Warner Bros Doubles Down On Live Service Games | Spot On

This week WB Games announced it was doubling down on live-service, mobile, and free-to-play games. But is that a strategy built on focusing on the company's strengths?
Warner Bros Discovery games boss JB Perrette has said that the company is adjusting its strategy amidst the 'volatile' console gaming space by releasing more live service, mobile, and free-to-play games. On this week's episode of Spot On, Tamoor and Lucy discuss whether this is a good way for Warner Bros to leverage its stable of IPs, which include DC, Game of Thrones, Harry Potter, and Mortal Kombat, or if it's making games that no one wants with business models that it has shown very little success with.

[@austinclemens2729]

WB is allergic to making money

[@randomnobodyplaythrough7770]

They're dumb. They should promote the guys from Hogwarts Legacy and hire the COD Warzone guys.

[@SpiderboyN2Jesus]

@@randomnobodyplaythrough7770 I'd say braindead, but definitely yes.

[@matthewsmith3817]

Six months later: "David Zaslav announces plan to sell WBD's entire gaming division, as soon as he's done selling his mother's purse."

[@Ihartwalrusguy]

More like selling his mother’s liver

[@rafe9852]

@@Ihartwalrusguyr/yourjokebutworse

[@6maestro6]

@@Ihartwalrusguyjust his mom. That all

[@ConnerKent08]

They’ve tried this business model before and it flopped. I don’t want WB Games to fail, but if that’s what it takes for them to realize how dumb they’re being then so be it. These companies need to learn the hard way.

[@arcanethink]

They patented a whole gaming mechanic - the nemesis system from shadow of morder. Let them fail.

[@bvang0520]

Sounds like WB games wants to release half finished games at full price and then release the rest of the game under seasons and season passes down the line we we can pay for.

[@keenynthewise]

Nickel and dime business model.

[@Thephantom95]

Lucy's American accent warms my heart honestly. LOL As for WB Games doubling down on live service games, to quote that one dude from SpongeBob, "how many times do we have to tell you, old man?????"

[@Andiandru]

Employee: Chief, all our past Live Service games have failed catastrophically and we incurred massive loses, what shall we do? WB: Double down on LS games, it has to work eventually

[@crimson9179]

Doubling down on live service games when they are sitting on the Nemesis System from the Shadow of Mordor games because they greedily patented it so no other company can use it.

[@fuzz7981]

As unfortunate as it is for the studio I am just glad that consumers are voting with their wallets. Live service games, micro-transactions and always online need to die in the most spectacular fashion possible. The recent success of so many single player, story focused games should be an indication of what people actually want…

[@JMurph93]

If actual game devs had decision making power to decide what games they are making we’d see way higher quality games and the quality of developer’s lives would be so much better

[@keenynthewise]

Quality doesn’t matter is the problem, because of the ip people will still buy a game to atleast try it out and they still make their profit. All the AAA games we complain about all sold millions of copies so regardless of reviews and complaints the companies meet their quotas get their cake and eat it too.

[@Fastwinstondoom]

There's alot of gamers in the world...but there are not enough gamers to fill every live-service "forever game".

[@chaseaustinmusic]

Theres just a disconnect between developers and gamers; why invest or purchase a game that isn’t fun.

[@landonewts]

THIS.

[@smidgenniblet]

Love watching you two! We don't need the music to keep our attention. If you keep it, maybe turn it down by 50%?😅

[@pggalantd]

It allows them to release fully priced games half baked and call it live service. They can make more by charging extra for content that should be in a finished game. Mortal kombat 1 was a perfect example of their model.

[@Thelegendhimself91]

The massive failure of suicide flop has taught them nothing 🤦‍♂️

[@tazmaniandarcy]

hello WB, I think it would be super fantastic if you can learn to make 1 good live service game first before you go all in on live service. We will all wait patiently for that 1st good live service game to come along.

[@Hack_The_Planet_]

I really hope Hogwarts Legacy 2 doesn’t have a major multiplayer component.

[@JohnnySoCal]

Keep it up the great work Spot On... these essay discussions hit hard and really go deep on important gaming topics.

[@Axl21]

WB is so out of touch. Doubling down is not nearly enough. They need to at least triple down or quadruple down.

[@TheeSpringwoodSlasher]

Floor it!

[@ri3sch]

WB wants to have consistent cash coming to them because that’s what shareholders want and, as mentioned in this video, risk aversion

[@Smljhndnsmr]

Warframe has its own version of the “Nemesis System” but it’s utilized in a way that makes it optional rather than central to the game’s core gameplay loop. Basically, it exists as a means for players to unlock specific weapon variants and character cosmetics that can’t otherwise be acquired but also aren’t necessary to the core game experience.

[@claytonhelme1735]

Love these Spot On segments! keep em coming please!

[@quasiKB]

They never learn do they?

