Netflix Buying Warner Bros. Could Be Bad News for Hogwarts Legacy 2

Netflix is currently in the process of acquiring Warner Bros. as the streaming giant emerged as the apparent victor of a bidding war. For many, this has spurred worries about the future of DC, one of Warner Bros.’ biggest properties. But Netflix isn’t just poised to grab the TV and film divisions of Warner Bros. WB Games, the troubled gaming wing of the studio, will reportedly be part of the deal as well. And that might not be a great sign for ongoing projects like Hogwarts Legacy 2.

It’s no secret that WB Games has been going through it in recent years. Big flops like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League have led to studio downsizing and cancelling projects. Earlier this year, WB shut down one of its most anticipated projects, Wonder Woman. But the gaming wing of WB has been full speed ahead on the Hogwarts Legacy sequel. With WB Games potentially getting looped in under Netflix, however, things could change pretty quickly.

Netflix Has a Spotty History with Game Studio Acquisitions

Just yesterday, I reported on the news that Netflix had offloaded another one of the gaming studios it acquired in recent years. Spry Fox, the team behind the upcoming Spirit Crossing MMO, has been sold back to its founders. This is just the most recent example of an ongoing trend of Netflix seemingly scaling back its efforts in the gaming arena. Now, however, it looks like they’re about to take on a struggling but massive gaming developer in the form of WB Games.

Netflix has been trying to make Netflix Games happen for a while, with limited success. It has acquired indie and AAA studios to help develop mobile games that would release, by and large, for Netflix subscribers only. However, many Netflix users remain unaware that Netflix offers games, and they certainly don’t seem to be scrambling to download many of them. So, it made sense that Netflix appeared to be slowly pulling back from this space. So I was pretty surprised to realize that WB Games looks to be part of the package with the acquisition of Warner Bros.

Though Spry Fox was sold back to its founders, other game developers acquired by Netflix were simply shuttered by the streaming giant. That makes the future of WB Games under Netflix look uncertain. Despite major cancellations, many fans are still eager to see WB Games put out more titles with huge WB IPs like DC and Harry Potter. Indeed, the developer has a few projects in the works, most notably Hogwarts Legacy 2.

Hogwarts Legacy 2 Is Almost Certainly Still Happening, But It Might Look A Lot Different

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Hogwarts Legacy 2 Could Divide Fans With Supposed Major Change

The deal between Netflix and Warner Bros. is expected to close in 2026. Given that Hogwarts Legacy 2 is likely still a few years away, that means the game is probably going to release after the ink has dried. But while I do think this could change some things about the highly anticipated RPG, I doubt Netflix plans to shut down Hogwarts Legacy 2. Anything is possible, of course, but of all the games to get the axe, that one seems pretty unlikely at this point.

After all, Hogwarts Legacy has been one of the biggest successes out of WB Games in recent years. Harry Potter is undeniably one of the IP that makes Warner Bros. appealing to buy out in the first place. But if the next game comes out with Netflix at the helm, that could mean a lot of things. Either Netflix plans to abandon its practice of mobile releases for its gaming ventures, or a mobile port of Hogwarts Legacy 2 could be in the cards. With the game already eyeing up controversial MMO-style elements, a pivot to offering a mobile port could further adjust the plan for the RPG.

But that’s not all. Netflix has, historically, preferred to lock most of its game releases behind a subscription. If that trend continues, gamers could be looking at needing a Netflix account to play Hogwarts Legacy 2. Of course, Netflix could also be pivoting to enter the game publishing space more broadly. Perhaps it will follow its plan to publish the mobile version of Spirit Crossing with a similar model for games like Hogwarts Legacy 2. If that’s the case, the RPG could well have a Netflix exclusive mobile port alongside a more traditional game release.

At this point, a lot is up in the air. After all, the deal is not finalized and still has some regulatory hoops to jump through. There’s also the chance that either party could back out last minute. Even if Netflix does acquire WB Games, it’s hard to say what, exactly, it might mean for games already well in progress, like Hogwarts Legacy 2 reportedly is.

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