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[Thick Thighs Save Lives]

The two franchises that WB Discovery profited from the most in 2023 are “Mortal Kombat,” with the release of “Mortal Kombat 1,” which has sold 3 million copies since its September release; and Harry Potter, with last February’s launch of “Hogwarts Legacy,” which has now crossed 24 million copies sold and was the bestselling game of 2023 worldwide, per Warner Bros.

Those impressive sales figures caught the eye of Zaslav and CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels, who are focused on reducing Warner Bros. Discovery’s massive post-merger debt, enough to signal to the industry that the gaming division is the company’s new darling in its path to profitability.

“I’ve double- and triple-checked some of the metrics here because it’s such a great investment opportunity,” Wiedenfels said during the third-quarter call, adding he’s “stunned that we haven’t been investing more into this opportunity. We’re going to start tackling that.”

 

[rofif]

 

[NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt]

 

[James Sawyer Ford]

And not a single they/them person was killed in the making and distribution of this game.

Well deserved.

 

[ChoosableOne]

 

[TransTrender]

“I’ve double- and triple-checked some of the metrics here because it’s such a great investment opportunity,” Wiedenfels said during the third-quarter call, adding he’s “stunned that we haven’t been investing more into this opportunity. We’re going to start tackling that.”

 

[Diddy X]

I'll try it when I can, I'm not much of a HP fan tho.

 

[Pop]

Massive W

 

[StereoVsn]

So glad this turned out to be a big success story in the face of the boycotts.

It’s mind boggling that these weirdos are putting the interests of men who think they’re women, over actual biological women.

Thing is though Hogwarts has an extremely diverse cast of characters including trans ones. It’s a very liberal leaning game.

But of course the morons trying to boycott that don’t care.

 

[RJMacready73]

That was a brilliant read

 

[stn]

I just started this recently, its really well done. I haven't cared for Harry Potter since I was teenager 20+ years ago, but the game is excellent. I'm not gonna comment on the controversy around JK Rowling, I'm commenting strictly on what I think of the game.

 

[RJMacready73]

If you want to read a thoughtful take about HL from the launch period of the game, I'll offer this article. It's as good now as it was a year ago.

The 'Hogwarts Legacy' Boycott That Wasn’t

If the public response to the game was truly a referendum on J. K. Rowling, she won.

www.theatlantic.com

Fuck I'd love to be able to sticky that on the front page of Reeeeeeeeee, was an excellent writeup on the utter nonsense that is the gaming press and their sycophantic purple haired followers and how the rest of the world just doesn't give a fuck about them

 

[Sethbacca]

I swear it feels like everyone bought the game just to piss off REEEE site.

I am glad it did well.

I can't imagine spending $60-70 just because you think you're pissing someone off. The culture wars are wild.

 

[Bernardougf]

Also bet a bunch of people even parents who bought it for their kids just like the HP franchise and ignore everything JK says.

God forbid those people reproduce

 

[DonkeyPunchJr]

Had to go find the thread lol

Thanks, this needs to be posted every time HL sales are mentioned, along with the screaming lady gif

 

[Neon Xenon]

If you want to read a thoughtful take about HL from the launch period of the game, I'll offer this article. It's as good now as it was a year ago.

The 'Hogwarts Legacy' Boycott That Wasn’t

If the public response to the game was truly a referendum on J. K. Rowling, she won.

www.theatlantic.com

That was actually a very good article. More nuanced than I would have expected from a non-gaming/tech news outlet.

 

[E-Cat]

Go woke, go broke

 

[intbal]

What's the current patch status of this game?
I know it had performance and visual problems on all Xbox consoles at launch.
Seems like it might be a fun game. I'll grab a copy if they've fixed it up enough.

 

[Cyberpunkd]

That was actually a very good article. more nuanced than I would have expected from a non-gaming/tech news outlet.

It’s the Atlantic, they write great stuff.

 

[RJMacready73]

I can't imagine spending $60-70 just because you think you're pissing someone off. The culture wars are wild.

Why not? Those idiots do actual real world harm by deliberately going after people whom they in their deluded mind state think are harming the trans community, by getting them fired or having company's simply drop sponsorship or advertising so you know what, bar grabbing them by the neck which would amount to shouting at the wind with those lunatics some may have chosen to "fuck em over" by helping HL become so massive, sure they also got a great game out of it as well

 

[Dynasty8]

"That wizard game that sold 24 million copies and shall not be named"

 

[Sethbacca]

Why not? Those idiots do actual real world harm by deliberately going after people whom they in their deluded mind state think are harming the trans community, by getting them fired or having company's simply drop sponsorship or advertising so you know what, bar grabbing them by the neck which would amount to shouting at the wind with those lunatics some may have chosen to "fuck em over" by helping HL become so massive, sure they also got a great game out of it as well

I just think defining what you’re for by basing it on what other people are against is reactionary nonsense. Certainly not worth spending your time on in the form of money. Buying it because you were going to anyway or whatever, fine, but just score imaginary points is kinda dumb.

Even I think the whole JK Rowling hate is ridiculous and I’m left of most around these boards (and for the record I bought the game too )

 

[Beer Baelly]

 

[Aloy's Bad Hair Day]

What I simply don’t understand about this is that boycotts of cultural product Ms rarely succeed.
Maybe all these millennials & Gen-z don’t look at history, but any cursory look at the various attempts of Christian mothers groups to boycott hip hop records in the 90s, for example, never worked! They use exactly the same praxis, and they fail.

That Atlantic article absolutely nails the Twitter echo chamber for journalists being the wellspring for where this reactionary bollocks comes from, but I’d also say that either complete ignorance or a poor reading of the history of cultural boycotts over the last 5 decades is a big part of it.

And ofc the preople involved being fucking idiots & engaging in groupthink.

 

[Clear]

The lesson to be taken from this is that activists/culture warriors are paper tigers.

Hogwarts was thoroughly boycotted, there was no shortage of "actions" made to impede its success, and yet... here we are,

 

[Tommi84]

One copy is mine and I'm currently playing it.

So far so good! Just finished herbology and potions making classes

 

[hussar16]

Fun for about 4 hours then you see it's nothing but a side quest hig with nothing to do. No actual hogwarts activities or classes or schedule like a student ..lame game

 

[Moses85]

Is it this good or just fanboy success?

 

[Palabragrís]

That was actually a very good article. More nuanced than I would have expected from a non-gaming/tech news outlet.

A great read indeed