[@thevideogameclan9639]

Whoever came up with the idea of making SSKTJL needs to be fired immedently

[@ReadyPlayerTomVR]

It's not even just wanting to do live service that ruins these games, it's the fact their building them from the ground up to be live service. It should be made to be an incredible experience first, and foremost for single players.. then possibly add live service multiplayer elements if fans love it.. and want more.. For example Hogwarts legacy was incredible, rumors they want the sequel to be LIVE SERVICE is extremely alarming because I feel their focus on the single player experience, the story, the gameplay, the world will be ignored, and neglected to focus on making money, and making gamers want to stay playing it, making it online only. Suicide Squad should be an incredible game experience for players who want to play by themselves, single player, which it isn't at all... THEN if they want to hop online, and experience DLC periodically it's there.. but SSKTJL was built entirely to be live service.. and don't get me started on the writing.. that's a whole other animal entirely lol.

[@itsdeonlol]

WB is making a big mistake... The WB Boss Guy doesn't get it...

[@Konuvis]

I understand wanting to minimize risk but the great successes are supposed to give buffer for risk. The problem these days is the exponential rise in decelopment cost when the price of games has basically not changed in 20 years.

[@caprise-music6722]

Most chill background music ever! Love this series! Perfect duo to discuss games

[@user-bf7pu9it2j]

Would love to have these be a part of the After Dark Podcast Feed in some way. I know you can find a way, Jean’Luc. Appreciate you. 🤙🏼

[@Hel1mutt]

Great executive voice Lucy!

[@KyleLemmon]

This was a great topic! I would love to hear your thoughts on Chinese and Korean gaming publishers.

[@keenynthewise]

The issue is they see other companies with the same model being successful so in their minds they have more ip and money to throw at this live service model so it’ll eventually stick.

[@mtanve2319]

Why isn't spot on available as a podcast?

[@Del_S]

"Our stocks are plummeting, our good will is in the toilet, and our debt is climbing, what do we do?" "Pump out a wave of sacrificial lamb videogames that will draw even more hatred and barely any profit making another one of our divisions bleed away even more trust from the consumers!"

[@Justin-Theobald]

Want to see more series like this to see what the inner staff honest thoughts on the current state of the Video-games company.

[@NormanLyon]

The #1 problem is that WB is focusing on the word "Bros"

[@ezmkmone53]

Well see when they fail or thrive which they prob wont but hey guys weve been wanting companies like this to taste that failure needed so these games as services die with them. Let them keep digging their graves

[@averytucker790]

9:15 no it's pretty much a fact that David Ayer's Suicide Squad ruined the marketablity of the time. How do I know? The OG Suicide Squad made a took $175 million to make, and made a profit of $574 million Dollars. Now look at the James Gunn Suicide Squad film. It lost $7 million. So no profit from it's $185 million budget. Now you might bring up the pandemic. But look at Spider-Man: No Way Home, same year, same pandemic, $1.722 billion profit out of a budget of $200 million budget.

[@TheeSpringwoodSlasher]

Tbf a spider-man movie will always put more butt's in seats than a SS movie.

[@harleyx7332]

"How many times do we have to teach you this lesson old man?!"

[@Jerry20b]

Ewww WB is allergic to making money, and I'm allergic to live service games....they dont make any money and I keep all my money, its a win/win

[@juanlash]

its funny how his statements are just talking about the company's financial health, he never mentions about the community and how they want us to be happy with good games

[@ken_hell]

Great chat. Not thrilled about the elevator music, though, tbh.

[@thekarma99]

What did y’all have for lunch?

[@noname2062]

Love these videos! I always end up learning more walking out

[@clivematthews95]

I’m thankful the gaming community is deciding against the live-service games

[@Sam-Fisher]

Nice content

[@astronot1578]

I always feel like you should have a TV behind you two

[@VladShpiro]

They got Monolith and Avalanche, so they better be working on some fresh Middle Earth and Mad Max

[@ztk1138]

Are there future plans of fixing that game just like other games and have second chances like no man's sky and cyberpunk 2077?

[@JogBird]

im mostly into single player games

[@joel5956]

In theory, these games-as-a-service just keep printing money after release but they have to land first. And they're even harder to catch on because they aren't just competing with a few a other games that release in the same window. They're competing for all/most of your gaming time for years. It's very hard to convince people that "Oh, I guess I just play the Batman game now." It can happen, but it's really rare. WB is getting out of traditional games because they are too volatile so they can make games in a service model that is even more volatile. Makes sense.

[@StealYourFace7731]

Not just competing with other games...competing with social media, streaming services, books, hobbies, time with family; it's competing with everything in someone's life.

[@RJ_____________]

i liked this episode, Lucy, Tam and Gamespot Team

[@S3RAVA3LM]

Lucy is beautiful

[@nizmotube]

Give me a Game of Thrones RTS game with an awesome single player campaign, I need it….

