WB Games Restructures Around Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat, and DC
New leadership roles, franchise-focused divisions mark Warner Bros.’ renewed gaming strategy
Major Franchise Focus Drives New Structure
Warner Bros. Games has officially restructured into four core divisions, each dedicated to one of the company’s flagship franchises: Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat, and the DC Universe. The move aims to create a more focused and scalable framework to manage and grow WB’s top-tier gaming properties.
- The reorganization was first reported by Variety, and confirms that no layoffs or executive exits were part of the transition.
- The shift comes amid Warner Bros.’ plan to build long-term franchise roadmaps, following financial setbacks earlier this year.
New Leadership to Oversee Franchise Development
The restructuring includes key leadership promotions:
- Yves Lachance, former WB Games Montreal head, now SVP of Development for Harry Potter and Game of Thrones titles.
- Shaun Himmerick, formerly of NetherRealm, promoted to SVP of Development for Mortal Kombat and DC Universe projects.
- Steven Flenory, former head of WB Games New York, becomes SVP of Central Tech & Services, overseeing publishing tech, QA, customer service, and user research.
All studios under the WB Games umbrella will now report to either Lachance or Himmerick based on the franchise alignment of their projects.
- For instance, Avalanche Software (working on Hogwarts Legacy) now reports to Lachance, while Rocksteady (presumably on a new DC title) falls under Himmerick’s purview.
Strategic Refocus After Recent Struggles
This restructuring follows a challenging year for WB Games:
- Titles like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and MultiVersus failed to meet commercial expectations.
- The company also closed several studios, including Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and its San Diego mobile studio.
Despite these setbacks, WB CEO JB Perrette emphasized confidence in the company’s franchises and leadership:
“We are optimizing our team structure to develop long-term franchise roadmaps… Yves, Shaun, and Steven are respected leaders with excellent track records in their areas of expertise.”
Looking Forward: A Franchise-Driven Future
This move is part of Warner Bros.’ broader pivot toward franchise consolidation, doubling down on IPs that have proven long-term value.
With clear leadership and structure now aligned around its biggest brands, WB Games appears set on stabilizing its gaming division and returning to form with a franchise-first strategy.
