WB Games Boston: Difference between revisions

| key_people = Steve Sadin<br />([[Vice-president|vice-president]] and [[studio head]])

OnIn April 20, 2010, the company was acquired by [[Warner Bros. Home Entertainment]] for $160 million and became a part of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (now [[Warner Bros. Games]]), the video game division of [[Warner Bros. Entertainment]].<ref name="warner">{{cite news | url=https://www.engadget.com/2010/04/20/turbine-purchased-by-warner-bros-home-entertainment/ | title=Turbine purchased by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment | website=[[Engadget]] | date=April 20, 2010 | access-date=May 23, 2015 | author=Justin Olivetti | archive-date=May 23, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150523020016/http://www.engadget.com/2010/04/20/turbine-purchased-by-warner-bros-home-entertainment/ | url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="million">{{cite news | url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/report-warner-bros-to-pay-USD160-million-for-turbine | title=Report: Warner Bros to pay $160 million for Turbine | website=[[GamesIndustry.biz]] | date=April 23, 2010 | access-date=May 23, 2015 | author=Kath Brice | archive-date=June 18, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618220212/http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/report-warner-bros-to-pay-USD160-million-for-turbine | url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:WB Games Boston logo.jpg|thumb|left|Logo of WB Games Boston from 2018 to 2019.]]

Turbine was founded as CyberSpace, Inc in April 1994 by Jeremy Gaffney, Jonathan Monserrat, Kevin Langevin, and Timothy Miller, some of whom were students from the Artificial Intelligence Lab at [[Brown University]].<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mulligan |first1=Jessica |last2=Patrovsky |first2=Bridgette |date=2003-03-01 |title=Developing Online Games: An Insiders Guide |publisher=New Riders Pub |page=286 |isbn=978-1592730001}}</ref> In 1995, the company was based in Monserrat's mother's house with 12 staff members. They found an office in [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]], [[Rhode Island]] but later moved to [[Westwood, Massachusetts]] to better take advantage of the software engineers coming out of Boston's colleges. As CEO, Monsarrat used free food and office pranks to keep staff motivated.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mit.edu/~jonmon/Business/Turbine/|title=The Turbine Story: How I founded a computer games company|publisher=[[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]]|access-date=August 15, 2019|archive-date=December 14, 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121214210157/http://www.mit.edu/~jonmon/Business/Turbine/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1995, the company changed its name to Turbine Entertainment Software Corp. In 1999, the company's first game, ''[[Asheron's Call]]'', was released.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/18/crunched-games-industry-exploiting-workforce-ea-spouse-software | title=Crunched: has the games industry really stopped exploiting its workforce? | work=[[The Guardian]] | date=18 February 2015 | access-date=23 May 2015 | author=Ian G Williams | archive-date=5 June 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200605124233/https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2015/feb/18/crunched-games-industry-exploiting-workforce-ea-spouse-software | url-status=live }}</ref> It was notable for being the third 3D [[MMORPG]], following the launch of ''[[Meridian 59]]'' and then ''[[EverQuest]]''. Its most notable feature, designed by Monsarrat, was a "loyalty" system giving new and experienced players incentives to work together. The Olthoi was the first monster developed for ''Asheron's Call'', designed by Joe Angell.

After ''Asheron's Call'', the company went on to make a sequel, ''[[Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings]]'', which came out in 2002 (just after the first ''Asheron's Call'' expansion). However, after only one expansion, ''Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings'' shut down in 2005. In the same year, Turbine Entertainment Software Corp. changed its name to Turbine, Inc.<ref name="FB:CFTWW">{{cite press release |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20050215005980/en/Turbine-Entertainment-Software-Turbine |title=Turbine Entertainment Software Changes Name to Turbine, Inc. |publisher=Turbine, Inc. |agency=[[Business Wire]] |date=February 15, 2005 |access-date=September 13, 2019 |archive-date=April 14, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220414150459/https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20050215005980/en/Turbine-Entertainment-Software-Turbine |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2006, Turbine released ''[[Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach]]''. Early reception was positive, but the game was criticised for poor solo play.<ref>{{Cite web|last=March 2006|first=Dan_Amrich 30|title=Dungeons and Dragons Online: Stormreach review|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/dungeons-dragons-online-stormreach-review/|access-date=2021-05-23|website=gamesradar|language=en|archive-date=2021-05-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210523010105/https://www.gamesradar.com/uk/dungeons-dragons-online-stormreach-review/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2007, Turbine released ''[[The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar]]'', which got positive reviews and was seen as a needed boost for the company.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar|url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/the-lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar/critic-reviews/?platform=pc|access-date=2021-05-23|website=Metacritic|language=en|archive-date=2019-02-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190227034515/https://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/the-lord-of-the-rings-online-shadows-of-angmar|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2009, ''Dungeons and Dragons Online'' was suffering a low playerbase; in an attempt to save the game, Turbine replaced the traditional monthly subscription model with a [[free to play]] one.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dungeons & Dragons Online Reboots as Free-to-Play Game |url=https://www.wired.com/2009/09/dungeons-dragons-online/ |website=Wired |access-date=25 October 2022 |archive-date=25 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025213024/https://www.wired.com/2009/09/dungeons-dragons-online/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2010, Turbine also moved ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' (which was then on its second expansion) to a free-to-play model.<ref>{{cite web |title=LOTRO: Free-to-Play Date Announced |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/08/19/lotro-free-to-play-date-announced |website=IGN |access-date=25 October 2022 |archive-date=25 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221025213023/https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/08/19/lotro-free-to-play-date-announced |url-status=live }}</ref> In the same year, Turbine was purchased by [[Warner Bros. Home Entertainment]] for $160 million.<ref name="warner" /><ref name="million" />

