WB Games Boston
| File:WB Games Boston.svg | |
| Formerly |
|
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | April 1994 |
| Founder |
|
| Headquarters | Needham, Massachusetts, U.S. |
Key people | Steve Sadin (vice-president and studio head) |
| Products | |
| Parent | Warner Bros. Games (2010–present) |
WB Games Boston—previously known as Turbine Inc., Turbine Entertainment Software Corp., and originally CyberSpace, Inc.—is a U.S.-based video game developer recognized for producing MMORPG titles such as Asheron's Call, Dungeons & Dragons Online, and The Lord of the Rings Online.
In April 2010, the company became part of Warner Bros. Home Entertainment following a $160 million acquisition, subsequently joining Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (now called Warner Bros. Games) and broadening Warner Bros.' gaming division.
History
Established in April 1994 under the name CyberSpace, Inc., the company was founded by Jeremy Gaffney, Jonathan Monserrat, Kevin Langevin, and Timothy Miller—some of whom had experience from Brown University's Artificial Intelligence Lab. Initially operating from a modest facility, the firm relocated to Massachusetts to tap into the region’s software engineering expertise. Jonathan Monserrat assumed the role of CEO, promoting innovative employee motivation strategies.
In 1995, the organization adopted the name Turbine Entertainment Software Corp. Its debut title, Asheron's Call, launched in 1999 as the third 3D MMORPG available commercially. The game incorporated an innovative "loyalty" mechanic developed by Monserrat aimed at encouraging cooperative gameplay among users, helping establish Turbine's niche in the MMORPG market.
Turbine followed up with Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings in 2002, although this sequel was discontinued by 2005—a year that also saw the company rebrand itself as Turbine, Inc., signaling a strategic realignment.
Between 2006 and 2007, Turbine expanded its portfolio by releasing Dungeons & Dragons Online: Stormreach and The Lord of the Rings Online: Shadows of Angmar. While Dungeons & Dragons Online initially received criticism for its limited solo play options, The Lord of the Rings Online garnered favorable reviews that enhanced Turbine’s standing in the industry.
Amid a drop in subscriber numbers during 2009, Turbine shifted both Dungeons & Dragons Online and later The Lord of the Rings Online to free-to-play business models by 2010—demonstrating flexibility in adapting revenue strategies to maintain user engagement.
Following its acquisition by Warner Bros., Turbine briefly relaunched Asheron's Call 2 in 2012 but halted development on Infinite Crisis by 2015 due to operational difficulties.
From 2014 through 2016, Warner Bros. implemented successive layoffs at Turbine as it redirected focus toward free-to-play mobile gaming ventures. By late 2016, a new spin-off studio named Standing Stone Games assumed development responsibilities for The Lord of the Rings Online and Dungeons & Dragons Online, while Daybreak Game Company took over publishing duties—reflecting a corporate restructuring intended to optimize management of these properties. Turbine maintained ownership of the Asheron's Call intellectual property until its servers were decommissioned in January 2017.
In November 2018, aligning with its deeper integration into Warner Bros.' global framework and corporate evolution, Turbine was renamed WB Games Boston.
Games Developed
| Year | Title | PC | Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Asheron's Call | Microsoft Windows | — |
| 2002 | Asheron's Call 2: Fallen Kings | Microsoft Windows | — |
| 2006 | Dungeons & Dragons Online | Microsoft Windows, OS X | — |
| 2007 | The Lord of the Rings Online | Microsoft Windows, OS X | — |
| 2015 | Infinite Crisis | Microsoft Windows | — |
| 2016 | Batman: Arkham Underworld | — | Android, iOS |
| 2017 | Game of Thrones: Conquest | — | Android, iOS |