Turbine Inc, the company responsible for Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons & Dragons Online and Asheron’s Call has been bought.
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment Inc – part of the giant Time Warner Inc – is believed to be paying up to as much as $160 million for the Boston based company. The final figure will depend on Turbine’s financial success.
Turbine, which until today was privately-held and venture-backed, has a strong card with the prestigious Lord of the Rings franchise – keep in mind that Time Warner also own New Line Cinema who produced the Lord of the Rings movies.
D&D Online has also been something of a success for the company. The Wizards of the Coast license famously shot to strength after Turbine removed membership fees for the MMORG.
Warner has been on a bit of a computer game developer buying rush. Just a few months ago they bought UK based Rocksteady Studios; the heroes behind the fantastic Batman: Arkham Asylum game.
Industry analysts suggest that these aren’t just tactical buys for Warner. The company isn’t just looking to wrap up names like Lord of the Rings – it’s looking to bring on board programmers and game designers with the skills to make great games in today’s hugely competitive market.
Let there be no doubt; games are as big as movies.
