Microsoft wants to purchase Warner Bros Interactive after the parent company AT&T is looking into possibly selling the video game development division. However, Microsoft is not the only one after it. The Information reports that alongside Activision, EA, and Take-Two, Microsoft is interested in acquiring Warner Bros Interactive and several of its game development studios.
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Whoever ends up buying WB Interactive will end up owning the likes of Avalanche Software, Monolith Productions, NetherRealm, Rocksteady, TT Games and more. It would be a pretty big deal for whoever purchases the brand. However, this does not mean they will have the rights to create new Batman or Harry Potter games. Instead, whoever purchases the publisher will then have to negotiate licensing details with the respective owners in order to develop for the franchises. This applies to Batman, Harry Potter and other third-party franchises. Mortal Kombat, on the other hand, is owned by NetherRealm.
Should Microsoft acquire WB Interactive it would be a big step for the company as it attempts to increase its number of Xbox Game Studio developers. Over the past few years, Microsoft purchased some high-profile publishers including Ninja Theory, Obsidian, Double Fine and more. Microsoft would gain the ability to develop DC, Harry Potter and Mortal Kombat games for the Xbox family only.
AT&T broke the news last month that they were looking into selling WB Interactive. The parent company is in debt of $154 billion. WB is up for sale for around $4 billion. Investors are putting pressure on the company to sell non-core assets such as DirectTV and WB Interactive after AT&T purchased Time Warner in 2018 for $109 billion.
