Paramount and Warner Bros. Games Are Merging: What It Means for TV and Streaming Viewers
The short answer: Paramount closed its purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery on October 6, 2026, and the combined company, now named Skydance, is merging the two sides' game makers. Warner Bros. Games' in-house studios are joining Paramount Games Studio in one games and experiences unit led by Tony Driscoll. That one team now oversees games built on Harry Potter, Batman and DC, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, Star Trek, SpongeBob, South Park, Avatar: The Last Airbender and more.
What it means for viewers right now: nothing changes on your TV. The announcement came with no new shows or movies, no new app and no price or channel changes. What it does change is ownership. The studios that make these games now belong to the same company as HBO, HBO Max, Paramount+, CBS, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon. The table below lists each franchise, the studio or game tied to it in the new unit, and where to watch its shows and movies as of October 7, 2026.
Franchises in the new games unit and where to watch them
Where-to-watch details were checked against HBO Max and Paramount+ title pages on October 7, 2026.
| Franchise | Studio or game in the new unit | Where to watch the shows and movies | On DIRECTV |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry Potter | Avalanche Software (Hogwarts Legacy) | HBO's series Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone debuts Christmas 2026 on HBO and streams on HBO Max | HBO channels (501 and up) with HBO Max |
| