Warner Bros. executive Jean-Briac “JB” Perrette recently shared some insight into the company’s gaming strategy. This included the revelation that a potential Hogwarts Legacy sequel may feature a live service business model.
Warner Bros. executive discusses the possibility of a live service Hogwarts Legacy game
At a recent Morgan Stanley speaking event, Perrette explained Warner Bros.’s thought process regarding its four leading gaming franchises: DC, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and Harry Potter. He described how Hogwarts Legacy was a massive success for WB. However, big releases make the company look unstable when that year lacks other similarly significant successes. The company sees the live-service model as one aspect of solving this problem.
“The challenge we’ve had is our business historically there has been AAA console-based,” said the Warner Bros. executive. “That’s a great business when you have a hit like Harry Potter. It makes the year look amazing, and then when you don’t have a release, or we also have disappointments… It just makes it very volatile.” He cited the live service Suicide Squad’s recent underperformance as an example of one such disappointment.
Part of WB’s response will be to release more mobile and multi-platform free-to-play games from its major franchises. This will help bridge the gap between major game releases. However, live service games are also crucial to Warner Bros.’s strategy. “Rather than just launching a one-and-done console game,” Perrette asked rhetorically, “how do we develop a game around, for example, Hogwarts Legacy or Harry Potter, that is a live service where people can live and work and build and play in that world on an ongoing basis?”
This push is somewhat ironic when comparing Hogwarts Legacy to the above-referenced Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Many criticized the latter game’s live service elements, feeling they compromised the game’s quality.
