Warner Bros. Games has announced a major restructuring to sharpen its focus on its biggest gaming franchises, Mortal Kombat, DC, Harry Potter, and Game of Thrones.
The company is taking bold steps to align its development strategy with the long-term potential of these powerhouse properties.
As part of the shake-up, Warner Bros. is rolling out a new leadership structure, although it emphasized there won’t be any layoffs or executive departures. This move is all about doubling down on what works and streamlining efforts toward delivering stronger franchise titles.
Yves Lachance, previously the head of Warner Bros. Games Montreal, is stepping into a new role as Senior Vice President of Development. He’ll be steering the ship for games based on Harry Potter and Game of Thrones. Lachance has been behind some key projects for the company in recent years, and now he’ll lead two of its most globally recognized brands.
On the action and comic book side, Shaun Himmerick of NetherRealm Studios, best known for the Mortal Kombat series, will now take on the role of Senior Vice President of Development as well. He’ll be responsible for the future of Mortal Kombat and DC Universe titles, ensuring those fan-favorite franchises get the attention and investment they deserve.
Meanwhile, Steven Flenory from Warner Bros. Games New York has been tapped as Senior Vice President of Central Tech and Services. In this role, he’ll manage core areas like game and publishing tech, customer support, QA, and user research, making sure the studio’s backend runs just as smoothly as its development pipelines.
In a statement to Variety, J.B. Perrette, CEO of Warner Bros. Global Streaming and Games, explained the vision behind the overhaul. “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 of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat and DC games,” he said.
Perrette praised the newly promoted leaders for their experience and leadership, saying, “We are very fortunate 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.”
This Warner Bros. Games restructuring is clearly about building for the future. With four massive franchises to focus on, the company is betting big on recognizable worlds with dedicated fanbases. If this move delivers the quality games fans expect, it could mark a new era for Warner Bros. in the gaming space.
