Warner Bros Games Head Steps Down After 12 Years, Focus Shifts to Key Franchises

by Sylvia January 23, 2025

Warner Bros Games head, David Haddad, is stepping down from his role after a 12-year tenure. Haddad will continue as president of Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment while the company searches for his replacement. The news, reported by Variety, confirmed that Warner Bros has no plans to sell its games division. Haddad expressed pride in the achievements made during his time at Warner Bros Games, while acknowledging the challenges faced, including the underwhelming performance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Despite this setback, the company had notable successes such as Hogwarts Legacy and the Mortal Kombat series. Warner Bros Discovery CEO, David Zaslav, emphasized the company’s focus on key franchises moving forward.

Warner Bros Games Head Steps Down After 12 Years, Focus Shifts to Key Franchises

– David Haddad, the head of Warner Bros Games, is stepping down after 12 years but will continue as Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment president temporarily.
– Warner Bros Games has no plans to sell off its games division despite recent financial setbacks.
– Despite the failure of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, WB Games had success with games like Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat, leading to a narrowed focus on DC, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones.
– The email from JB Perrette to staff praises Haddad’s accomplishments in transitioning to digital gaming and developing successful franchises.
– There may be further changes and a stronger focus on games like Hogwarts Legacy in the future.

David Haddad, the head of Warner Bros Games, is stepping down from his role after serving for 12 years. However, he will continue as the president of Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment for another three months while the company searches for a suitable successor. This news, reported by Variety, was accompanied by the assurance that Warner Bros has no plans to sell its games division—a statement that seems unnecessary, considering its significance.

In regards to his departure, Haddad expressed his pride in the achievements made during his tenure at Warner Bros Games. He commended the team for their work in developing iconic gaming franchises and assured his continued support for their future endeavors. It is worth mentioning that last year’s release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League should be noted within the context of this news. Despite almost nine years of development, the game turned out to be one of the biggest commercial failures in the gaming industry’s history. Although Haddad cannot be solely held responsible for this outcome, it undoubtedly had an impact on Warner Bros’ financial results for the quarter. However, Suicide Squad does not tell the whole story. In 2023, WB Games achieved great success with the release of the highly popular Harry Potter game, Hogwarts Legacy, which became the highest-selling game globally that year. Additionally, franchises like Mortal Kombat continue to perform exceptionally well. Warner Bros Discovery CEO, David Zaslav, previously announced that the company would focus on specific titles such as DC (with a particular emphasis on Batman), Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat, and Game of Thrones.

An email sent to the staff from JB Perrette, the CEO and president of WB Discovery Global Streaming and Games, praised Haddad’s contributions to the company’s creative and commercial achievements. Perrette highlighted Haddad’s role in leading the company’s transition from physical software to digital gaming, building a successful free-to-play mobile business, and developing billion-dollar games and franchises. These include Hogwarts Legacy, Game of Thrones Conquest, and Golf Clash. Perrette acknowledged that change can be difficult, especially after having the same leader for 12 years. This could imply that Warner Bros will further solidify its focus on the projects mentioned by Zaslav, such as Hogwarts Legacy.

Reflecting on this news, it is reminiscent of the glory days in 2023, when the success of Hogwarts Legacy led Warner Bros executives to entertain ambitious ideas like a Superman live service game. However, the underwhelming performance of Suicide Squad served as a reality check. In conclusion, while there may be challenges ahead for Warner Bros Games during this transition, the company’s commitment to its key franchises remains steadfast.