Xbox may be interested in buying the company behind Batman: Arkham Knight, Mortal Kombat and the Lego series of games.
AT&T has reportedly been considering selling Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, which it owns entirely as part of its subsidiary Warner Media, as a way to reduce some of its debt. According to a new report from InformationMicrosoft has become a potential new buyer for the division. If Microsoft ends up making the purchase, that could locate well-established studios like Arkham’s Rocksteady, Mortal Kombat’s NetherRealm, Lego’s TT Games, and Middle-earth: Shadow of War’s Monolith as the new Xbox Game Studios.
It is important to note that many of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment’s best known franchises are based on intellectual property licensed from other companies. Those licenses will not necessarily transfer on the purchase of the company. Individual arrangements could be made, but the bottom line is that even if the studios become part of Microsoft, the future of Batman, Harry Potter, and Lord of the Rings games wouldn’t necessarily follow.
According to CNBCOther companies contemplating the purchase of WBIE include Rockstar and the parent company of 2K Take-Two, Electronic Arts and Activision Blizzard, and the purchase of the company could cost around $ 4 billion. For reference, AT&T is in debt of approximately $ 165 billion at the moment.
All that said, AT&T is still unsure that it will sell WBIE, and more stakeholders could emerge if it does. Until then, we will monitor the situation and inform you if anything becomes official.
See what else is on the horizon with our guide to the best Upcoming games 2020 and beyond.
