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Warner Bros. is now erasing games as it plans to delist Adult Swim-published titles (www.polygon.com)

submitted 8 months ago by Ninjazzon@infosec.pub to c/piracy@lemmy.dbzer0.com

231 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Warner Bros. Discovery is telling developers it plans to start “retiring” games published by its Adult Swim Games label, game makers who worked with the publisher tell Polygon. At least three games are under threat of being removed from Steam and other digital stores, with the fate of other games published by Adult Swim unclear.

The media conglomerate’s planned removal of those games echoes cuts from its film and television business; Warner Bros. Discovery infamously scrapped plans to release nearly complete movies Batgirl and Coyote vs. Acme, and removed multiple series from its streaming services. If Warner Bros. does go through with plans to delist Adult Swim’s games from Steam and digital console stores, 18 or more games could be affected.

News of the Warner Bros. plan to potentially pull Adult Swim’s games from Steam and the PlayStation Store was first reported by developer Owen Reedy, who released puzzle-adventure game Small Radios Big Televisions through the label in 2016. Reedy said on X Tuesday the game was being “retired” by Adult Swim Games’ owner. He responded to the company’s decision by making the Windows PC version of Small Radios Big Televisions available to download for free from his studio’s website.

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[–] machiabelly@hexbear.net 10 points 8 months ago (2 children)

Why do they do this? It doesn't make sense. They don't have to pay to keep it listed.

[–] Thordros@hexbear.net 20 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (3 children)

If it's "failed" they can write off the investment as a loss. They get a tax break as a result. Capitalism rewards innovation (in tax avoidance), after all.

[–] Vendetta9076@sh.itjust.works 8 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Youre might be right right thats what theyre trying to doz but thats not how that works with complete games that have been released for ages. They're just being retarded.

More than likely they just want to shut down the entire publishing arm and going full scorched earth is the only way they seem to do things

[–] Zedstrian@lemmy.dbzer0.com 6 points 8 months ago (1 children)

If that were the case there would at least be some value in selling the division to another company. Perhaps by not selling it they can claim the division lost money, artificially reducing the tax burden on profits from divisions corporate management is more interested in.

[–] Vendetta9076@sh.itjust.works 2 points 8 months ago

Thats not really how tax breaks work though. Especially not corporate ones.

[–] machiabelly@hexbear.net 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

WHAT? THE FREE MARKET GIVES TAX BREAKS TO CORPOS WHEN THEY LOSE MONEY????? I DON'T KNOW WHAT I EXPECTED BUT I'M MAD

[–] prole@sh.itjust.works 0 points 8 months ago

I don't know if I want to upvote or downvote this comment lol

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 3 points 8 months ago

I read it was so they can fire the people whose job it was to pay the creators of the games.

Rights should go back to the devs from the publisher at that point, or full public domain if they don't want to distribute it either.