lollipop-chainsaw/.
kombat-team-sheds-midway-skin-for-wb-games- Retrieved 2011-08-01.
chicago/. [28] http://jobs.gamasutra.com/jobseekerx/
[14] Pigna, Kris. "Warner Bros. Emerges as Sole Bidder viewjobrss.asp?cjid=19356&accountno=407
for Midway". 1up. http://www.1up.com/news/ [29] http://www.joystiq.com/2011/10/21/warner-bros-
warner-bros-emerges-sole-bidder. casting-witcher-2-for-xbox-360-in-na/
[15] Spangler, Todd. "Midway Completes Time Warner [30] "Warner Bros. Announces Sesame Street: Once
Sale". Multichannel. Upon A Monster". IGN. 2011-03-31.
http://www.multichannel.com/article/ http://xbox360.ign.com/articles/115/
315680-Midway_Completes_Time_Warner_Sale.php. 1158834p1.html. Retrieved 2011-05-08.
[16] Martin, Matt. "Mortal Kombat studio becomes WB [31] Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Games Chicago". gamesindustry. Announces Sesame Street: Ready, Set, Grover! |
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/mortal- Business Wire
kombat-studio-becomes-wb-games-chicago.
[17] Murphy, Joseph. "New Mortal Kombat coming 2011
says Warner Brothers". TheGamingLiberty.com,
External links
June 10, 2010 • Company homepage
[18] http://www.google.com/hostednews/ • Game titles
canadianpress/article/ • Career page
ALeqM5g6IzzNlTjH8kRXNSm1pez9UMBD5w • Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment at
[19] "Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment MobyGames
Announces Sesame Street: Elmo’s A-to-Zoo
Adventure and Sesame Street: Cookie’s Counting
Carnival". EON. http://eon.businesswire.com/
portal/site/eon/permalink/
?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100607005548&newsLang=en.
[20] Kietzmann, Ludwig. "Warner Bros. acquires
Batman dev Rocksteady Studios". Joystiq.
http://www.joystiq.com/2010/02/23/warner-bros-
acquires-majority-stake-in-rocksteady-studios.
[21] ^ "Warner Interactive Opening Montreal Studio".
GameFocus. http://www.gamefocus.ca/
?nav=new&nid=8704.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/in-
dex.php?title=Warner_Bros._Interactive_Entertainment&oldid=456715998"
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From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Categories:
• Companies established in 1993
• Time Warner subsidiaries
• Video game companies of the United States
• Video game developers
• Video game publishers
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