E-mail:
Password:
GameSpot Video Games, PC, Wii, PlayStation 2, GameCube, PSP, DS, GBA, PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, PlayStation 3

Report: Warner paid £100 million for Traveller's Tales

Cash-happy Warner to pay the sum out over five years; still has plenty of spare change to spend.
By Emma Boyes, GameSpot UK
Posted Nov 12, 2007 9:25 am PT

Last week, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment made its first purchase on what could well be a mammoth shopping spree. The company acquired Cheshire, UK-based Traveller's Tales, the development company behind the Lego Star Wars games and Bionicle Heroes, as well as the upcoming Lego Batman.

The move came after Warner had secured $500 million in funding from an Abu Dhabi-based financial group, and according to a report in the Manchester Evening News, the Traveller's Tales buyout cost the company £100 million (approx $200 million).

The founder, Jon Burton, set up Traveller's Tales in 1989, after he had problems selling his own video game to other software companies. The company became TT Games after a merger with publisher Giant Interactive Entertainment in 2005. Burton stands to make a mint from the sale, with more than 80 percent of the company shares in his name and the remainder being held by his management team.

Sign up now to post a comment on this story!

54 Comments

First to Last Latest
1 2
« prevnext »
nunes123

lego games are really funny and i hope lego batman is really cool

Posted Apr 23, 2008 10:45 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
100starz

AC too me 2 days you want 2 hours lol?

This game looks like its gunna suck

Posted Feb 24, 2008 9:02 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
snowyjoe

I LOVE U Traveller's Tales!!!!!!!!!!!!

I LOVE THESE LEGO SERIES I'm a big fan of lego!

But their too short like most of people say.

Atleast make it as long as assain's creed maybe 3 weeks to complete.

But the unlockables are pretty hard to get i guess. But not enough to make you play it every day

Posted Feb 23, 2008 12:51 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
Blazeruk

juju187 are you referring to the story of Thor / Beyond Oasis ? if so There was a sequel on the Sega Saturn, but a decent next gen installment of the series would be most welcome and pre-ordered.
As for the whole Lego games thing I think that they are good games but not worth buying, a definite rent, just like the previous ones you can get it done in a weekend and you wont come back...

Posted Jan 13, 2008 11:51 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
Gamewako

Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
lame!

Posted Jan 11, 2008 8:29 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
100starz

not impressed. this game looks like it's gonna be trash.

Posted Jan 9, 2008 2:53 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
BobBurnquist

It looks funny im getting this when it comes out :-P

Posted Nov 22, 2007 9:37 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+2)
zeke2040

i'm not impressed.

Posted Nov 13, 2007 7:01 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-3)
zeke2040

i'm not impressed.

Posted Nov 13, 2007 7:00 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-4)
dbeddow

DonutTrooper wrote: "Hey, maybe we could see a change of pace here. Lego Invader Zim, anyone?"

Awesome suggestion Donut...if theres a petition out there, i would love to sign it.

Posted Nov 13, 2007 3:00 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
godzillavskong

Anthony9000, Gamespot is lagging real bad when you submit your comment therefore causing people to accidentally post twice. Did you think it was just coincidence when over a dozen people posted several times the same post??

Posted Nov 12, 2007 11:32 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
godzillavskong

Bionicle Heroes?!! The Lego Star Wars franchise is a decent franchise, but 100 million for the rights to these games? I guess they figured they had better buy them before EA does.

Posted Nov 12, 2007 11:30 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
Sonicgod

Traveller's Tales made the worst sonic games of all time for the sega saturn, with even worse movie games and there only good game that sold was lego star wars.

Not worth it.

Posted Nov 12, 2007 6:36 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
longshot0529

What a wast of money, never heard of the company and don't particulary like lego star wars.

Posted Nov 12, 2007 6:21 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-4)
V-Nine

Travellers tales has unusually good luck. Even after monumental foul ups, companies still trust them with their major IPs.

Posted Nov 12, 2007 5:36 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
juju187

what was that sw33t adventure game they made for genisis that you had spirits in your amulet? they need to remake that

Posted Nov 12, 2007 4:50 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+2)
juju187

what was that sw33t adventure game they made for genisis that you had spirits in your amulet? they need to remake that

Posted Nov 12, 2007 4:50 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
lamprey263

well, it could be worth it if they can develop a lot of hit IPs, and the LEGO games I think have a lot of potential on their own, but, at $200 million just for their current projects and old IP I don't really see this being worth it

Posted Nov 12, 2007 4:12 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
lamprey263

well, it could be worth it if they can develop a lot of hit IPs, and the LEGO games I think have a lot of potential on their own, but, at $200 million just for their current projects and old IP I don't really see this being worth it

Posted Nov 12, 2007 4:11 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Epicsnipeurazz

Gamespot is so **** slow today!

Posted Nov 12, 2007 3:52 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Lumenadducere

Well, as long as WB doesn't screw with 'em, this should be a good thing.

