WB Games Restructure: GOT, Potter, DC & Mortal Kombat Focus
- Warner Bros. Discovery is streamlining its video game operations, concentrating on four core franchises: Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat, Harry Potter, and the DC Universe.
- The company's 2023 release, Hogwarts Legacy, topped sales charts.
- Discovery president and CEO, acknowledged MultiVersus' underperformance.
Warner Bros. Discovery is shaking up it’s gaming arm, prioritizing key franchises like Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat, Harry Potter, and the DC Universe. This major restructure comes after a mixed bag of financial results, including a significant flop. Several key executives are stepping into new roles, shifting focus towards long-term franchise success. Yves Lachance, Shaun Himmerick, and Steven Flenory now led the growth and technology teams, reporting too JB Perrette. This strategic move, which will see the gaming division integrated into the streaming and studios segment by mid-2026, aims to boost WB Games’ performance. For more details on the shifts in the video game industry, check out News Directory 3. Discover what’s next for these iconic game properties!
Warner Bros. Games Restructures, Prioritizing Key Franchises
Updated June 17, 2025
Warner Bros. Discovery is streamlining its video game operations, concentrating on four core franchises: Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat, Harry Potter, and the DC Universe. This strategic shift follows inconsistent performance within the gaming division.
The company’s 2023 release, Hogwarts Legacy, topped sales charts. However, the subsequent launch of MultiVersus proved disappointing, contributing too a significant write-down. Executives responded by shuffling key personnel to better align with franchise development.
david Zaslav,Warner bros. Discovery president and CEO, acknowledged MultiVersus‘ underperformance. He and Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiedenfels attributed an additional $100 million in losses to the game’s failure, adding to an existing $200 million write-down for the games business in 2024. Zaslav said last year that the game was “substantially underperforming its potential.”
The video game division will integrate into the streaming and studios segment of WBD after the media giant splits into two entities by mid-2026.
While the restructuring did not involve layoffs,several executives have assumed new responsibilities. Yves Lachance, formerly head of Warner Bros. Games Montréal, is now senior vice president of development, overseeing teams working on Harry Potter and Game of thrones titles.Shaun Himmerick, previously head of NetherRealm Studios, also becomes senior vice president of development, managing Mortal Kombat and DC games. All Warner Bros. Games development studios and production publishing teams will report to Lachance and Himmerick, aligning with their respective franchises.
Steven Flenory, previously head of Warner bros. Games New York, has been promoted to senior vice president of central tech and services, overseeing game and publishing technology, customer service, quality assurance, and user research.
These three executives will join the gaming unit’s senior leadership team, reporting to JB Perrette, CEO of Global Streaming & Games at WBD.
“Our company is home to some of the biggest franchises in the world, and we are optimizing our team structure to develop long-term franchise roadmaps to delight players and fans,” Perrette said. “We are very lucky to have a strong stable of development and technology talent,and Yves,Shaun and Steven are respected leaders with excellent track records in their areas of expertise. I’m looking forward to working closely with them and the team as we work to make the best games possible for our key franchises.”
What’s next
The restructured Warner Bros.Games aims to leverage its core franchises for sustained success in the competitive video game market. The company will focus on long-term franchise roadmaps to engage players and fans.