Warner Bros Forms DC Entertainment

[Keane Ng]

Warner Bros Forms DC Entertainment

Warner Bros has founded a new company dedicated to expanding the reach of DC properties in games, movies and more.

These days a good majority of the people who know who Batman is and like Batman more than likely haven't read a single page of the past or current Batman comics. There are TV shows, games and movies to enjoy nowadays that don't involve needing to slink down to a dingy comics shop or, even worse, actually read. So it makes sense that Warner Bros has founded a new company dedicated solely to pushing DC's stable of characters in everything but comic book form.

DC Entertainment, as the company is called, will be run by president Diane Nelson, whose previous work includes serving as president of Warner Premiere and running the Harry Potter brand for the WB, a no doubt hefty responsibility she'll retain even as she sees over the future of Batman, Superman and the like.

"It's no secret that DC has myriad rich and untapped possibilities from its deep library of iconic and lesser-known characters," Warner Bros. president & COO Alan Horn said. "While we've had great success in films and television, the formation of DC Entertainment will help us to bring more DC properties across additional platforms to fans around the world, while maintaining brand integrity and authenticity."

Obviously videogames will play a major role in DC Entertainment's business. I can't imagine it not, considering the phenomenal success of the recently released Batman: Arkham Asylum, which garnered great reviews and, moreover, fantastic sales, reportedly having sold somewhere around two million copies [http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ct-warner10-2009sep10,0,1779787.story] since launch already.

[Via Edge-Online [http://edge-online.com/news/warner-bros-forms-dc-entertainment]]

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[squid5580]

Well it is about freakin time. I was beginning to think DC doesn't like money for all the wasted time.

 

[Radeonx]

Cool, although since I hate DC and hated Arkham Asylum, I don't know if it will benefit me in any way. Hopefully another interesting game will come out soon.

 

[HT_Black]

Cool, although since I hate DC and hated Arkham Asylum, I don't know if it will benefit me in any way. Hopefully another interesting game will come out soon.

You hated Arkham Asylum? WHAT ARE YOU?!!?

In relevance to the topic at hand, I'm actually fairly excited by this announcement; I mean, I thought AA was great, and I can't wait to see what other games could be made if done right.

...How about a Teen Titans Regular Titans Batgirl Nightwing Robin Deathstroke Flash Superman Wonder Woman Captain Marvel Doctor Fate Green Lantern Green Arrow Hawkgirl Hawkman Justice League game?

...On second thought, I have absolutely no idea how I feel about it-- can you name another DC character that would be good in a video game?

 

[Radeonx]

Cool, although since I hate DC and hated Arkham Asylum, I don't know if it will benefit me in any way. Hopefully another interesting game will come out soon.

You hated Arkham Asylum? WHAT ARE YOU?!!?

In relevance to the topic at hand, I'm actually fairly excited by this announcement; I mean, I thought AA was great, and I can't wait to see what other games could be made if done right.

...How about a Teen Titans Regular Titans Batgirl Nightwing Robin Deathstroke Flash Superman Wonder Woman Captain Marvel Doctor Fate Green Lantern Green Arrow Hawkgirl Hawkman Justice League game?

...On second thought, I have absolutely no idea how I feel about it-- can you name another DC character that would be good in a video game?

Marvel Ultimate Alliance put things together quite nicely, in terms of Superhero games. Although it was only good with 4 people. And I disliked Arkham Asylum because I found the stealth parts to be fun for a while, then get boring, and everything else I didn't enjoy.

 

[Eleuthera]

...How about a Teen Titans Regular Titans Batgirl Nightwing Robin Deathstroke Flash Superman Wonder Woman Captain Marvel Doctor Fate Green Lantern Green Arrow Hawkgirl Hawkman Justice League game?

...On second thought, I have absolutely no idea how I feel about it-- can you name another DC character that would be good in a video game?

Any of them really, if the story is good that is. Except maybe Superman, either the story will be unbelievable or they'll have to downplay his powers too much.

On a side note DCUO [http://dcuo.station.sony.com/], the one upcoming DC game I'll definately give a try.

 

[ChromeAlchemist]

Cool, although since I hate DC and hated Arkham Asylum, I don't know if it will benefit me in any way. Hopefully another interesting game will come out soon.

You hated Arkham Asylum? WHAT ARE YOU?!!?

In relevance to the topic at hand, I'm actually fairly excited by this announcement; I mean, I thought AA was great, and I can't wait to see what other games could be made if done right.

...How about a Teen Titans Regular Titans Batgirl Nightwing Robin Deathstroke Flash Superman Wonder Woman Captain Marvel Doctor Fate Green Lantern Green Arrow Hawkgirl Hawkman Justice League game?

...On second thought, I have absolutely no idea how I feel about it-- can you name another DC character that would be good in a video game?

Checkmate. Take away Alan Scott because he's Green Lantern, and boom, Checkmate.

In fact, I predict a Checkmate movie announced in the next 3 years. Someone quote me on this.

EDIT: And I know it's not a singular character, but it's actually the only group I find interesting from DC, great reads.

 

[Vohn_exel]

Maybe we'll actually get some movies that are made like the Marvel ones are. I'm a fan of DC more then I am of Marvel, and I have to say that they're kicking DC's butt in the movie buisiness, though maybe Dark Knight makes up for that.

Still, if this can get stuff like "Superman: Doomsday" to stop being produced, the world will be a happy place.

