Netflix’s acquisition of Warner Bros. will include game studios such as Mortal Kombat’s NetherRealm and Rocksteady.
A few years ago it seemed as if Netflix was getting very interested in video games, but that seemed to evaporate very quickly, following small scale releases like the Stranger Things spin-offs and 2023’s Oxenfree 2: Lost Signals.
You can access a bunch of games with a Netflix subscription, like the excellent Into The Breach and Monument Valley 3, but it’s unclear how many people actually play games through the service – or even how many know they exist.
However, the company’s position in the gaming industry looks set to change significantly, following its $82.7 billion (£61.9 billion) acquisition of Warner Bros.
As confirmed by the streaming giant, the deal will see Netflix take ownership over Warner Bros. which includes its film and television studios, the streaming service HBO Max, and IP like Harry Potter and Game Of Thrones. The only part of the company it doesn’t include is Discovery Global, which is set to separate from Warner Bros. into a new company.
A spokesperson for Warner Bros. has confirmed (via Game Developer) the deal will encompass Warner Bros. Games and its subsidiary studios; most notably Hogwarts Legacy developer Avalance Software, Mortal Kombat creators NetherRealm, Batman: Arkham developers Rocksteady, Lego studio TT Games, Gotham Knights creator WB Games Montréal, and others.
This means confirmed games for the far future, like Hogwarts Legacy 2, will be under the Netflix banner if the deal is finalised. The deal is subject to regulatory approvals, but if it does go through, it’s expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2026, aka after July.
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Warner Bros slimmed down its gaming focus earlier this year, after shutting three studios, to just four franchises: Harry Potter, Game Of Thrones, DC Comics, and Mortal Kombat. While we don’t know what games the majority of its studios are working on, rumours suggest NetherRealm is cooking up Injustice 3, Rocksteady is back on Batman, and WB Games Montréal is apparently planning a Game Of Thrones console title.
Aside from Hogwarts Legacy 2, the only confirmed title we know about is Lego Batman: Legacy Of The Dark Knight from Traveller’s Tales, which is slated for release next year.
It’s difficult to gauge if Netflix’s ownership will have a significant impact on these studios, but the streaming giant could utilise them for games based on its own IP – such as Stranger Things, Squid Game, or KPop Demon Hunters. Given how long games take to develop these days though, we probably won’t see any seismic shifts for a few years yet.
Another big question is the future of DC Studios at large, as we’ve only just started to see the fruits of co-CEO James Gunn’s leadership, starting with this year’s Superman film. Gunn has teased plans for video games as part of his wider strategy for the DC universe, but it’s unclear whether this new ownership could alter these plans, or lead to him leaving altogether.
Any giant corporation being swallowed by another giant corporation is never good news, but an upside, games-wise at least, might be Netflix’s reputation for throwing lots of money behind big passion projects. Based on its restrained games output so far though, that might not extend beyond movies and shows.
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