Microsoft And Warner Bros Gaming

Microsoft

Microsoft Corp has expressed interest in buying Warner Bros’ gaming unit! Warner Bros parent AT&T Inc was discussing a sale of its Interactive Entertainment gaming division that owns popular videogame “Mortal Kombat” for a deal that could be worth about $4 billion, CNBC reported last month.

Warner Bros

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment owns several studios globally, such as TT Games, Rocksteady Studios, NetherRealm Studios, Monolith Productions, Avalanche Software, and WB Games studios in Boston, Montréal, and San Francisco.

WB Games is the main source of DC adaptations, as DC is a subsidiary of Warner Bros., and it’s not clear what would happen to the license should the publisher leave the fold. If Warner Bros. is getting out of game publishing, it may be that it offers the license, along with Lego, Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and other properties, to the buyer as part of the deal. 

Microsoft And Warner Bros Gaming whole package

But not all of WB Games’ IPs would be included. Even for the monumental $4 billion value, AT&T is quite unlikely to sell the IP rights to the Batman franchise, for instance, and would instead license the IP to Microsoft similar to how Disney licenses Star Wars to EA.

Not only Microsoft And Warner Bros Gaming

Microsoft is just one of several companies rumoured to be interested in acquiring the publisher, joining Activision, Take-Two and EA. Neither AT&T or the supposed interested parties have commented on the reports. 

AT&T acquired Warner Bros. when it gobbled up Time Warner in 2018, a deal that cost it $109 billion. It’s not been the only recent acquisition for the massive conglomerate, and its spending spree has put it in debt by $200 billion—hence why it’s reportedly selling bits off.  

Why Microsoft And Warner Bros Gaming

Purchasing Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment could help Microsoft and its Xbox Game Studios significantly increase the number of exclusives it could release for its next-generation Xbox Series X console, which could allow it to match or even surpass Sony’s PlayStation 5 line-up. Among the companies that have expressed interest in purchasing Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Microsoft looks to be in a good position to purchase the company. That is, if AT&T does finally decide to sell, given its advantageous position as one of the biggest technology companies in the world.

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