Microsoft is interested in acquiring Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment
Microsoft recently expressed interest in acquiring Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, the Warner Bros. games division notably associated with the Batman: Arkham series.
The news comes from a report published by The Information. According to said report, Microsoft has expressed interest in purchasing the games division of Warner Bros., likely to bolster its Xbox line-up ahead of next-gen.
Warner Bros. is currently owned by AT&T, but the multinational corporate giant is considering parting ways with Warner Bros. in order to help alleviate its $154 billion debt.
The anonymous sources who spoke with The Information confirmed that other potential financial suitors include Take Two Interactive, EA, and Activision Blizzard.
No transaction has been confirmed between AT&T and any of the potential buyers yet, but the company is actively fielding advice from LionTree bank on how to approach a concrete deal. It was already common knowledge that AT&T was considering selling the company.
If Microsoft comes out on top, its acquisition of the Warner Bros. games division will provide it with a variety of reputable intellectual properties, including Batman and Harry Potter.
The Batman game currently in development is supposedly a soft reboot set to kick off a new video game universe for the beloved superhero, while the often whispered about but yet-to-be-announced Harry Potter RPG from Avalanche is still expected to drop in 2021.
As well as Batman and Harry Potter, Warner Bros. recently registered official website domains for Suicide Squad and Gotham Knights. Among the domains for the former was a site titled "SuicideSquadKillTheJusticeLeague.com," which is not exactly the most subtle hint towards what players might be tasked with doing.
If you want to know more about the Harry Potter RPG that hasn't been announced but is apparently well into development, details about its combat, hub world, Nemesis system-inspired rivals, and romance recently leaked.