Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group has just announced the acquisition of Turbine, Inc. Turbine, of course, are the developers of Asheron's Call, Lord of the Rings Online, and the hybrid free-to-play/subscription-based Dungeons & Dragons Online.

Read below for additional details:

“Turbine is a leader in online entertainment and a strong strategic fit for Warner Bros. as we continue to broaden our games portfolio and development capabilities,” said Kevin Tsujihara, president, Warner Bros. Home Entertainment Group. “Turbine’s renowned online game development and publishing expertise will help us develop additional online product offerings, while also providing us with new and innovative ways to market and communicate with our consumers.”

Founded in 1994 and operating primarily in Boston, Turbine has created some of the most popular and exciting gaming worlds on the Internet, including Dungeons & Dragons Online®: Eberron Unlimited™, the world’s best free-to-play massively multiplayer online role playing game (MMORPG) and The Lord of the Rings Online™, the first and only MMORPG based on the books of J.R.R. Tolkien. Previously, Warner Bros. held all The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) games rights, with the exception of the literary MMO (massively multiplayer online game) rights. Now all games rights for the LOTR franchise will be unified under the Warner Bros. shield.

“We have been looking to expand access to our online worlds to more players and more markets,” said Jim Crowley, president and CEO, Turbine, Inc. “This acquisition is very exciting because it allows us to expand globally while continuing to focus on creating spectacular online games that our loyal fans and players have come to expect.”

Additionally, the acquisition of Turbine provides Warner Bros. with access to a proprietary digital publishing platform that enables dynamic direct-to-consumer relationships, robust online merchandising opportunities and vibrant e-commerce functionality for online games. Turbine has also developed a social networking platform that can integrate their self-developed online communities with popular third-party social networks. Outside of the games arena, these platforms present unique opportunities for Warner’s other home entertainment businesses.

“Turbine is recognized globally for its industry-leading technology, groundbreaking graphics and its unique ability to create and operate massive and persistent online worlds which greatly enhance players’ social gaming experiences,” said Martin Tremblay, president, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. “The Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online have both been an enormous success for Turbine and we look forward to working with their talented development team to continue creating award-winning online games.”

The official announcement can be viewed here. We will be reaching out to Turbine for comments, so stay tuned!

UPDATE: Additional details are trickling in. An article over at the Boston Globe reveals that "Warner Bros. will pay as much as $160 million, including sums to be paid to Turbine shareholders in future years if the company meets certain financial targets."

A second article over at the Financial Times (registration required) provides some additional insight on the possibilities Turbine's acquisiton presents to Warner Bros through the use of Turbine's developed micro-transaction tech: "Warner could charge players to update film-themed games with more content once a new film is released, helping to tackle the threat of the second-hand market by persuading consumers to hold on to each game for longer.

Such franchise games also create a deeper relationship with consumers, helping Warner’s sales of DVDs and other merchandise, Mr Tsujihara said."

As I posted in the user created thread on this.  Big media conglomorate buys an independent privately held mmo studio...yay.

And as I had to do in the privious thread:  edited for terrible spelling.

I beat you to it mike! http://www.mmorpg.com/discussion2.cfm/post/3506640/Warner-Bros-Acquires-Turbine.html#3506640

Hmm, wonder what games they are wanting to make. WB prolly wanna make some MMO.

They made matrix online, Right?

Yay, one of the last great indie developers dies today. Perhaps a moment of silence is in order. 

Didn't WB make MoX then sold it off to SOE?

Let's just hope that this actually improves things that Turbine has out or comes out with in the future, rather than what Activision & EA have done to the MMO genre.

I have my doubts on the effects of that.

Have to wonder 2 things:

1 - will Turbine try and buy their freedom again?

2 - what will happen with DC Universe Online? SOE bought Matrix Online so they could also get the DC license. DC Comics is owned by Warner Brothers who now have their own MMO developer.

Originally posted by ANDRIOD

Didn't WB make MoX then sold it off to SOE?

 WB licensed the rights for Matrix Online to Monolith. Under the contract stipulations WB made regaurding their IPs, they had the power to take the game back as well as sue for damages to the IP. When Monolith failed, WB took the game to SOE (who were already begining concepts for DCU).

All I can see from this is that WB will have more control over future IP translations to the gaming market. It might also allow Turbine the budget to work on other games such as maybe a newer, updated AC.

What I am wondering though, is what WB IP will we see first?

Harry Potter MMO?

I dont know about anyone else, and yes it shows that I am old, but when I saw WB and Turbine, my first thought was Looney Tunes Online. I have always wanted to help  Wile E. Coyote kill the damn road runner.

Originally posted by WarpHunter

I dont know about anyone else, and yes it shows that I am old, but when I saw WB and Turbine, my first thought was Looney Tunes Online. I have always wanted to help  Wile E. Coyote kill the damn road runner.

LOL. You read my mind. I have often envisioned a dinner party where Elmer, Wile E., Sylvester, and Taz sit down to a meal of their antagonists.

I hope Lord of the Rings doesn't take a turn for the worse.  I consider LoTRO the type of MMO that is a rare gem of a game.  It reminds me of watching "No County for Old Men."  The teenagers in front of me thought it was the worst movie they ever saw.  I said to myself, "did we just watch the same movie?"

I feel the same way about LoTRO compared to the mainstream.  I hope WB does not assume creative control over LoTRO's growth.  Turbine has done a great job thus far and they should retain the right to continue doing so.

Originally posted by MMO_Doubter

Originally posted by WarpHunter

I dont know about anyone else, and yes it shows that I am old, but when I saw WB and Turbine, my first thought was Looney Tunes Online. I have always wanted to help  Wile E. Coyote kill the damn road runner.

LOL. You read my mind. I have often envisioned a dinner party where Elmer, Wile E., Sylvester, and Taz sit down to a meal of their antagonists.

 Odd that you mention this, but I have a lithograph of pretty much the same scene!

Only difference is Taz isnt in it.

Oh well, it could mean we get cool MMO's based off movie franchises lol...

Originally posted by WarpHunter

I dont know about anyone else, and yes it shows that I am old, but when I saw WB and Turbine, my first thought was Looney Tunes Online. I have always wanted to help  Wile E. Coyote kill the damn road runner.

LOL that's the first place my mind went as well. 

Originally posted by Hrayr2148

I hope Lord of the Rings doesn't take a turn for the worse.  I consider LoTRO the type of MMO that is a rare gem of a game.  It reminds me of watching "No County for Old Men."  The teenagers in front of me thought it was the worst movie they ever saw.  I said to myself, "did we just watch the same movie?"

 

I feel the same way about LoTRO compared to the mainstream.  I hope WB does not assume creative control over LoTRO's growth.  Turbine has done a great job thus far and they should retain the right to continue doing so.

Second place my mind went.... agree 100%.  I hope WB leaves LOTR well enough alone.  It's doing just fine as-is.

"Powered By Our Fans." My ass.  I feel for the people still playing Asheron's Call. I wouldn't be surprised if that game gets the axe; played it myself for 7 years. This was the final straw for me with Turbine.

Did someone say Matrix Online 2? 

think about it...think about it... okay yeah its still a bad thought.