Warner Bros which already had the rights to the majority of the LOTR game rights, has acquired Turbine.
See the link to the press release below:
www.turbine.com/news/99-warner-bros-home-entertainment-group-acquires-turbine-inc.html
What do you think of the news?
Alberos
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Wow..! Thanks for sharing Alberos.
ReplyDeleteI'm not business expert or such, but I reckon this is and can be both good and bad;
Good because;
Turbine will HOPEFULLY get extra resources to develope LotRO.
They can coordinate releasing the Hobbit and a hobbit-related expansion pack for LoTRO.
Bad because;
Developing LotRO further might not be Warner's interest, maybe they wanna make an altogether new MMO.
If they coordinate films and LotRO then Turbine will have a time-pressure like no other, which might relate in crappy expansions.
Undecided;
Warner might try to change LotRO to make it more profitable, which can go both ways. I am just praying it will keep the lore, socialising and pure exploring. I don't mind a few instances, but not WoW please.
Aran
What do I think? I think your title for this post is the best and most amusing interpretation of the news I've yet read. Indeed, I guess this does complete their acquisition of Middle-earth!
ReplyDeleteI personally think that WB wont change lotro at all (sorry no eagle mounts for you ), it has been proven that Turbine can make a fantastic game and have maintained it, the only reason content has been laking is because of funding, which WB has buckets of. They may follow EA's example when they bought out Bio aka gave them money and let them get on with it, giving use Dragon Age and ME2! (Hope they don't do what EA did with Mythic though)
ReplyDeleteId say deeper pockets are better for the game in the long run (may get more devs in) and just in time. As we should be expecting news on the next x-pack soon. They will also have the power/money to advertise the game better, especially when the hobbit comes out.
Anyway I'm looking forward to seeing how it pans out and wont stop playing the game (unlike some of the doom and gloomers on the US forums, aka Im quiting now' posts)
Over all if they don't meddle too much, I'm very pleased and can see a bright future for the game and Turbine.
The question is why they acquired Turbine. Certainly they had a plan. WB/Time Warner has 3 options:
ReplyDelete1. They could do nothing significant with Turbine, having taken it only to wrap up the last piece of Lord of the Rings they don't own. This would be the best result, because they could put some more cash into it to increase both quality and profitability.
2. They could basically leave it alone, but take some Turbine people for another MMORPG based on the extensive WB catalog. This would result in either a slow-down of new and revised content, or a lessening of quality.
3. They could essentially wrap up LotRO, especially if it's not making significant money, and move Turbine wholly onto another MMORPG. Will we see "Harry Potter and the Online Order of Phoenix?" "Age of Gilmore Girls?"
Time will tell, but one thing is certain: WB will make its decision based largely on profit, not sentiment.
By the way: the acronym for Harry Potter and the Online Order of Phoenix is "H-Poop" and Age of Gilmore Girls is "Agg!" I like Agg. :)
ReplyDeleteOK both those options are going to give me nightmares!
ReplyDeleteAlberos