InThe 2015, it was announced thatgame's development of ''[[Infinite Crisis (video game)|Infinite Crisis]]'' would end immediately and that the game will be closedended on August 14, 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.infinitecrisis.com/en/news/infinite-crisis-closing-august-14th-2015 |title=INFINITE CRISIS CLOSING: AUGUST 14TH, 2015 |access-date=2015-06-06 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150606204301/https://www.infinitecrisis.com/en/news/infinite-crisis-closing-august-14th-2015 |archive-date=2015-06-06 }}</ref>

The company was hit with layoffs for three years consecutively starting from 2014. While Turbine's focus was shifted to develop free-to-play mobile games by Warner Bros. in 2016, the servers for both ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' and ''Dungeons & Dragons Online'' would bewere maintained and supported.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-07-08-lord-of-the-rings-online-developer-turbine-hit-with-more-layoffs|title=Lord of the Rings Online developer Turbine hit with more layoffs|first=Oli|last=Welsh|work=[[Eurogamer]]|date=July 8, 2016|access-date=July 11, 2016|archive-date=July 11, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160711082542/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2016-07-08-lord-of-the-rings-online-developer-turbine-hit-with-more-layoffs|url-status=live}}</ref>

OnBy December 19, 2016, itTurbine was announced that Turbine would no longer be involved with the development of ''The Lord of the Rings Online'' or ''Dungeons & Dragons Online'',. insteadInstead a spin-off studio under the name of ''Standing Stone Games'' was formed to take over further development of the game, with game staff moving from Turbine to the new studio. As part of this transition, [[Daybreak Game Company]] would becomebecame the new publisher, taking over from Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://massivelyop.com/2016/12/19/turbine-spins-lotro-and-ddo-teams-out-to-new-studio-using-daybreak-as-publisher/ | title=TURBINE SPINS LOTRO AND DDO TEAMS OUT TO NEW STUDIO, USING DAYBREAK AS PUBLISHER | work=Massively Overpowered | date=19 December 2016 | access-date=20 December 2016 | author=Bree Royce}}</ref> It| wasarchive-date=10 announcedDecember not2017 long| afterarchive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171210013453/http://massivelyop.com/2016/12/19/turbine-spins-lotro-and-ddo-teams-out-to-new-studio-using-daybreak-as-publisher/ that,| thoughurl-status=live the}}</ref> ''Asheron's Call'' IP would remainremained as a property of Turbine, it was confirmed thatand the servers for both ''Asheron's Call'' and ''Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings'' wouldwere closeclosed on January 31, 2017.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://massivelyop.com/2016/12/20/asherons-call-and-its-sequel-will-sunset-as-part-of-the-turbinestanding-stone-split/ | title=ASHERON'S CALL AND ITS SEQUEL WILL SUNSET AS PART OF THE TURBINE/STANDING STONE SPLIT | work=Massively Overpowered | date=20 December 2016 | access-date=21 December 2016 | author=Bree Royce | archive-date=22 December 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222224202/http://massivelyop.com/2016/12/20/asherons-call-and-its-sequel-will-sunset-as-part-of-the-turbinestanding-stone-split/ | url-status=live }}</ref>

InBy November 2018, the studio announcedwas it would rebrandrebranded and it became WB Games Boston.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Olivetti |first1=Justin |title=Original LOTRO and DDO creator Turbine Entertainment changes its name to WB Games Boston |url=https://massivelyop.com/2018/11/02/original-lotro-and-ddo-creator-turbine-entertainment-changes-its-name-to-wb-games-boston/ |website=Massively Overpowered |access-date=5 November 2018 |archive-date=5 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181105160429/https://massivelyop.com/2018/11/02/original-lotro-and-ddo-creator-turbine-entertainment-changes-its-name-to-wb-games-boston/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

| ''Game of Thrones: Conquest''<ref>{{Cite news |first=Imran |last=Khan |url=http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2017/10/03/game-of-thrones-conquest-announced-with-trailer.aspx |title=Game Of Thrones: Conquest Announced With Trailer |work=[[Game Informer]] |date=2017-10-03 |access-date=2017-10-04 |archive-date=2022-10-16 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221016223157/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2017/10/03/game-of-thrones-conquest-announced-with-trailer.aspx |url-status=dead }}</ref>

* [https://careers.wbgames.com/studios/boston/ Official website]

* [http://www.mobygames.com/company/turbine-inc Turbine, Inc.] entry at [[MobyGames]]

[[Category:Companies1994 basedestablishments in Norfolk County, Massachusetts]]

[[Category:VideoCompanies gamebased companiesin establishedNorfolk inCounty, 1994Massachusetts]]