Summary
J.B. Perrette, head of games atWarner Bros., recently made a statement about the company leaning more on live service, free-to-play, and mobile games, rather than on single-player console titles. This shift in company focus may impact the future of popular games controlled by Warner Bros., including the much-anticipatedsequel toHogwarts Legacy.
The last year has seen legendary highs and lows for theWarner Bros.gaming division. This February saw the release ofSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which did not meet critical or commercial expectations, with many criticizing its lackluster progression system, questionable combat framework, and ill-fitting live service implementation. On the other side of the spectrum,Hogwarts Legacy’s February 2023 launch, as well as its follow-up release on last-gen consoles later in the year, proved to be a massive success for the company, with the game ultimately outselling every other 2023 release.
Despite therecord-breaking sales ofHogwarts Legacy, Warner Bros. has expressed a desire to move away from single-player console games of its kind. As reported byGameSpot, J.B. Perrette told an audience at a Morgan Stanley event that, while the company wishes to be more aggressive in the games market, it also recognizes the market’s volatility, citingSuicide Squadas an example of a financial risk that didn’t wind up paying off. When discussing live service games that can serve as long-term revenue streams, Perrette posed a question: “Rather than just launching a one-and-done console game, how do we develop a game around, for example, aHogwarts LegacyorHarry Potter, that is a live-service where people can live and work and build and play in that world in an ongoing basis?”
Warner Bros. May Be Launching More Live Service Games In the Years to Come
Perrette’s comments, which ostensibly signal a decisive pivot into live service games, may seem odd in the wake ofSuicide Squad’s disappointing performance, especially when compared to the undeniable success ofHogwarts Legacy, a single-player game with no live-service elements. The fact that Perrette directly namesHogwarts Legacyas an example of the sort of “one-and-done” console game that the company wants to avoid moving forward could be considered particularly puzzling, on top of being concerning for those looking forward to another single-player adventure in theHarry Potteruniverse.
Rather than just launching a one-and-done console game, how do we develop a game around, for example, aHogwarts LegacyorHarry Potter, that is a live-service where people can live and work and build and play in that world in an ongoing basis?
Hogwarts Legacy 2is probably coming at some point, and while Perrette’s comments could indicate that the sequel will be live service, it’s likely that Warner Bros. will want to replicate the first game’s overwhelming success; pushing live-service elements could prove to be too great a risk in this regard. Still, it seems clear thatWarner Bros. will be moving forward with more live-service projects based on popular IP, and this may includeHarry Potter.
Hogwarts Legacy
WHERE TO PLAY
Hogwarts Legacy is an immersive, open-world action RPG set in the world first introduced in the Harry Potter books. For the first time, experience Hogwarts in the 1800s. Your character is a student who holds the key to an ancient secret that threatens to tear the wizarding world apart. Now you may take control of the action and be at the center of your own adventure in the wizarding world. Your legacy is what you make of it.Explore an Open WorldThe wizarding world awaits you. Freely roam Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, the Forbidden Forest, and the surrounding Overland area.Be the Witch or Wizard You Want to beLearn spells, brew potions, grow plants, and tend to magical beasts along your journey. Get sorted into your house, forge relationships, and master skills to become the witch or wizard you want to be Experience a New Wizarding World AdventureExperience the wizarding world in an unexplored era to uncover a hidden truth from its past. Battle against trolls, Dark Wizards, goblins, and more as you face a dangerous villain threatening the fate of the wizarding world.
