Martin-Tremblay
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Rumor: Warner Bros-Turbine deal worth $160 million
The surprising news that Warner Bros. has acquired Turbine just might have a price tag now, if rumors are correct. While financial details of the deal were not disclosed when the news broke earlier this week, Boston.com notes that "a source close to the negotiations" values the deal at up to $160 million. Reportedly, that amount also includes "sums to be paid to Turbine shareholders in future years if the company meets certain financial targets." It's unknown what those targets are, but it's worth noting that Dungeons & Dragons Online received a sizable shot in the arm when it went free-to-play last year. In fact, Turbine's Jim Crowley noted that the game now hosts over 1 million players, though he didn't elaborate on how many are paying customers. The article also notes that the acquisition gives Warner Bros. the complete rights to the Lord of the Rings universe, as Turbine owns the rights for online games, while WB already had the offline rights. However, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president Martin Tremblay expects more than Lord of the Rings games from Turbine in the future. According to Tremblay, WBIE hopes to open its online games platform to "much more new product" in the future. [Via Big Download]
Turbine purchased by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment
In news that rocked us back on our heels, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment has just announced the purchase of Turbine Inc. Previously the largest privately-owned MMO studio in North America, Turbine is now a member of the Time-Warner family. This means that Asheron's Call, Dungeons & Dragons Online and Lord of the Rings Online have been folded into this deal. This comes after a Warner Bros. spending spree, in which they picked up TT Games, the assets of Midway, and a majority stake in Rocksteady Studios.
Report: Warner Bros. Interactive opening Montreal studio
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment is the latest company to take advantage of Canada's talent (and yummy, yummy tax incentives) for game developers and publishers. GameFocus reports that WBIE (WBI-oui?) will open a new studio in Montreal that will be lead by division president Martin Tremblay and employ over 300 people. The studio will be known as WB Games Montreal. We've contacted WBIE for comment on the new studio, but the publisher has yet to make a formal announcement. In a previous professional life, Tremblay was the big fromage at Vivendi and Ubisoft Montreal. The executive also apparently claimed that the publisher would open a studio in another city soon. That could be a new studio, or it could be a developer WB has invested in, like Turbine -- or a solid developer that's recently tripped into some eye-catching success. Update: The province of Quebec has made it official.
Warner Bros boss says LEGO Batman is 'the best TT game ever'
Warner Bros. boss guy Martin Tremblay loves Traveller's Tales. And we would think so, with his company having shelled out quite a bit of money for the UK-based development studio. "We're very, very happy with LEGO Batman," said Tremblay. "It's going to be the best TT game ever and will be our first big step in games for sure."We wouldn't go so far as to say that ourselves, even after we had quite a bit of time to check it out back at E3. But, we will say that it certainly looks like a great game, as it contains a ton of options and replay value, thanks to its large roster of controllable characters and their unique abilities and skills.%Gallery-13236%[Via Go Nintendo]
Martin Tremblay appointed president of WB Interactive Entertainment
Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment continues to show how serious it is about all that "interactive entertainment" nonsense with its appointment of Martin Tremblay as President. Before your fingers stretch out towards the keyboard to type "WHO?!!11" into the comments, know that the man used to be President of Worldwide Studios at Vivendi Games during the release of several games, including Scarface: The World is Yours, F.E.A.R (console version), World in Conflict, and some titles in the Crash Bandicoot and Spyro franchises.Tremblay has also acted as President and Chief Operating Officer at Ubisoft Montreal. During his tenure, he oversaw the developer's employee expansion plans, as well popular franchises like Tom Clancy's Splinter Cell, Tom Clancy's Rainbow Six and Not Tom Clancy's Prince of Persia.Tremblay's new job will see him steering "the long-term direction of the studio's worldwide interactive entertainment strategy," overseeing publishing, marketing, sales, distribution, licensing and business development of WBIE's products, and taking advantage of that £60 million investment in SCi Entertainment.