 

[scotth266]

Cool, although since I hate DC and hated Arkham Asylum, I don't know if it will benefit me in any way. Hopefully another interesting game will come out soon.

You hated Arkham Asylum? WHAT ARE YOU?!!?

In relevance to the topic at hand, I'm actually fairly excited by this announcement; I mean, I thought AA was great, and I can't wait to see what other games could be made if done right.

...How about a Teen Titans Regular Titans Batgirl Nightwing Robin Deathstroke Flash Superman Wonder Woman Captain Marvel Doctor Fate Green Lantern Green Arrow Hawkgirl Hawkman Justice League game?

...On second thought, I have absolutely no idea how I feel about it-- can you name another DC character that would be good in a video game?

Just because they've scrooooowed it up so far doesn't mean that the concept of a game based around those characters is impossible. Look at how many people were saying "A GOOD BATMAN GAME! MADNESS!" until Arkham Asylum came out.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

And I disliked Arkham Asylum because I found the stealth parts to be fun for a while, then get boring, and everything else I didn't enjoy.

so you found the main part of being Batman boring? the thing about Batman is he NEEDS the stealth since he has no super powers, if he gets shot, he's screwed

anyways i hope they do smart things with the DC properties cause we don't want any more Catwoman or Steel movies or Superman 64

 

[The_root_of_all_evil]

Whoa....Disney Versus Warner Brothers? That's gonna be a titanic battle.

 

[Amnestic]

Whoa....Disney Versus Warner Brothers? That's gonna be a titanic battle.

My money's on the mouse with the giant chainsaw key.

 

[cleverlymadeup]

Whoa....Disney Versus Warner Brothers? That's gonna be a titanic battle.

nah WB is just smartening up and doing something good with DC for once, i mean it can only go up from here really with DC movies and such

 

[TsunamiWombat]

...How about a Teen Titans Regular Titans Batgirl Nightwing Robin Deathstroke Flash Superman Wonder Woman Captain Marvel Doctor Fate Green Lantern Green Arrow Hawkgirl Hawkman Justice League game?

...On second thought, I have absolutely no idea how I feel about it-- can you name another DC character that would be good in a video game?

Any of them really, if the story is good that is. Except maybe Superman, either the story will be unbelievable or they'll have to downplay his powers too much.

On a side note DCUO [http://dcuo.station.sony.com/], the one upcoming DC game I'll definately give a try.

The primary problem with Superman is his invulnerability, his localized telekinetic field makes him more or less industructible. His powers however are tied to his exposure to sunlight, so you can mess with this by mucking with his exposure to sunlight. Fill the sky with smoke, attack him at night, etc.

Let me design a mechanic right now.

Supermans powers are unlimited and rechargible, but are tied to his pool of Solar Energy. As long as he's in direct sunlight, his powers are almost limitless. But that energy is one of his limits. Fufill these objectives:

1. Set the game early in Supermans heroic career, thus ensuring he isn't too powerful and allowing for an EXP mechanic so you can improve and gain powers and ability as you play, a logical representation of Supermans exercise of his powers and the growing proficiency with them, as well as his countiued exposure to sunlight.

2. Supermans power pool should be seperated into two segments, Core Energy and Extra Energy. Extra Energy represents what Superman is absorbing from the sun, right then, and both regenerates (in sunlight) and burns up quickly. Core Energy represents power stored away in his body, and is a deeper reservoir then Extra energy- however, it regenerates much slower, and only regenerates when Superman has full Extra Energy. The trick is to balance this so Superman can remain constantly active but still run the risk of exhausting himself if he's getting overwhelmed. Flight and X Ray vision and Basic Combat should take little or preferrably no energy. Heat Vision and Super Breath should drain energy by the second used to an amount variable to it's level, gunfire should drain energy over time by small amounts as well. Feats of super strength such as lifting objects over 1 ton, super powered moves such as Supermans trademark haymaker o doom or air suplexes, and taking large amounts of damage (such as being shot by a tank or hit by a building) should take large chunks of power. Beneath these layers of power should be Supermans health, which can only be damaged when his core energy is drained (core energy regeneration should be stacked in a way that it regenerates slower the more full it is, and vice versa, to prevent getting stunlocked or unable to regenerate the energy to protect yourself for fairness).

3. Supermans enemies should exploit his weaknesses. Kryptonite exposure should increase power reduction by at least 50%, wether it be Kryptonite laced bullets or a Kryptonite Laser. But Kryptonite should not be the only crutch. Enemies should employ night fighting tactics (supermans energy regeneration should be reduced at night to maybe 75 or 60% because he's only absorbing whats reflected off the moon), they should employ magic to which Superman should be less resistant to ala Kryptonite and he is vulnerable to mental influencing confusion spells as well. More mundane options include airburst smoke grenades, creating a zone with drastically reduced or no energy regeneration forcing Superman to disengage and fly above the smoke OR blow the particle effects away with his superbreath/superspeed.

I totally gotta do another game design thread on this now.

 

[Eleuthera]

/snip

I know how his powers work, I've been collecting his series since the "man of steel" reboot, only stopped about 6 months ago

The problem is, to make him interesting you'll have to go for a non-canon superman. Making him weaker (less powerfull out of direct sunlight) or more vulnerable (to magic or kryptonite) or increase the power of the enemies to compensate (or only use Doomsday, Darkseid and the like).

Still, your ideas might work... but it'll probably piss-off the fanboys purists.