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Warner Bros. telling Traveller's Tales

Cash-flush game arm of multimedia conglomerate acquires British developer of Lego Star Wars, Lego Batman, and Bionicle Heroes.

Last month, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment was openly on a shopping spree. "We're madly looking for development partners [and] we're looking at acquisitions," WBIE senior vice president Samantha Ryan eagerly told GameSpot. Her enthusiasm was well founded--and well funded, given that the emerging publisher had just landed $500 million in funding from a Abu Dhabi-based financial group.

"Holy high-powered buyout, Batman!"

Today, WBIE revealed its first acquisition since its half-billion-dollar windfall. The interactive arm of Time Warner is now the proud owner of Traveller's Tales, the British developer of the Bioncle series and the wildly popular Lego Star Wars series. Not so coincidentally, the studio is currently developing Lego Batman: The Game for WBIE, which was apparently so impressed with the results, it bought the company.

The joint announcement from WBIE and Traveller's Tales did not contain any financial details of the transaction. It also did not mention whether or not the staff of Traveller's Tales or its publishing arm, TT Games, would be affected by the buyout. However, the announcement did say Traveller's Tales would continue to maintain its relationships with previous partners, such as LucasArts and Lego.

Traveller's Tales is the second studio WBIE has bought since its foundation in January 2004. It picked up the first, Monolith Productions (F.E.A.R., The Matrix Online, Project Origin, Condemned), eight months later.

30 Comments

  • Terdog

    Posted Jun 8, 2008 12:39 pm GMT

    Great Idea! Lego TMNT. I would buy it.

  • DukeIgthorn

    Posted Jan 13, 2008 10:06 am GMT

    Sweet, how about lego Seinfeld

  • brok

    Posted Dec 13, 2007 5:45 am GMT

    why can't they just make a game based on LEGO lego? Lego was always heaps better before it started franchising. Lego City or pirates would be the bomb

  • greater_bird

    Posted Nov 12, 2007 12:24 am GMT

    I don't think they can afford to dilute this too much - Star Wars, Batman and Indiana Jones are all different enough and iconic enough to make great Lego games, but if they start using this style to create games for every license around, it'll get old fast.

  • CowMan07

    Posted Nov 11, 2007 3:07 am GMT

    i want lego spiderman, that would kick arseeeeeee

  • electrivire466

    Posted Nov 10, 2007 3:06 pm GMT

    i think they should also put on LEGO TMNT(teenage mutant ninja turtles) that would be cool and has eny one here got LEGO starwars the complete saga i would like aquote on weather it is worth getting

  • spider-manfan45

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 4:25 pm GMT

    there should be a lego hp.

  • Narroo

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 11:52 am GMT

    Brave Fencer Musashi???

  • ClassicPlayer

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 11:52 am GMT

    They have made Lego Star Wars, and that rocks, Lego Batman which will be twice as good, and are making lego Indiana Jones. Good line up. The one thing they should do is Lego X-Men, or Lego Spider-Man.

  • RaiKageRyu

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 11:21 am GMT

    The power of LEGO!

  • Devvy01

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 5:58 am GMT

    how about a lego star trek game?

  • DynamoFan

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 5:33 am GMT

    lego harry potter: oh no! voldemort's a pile of bricks! anyways it would make a great game, hp that is.

  • landcrow

    Posted Nov 9, 2007 3:34 am GMT

    I agree with DragonMage2k4, it would be great if they done a Lego Harry Potter game

  • jazziey

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 9:39 pm GMT

    hmmmm....

  • DragonMage2k4

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 9:37 pm GMT

    Since Warner Brothers already has the movie rights, it would be great if Traveller Tales did a Lego: Harry Potter game.

  • ThaSod

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 9:06 pm GMT

    Lego nazis probably have a monocle and a scar.

  • redlar

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 7:48 pm GMT

    Anyone here remember what happened to Atari after Warner Communications got them? Not the same, I know, but just something to think about.

  • Vulpis

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 7:43 pm GMT

    You know, I read this article and have to ask myself--where's the listing of all the *other* games Traveller's Tales has worked on besides the Lego-based properties?

  • LordSpleach

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 7:17 pm GMT

    I saw pictures for Lego Indiana Jones and one very important question came to mind.

    How in the hell are they going to do Lego Nazis!?!

  • ETP3

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 5:31 pm GMT

    i

  • crusader8463

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 5:12 pm GMT

    meh...

  • MasterChief725

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 4:12 pm GMT

    Alright! Lego batman! thats awesome!!!

  • Rmadilo

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 4:06 pm GMT

    "I liked their spatulas so much, I bought the company!"

  • dragonman46534

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 3:46 pm GMT

    lets just make lego my eggo game too

  • darthzew

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 3:34 pm GMT

    Sweet. Maybe Warner could finally make that Lego: The Matrix and Lego 300 I've been wanting...

  • xburlingtonw

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 3:17 pm GMT

    AWESOME! LOVED Lego:SW//// i hope this one sells good. so they can make a Lego:JLA

  • thatguy0130

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 3:09 pm GMT

    Well the Lego Star Wars was successful, I think it was a like it or hate it kind of deal, so in that regard the success of this upcoming game is going to be restricted to the audience that already established. But hey who doesn't love slicing stormtrooper's arms off with a lightsaber? I suppose this time you will slice off arms with the "baterang" or something?

  • wiifan001

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 3:02 pm GMT

    I think Lego Batman would really kiddy down the Batman in to what he really is.

  • Oddjin

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 2:55 pm GMT

    I liked the Lego Star Wars games (as rentals, I dunno about buying em) and I love almost anything Batman (the darker the mood the better). This should be a fun little game over the course of a rainy weekend.

  • fattyxboxbutt

    Posted Nov 8, 2007 2:31 pm GMT

    What are you talking about? What part of bought the developer equates to bailing out?

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