Posted Nov 12, 2007 3:37 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
SimuLord

Hurrah for Traveller's Tales! A couple hundred million ought to go a long way toward making their future games even better than the already-awesome Lego Star Wars!

Posted Nov 12, 2007 3:21 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Anthony9000

why are so many ppl double, striple, and quadrople posting here? Gamespot, plz get tehse ppl to STOP

Posted Nov 12, 2007 3:15 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
okassar

Wow,the United Arab Emirates are taking a big chunk of the London and New York stock exchanges and now they're putting some money into the gaming industry,not to mention the thousands of companies Dubai has bought out recently.Let's hope their move into gaming means alot of cash into making good games resulting into our happiness

Posted Nov 12, 2007 1:52 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-6)
okassar

Wow,the United Arab Emirates are taking a big chunk of the London and New York stock exchanges and now they're putting some money into the gaming industry,not to mention the thousands of companies Dubai has bought out recently.Let's hope their move into gaming means alot of cash into making good games resulting into our happiness

Posted Nov 12, 2007 1:52 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-6)
okassar

Wow,the United Arab Emirates are taking a big chunk of the London and New York stock exchanges and now they're putting some money into the gaming industry,not to mention the thousands of companies Dubai has bought out recently.Let's hope their move into gaming means alot of cash into making good games resulting into our happiness

Posted Nov 12, 2007 1:48 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-6)
okassar

Wow,the United Arab Emirates are taking a big chunk of the London and New York stock exchanges and now they're putting some money into the gaming industry,not to mention the thousands of companies Dubai has bought out recently.Let's hope their move into gaming means alot of cash into making good games resulting into our happiness

Posted Nov 12, 2007 1:47 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-6)
MasterChief725

yo i find it funny how everyone is double posting cuz gamespot is slow today. i did it twice lol. anyway, lego batman is gonna be awesome!

Posted Nov 12, 2007 1:45 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
bernieberry

Gaming is a mulit-million dollar industry and getting bigger everyday!

Posted Nov 12, 2007 1:41 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+1)
Giratina667

Well,this only shows that games are getting more lucrative,and at the rate megaconglomerates are joining,may very well get worse.-.-

Posted Nov 12, 2007 1:23 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Nxss-effa-sim

I can't image how much money he will have to give to the government for capital gains tax, probably about half.

Posted Nov 12, 2007 12:15 pm PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
mashom

He is the Richi Rich person.

Posted Nov 12, 2007 11:28 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
wiidominance

he got an 80% share, he might well be the richest developer now, could be wrong though ...

Posted Nov 12, 2007 11:21 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
1357900

Speaking of WB, I wish they'd do an awesome Justice League game for all platforms.

Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:59 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
beckoflight

Don't care i just care so much about MONOLITH & PROJECT ORIGIN !

Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:53 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-2)
TristanH12

Whoa hopefully he remains in power, lol. That is a ton of money to get.

Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:24 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
TristanH12

Whoa hopefully he remains in power, lol. That is a ton of money to get.

Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:22 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
donnygorgas

Who cares?

Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:19 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-4)
WizzyKid

Woah, thats alot! But what is the point in buying developers?

Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:16 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
Pastehunter

Well its a tallented company ... so why not ?

Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:16 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+0)
Pastehunter

Well its a tallented company ... so why not ?

Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:15 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
WizzyKid

Woah, thats alot! But what is the point in buying developers?

Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:15 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
WizzyKid

Woah, thats alot! But what is the point in buying developers?

Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:14 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
Pastehunter

Well its a tallented company ... so why not ?

Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:10 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
uberjannie

PC gamers just dont buy these games anymore..
No point in coming with such titles, they sell awful for the PC.
Im a PC gamer and I buy alot of games. Good games..
But I wouldnt even dream of even downloading these games..
They take full price for them aswell..
When are they ever going to learn? =/

Posted Nov 12, 2007 10:09 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (-1)
DonutTrooper

Hey, maybe we could see a change of pace here.

Lego Invader Zim, anyone?

Posted Nov 12, 2007 9:55 am PT
Login to rate this comment
/ (+3)
1 2
« prevnext »
advertisement

Latest Entertainment Headlines

Latest TV headlines from
Carell, Baldwin top Emmy's comedy actor shortlist
Daisies' Pace joins Duchovny, Shalhoub, Sheen for Emmy nomination finalists; Britney "snubbed" from guest spot honors.

Story Tags

News Features

Featured Stories

Sony patents new motion-control, touch-screen tech

USPTO applications detail alternative input schemes for "handheld electronic devices."
Posted Jun 30, 2008 6:07 pm PT

Newsmakers

Q&A: FIFA Soccer 09

FIFA 09 producer David Rutter on new gameplay additions, expanding Be a Pro, whether Australia's A-League is back in the mix, and a possible PS3-exclusive mode.
Posted Jun 30, 2008 9:45 pm PT