[@KentuckyBucky]

This seems like a very messed up shady situation. Pulling the plug on Adult Swim and Rooster Teeth. Probably other companies as well. RT has been going for over two decades. How do you just abandon people like that?

[@pyd2215]

Marvel Studios / Disney spent a decade building something different enough to make them a gigantic pile of money. DC/WB looked at that pile and said - oooooh me likey, can haz same but in like 3 years? It did not work. Fortnite built itself up over many years to be a huge success, you can see where this is going.

[@HyperVenom523]

Big mistake to make all LSG 🤦‍♂️

[@epcarter6]

Just make good games, I don’t care if it’s live service, single player, multiplayer. People want good games at the end of the day.

[@ouchmoma]

Lucy, ive seen you talk about peggle on mobile a couple of times as a great version of it (I originally played it on pc when I was in school). Do you currently have any version of peggle that you play? Love your input! Thanks for everything! :)

[@JKSmith-qs2ii]

I never really understood the love Origins is getting as if it is as good as the other Arkham games. I thought Origins was really mediocre in comparison to Arkham City and Arkham Knight.

[@lionablaze8747]

this is good. now you know to avoid anything made by warner bros moving forward.

[@averycanicus6092]

WB gets no more money from me till the release the deleted Wile E. Coyote. F@ck them🤬

[@NostraSamus]

And i will double down on never wanting to play a live service game. If it floats your boat, then enjoy. I can’t play games with an expiration date.

[@bigbox1431]

Nothing like watching two unsuccessful podcasters tell WB Games they're making the wrong financial decisions.

[@melisalongfellow7289]

Soooo cool my friend 🍒😃

[@DaRkLoRd-rc5yu]

Warner bros cant keep taking L's. Closing down rooster teeth, ruining rocksteady making them create live service suicide squad, and now doubling down on live service

[@dtanobo]

WB will fail at making live service like they almost always do. They literally shut down a DC mobile game at the end of last year because people didn't play it. Meanwhile Hogwarts Legacy makes a billion dollars and they learned nothing from it.

[@fragchef477]

Harry Potter did good but Suicide Squad did bad, so we want to make more games like Suicide Squad.

[@WeeWeeJumbo]

NOT ON.

[@maximnewman2483]

It tells us that the WBD executives are inept and have no place being involved in video games. Full stop. The reason Suicide Squad didn’t work is because it was a live service. I don’t have any interest in going and living in a game. I go to games from great and contained experiences that I then put down and move to the next. So maybe they should look at the success of Hogwarts Legacy and ponder that maybe the reason why that was successful is because it is exactly that, a single player experience. But who am I kidding, they won’t.

[@Sam-Fisher]

Hello

[@nathanfraudik5840]

WB doesnt learn, just see Suicide Squad x Hogwarts Legacy - SHOULD BE SIMPLE!!!

[@stever8574]

Hogwarts is successful cause it’s a traditional single player action RPG, there’s still a huge market for them

[@dodgyburgers8666]

They have leanred nothing.

[@samburriss]

Obviously because suicide squad was a smash hit

[@Sam-Fisher]

💪🏻😎🔥

[@Sam-Fisher]

🔥🔥🔥🔥👌🏻

[@Sam-Fisher]

👍🏻😁👍🏻

[@fermbush1101]

Zaslav fault for shutting down rooster teeth

[@JxsOnGo]

To the Early Squad Reading This: Sending hugs to everyone who needs it. Always stay safe 💖

[@kingsmurf8131]

WB will end up Saints Row company. We are the consumer gives us what we want. We dont want live service games

[@mortred-wm7pn]

2 failure game blame entire AAA

[@ssoul0222]

Getting tired of the negative vibe these videos give off lol

[@lampardkazemi8950]

Greed

[@gemelwalters2942]

Hogwarts legacy was great, the day they make one that's live service I will NEVER buy it.

[@marisatomei33]

Hogwarts legacy game of the year

[@MajorGore]

Good ridance WB, stick to making subpar movies.

[@vinnydaboi7830]

Ah yes, the worst gaming journalism website in the industry talking about the worst game publisher in the industry….i must watch.

[@TheSoulWithin7]

And you doubled down on manufacturing hate for zack snyder, misinterpreting things he said for rage bait in recent articles, sooo really, is your company any better?

[@yourwifesboyfriend6907]

Between live service and forced wokeness games we are having a great time, aren't we? Sigh, time for another Baldur's Gate 3 run until Dragon's Dogma 2 with none of that BS comes out...

[@bryanreynolds8721]

And using the term wokeness means you have nothing to say that's worth listening to. Grow up and get an education.

[@evolancer211]

Both of your faces in these weekly thumbnails, can we just get a name card instead? You two can't pull off the look

[@Solarclypse]

You two are absolutely morons

[@Sam-Fisher]

👍🏻😁👍🏻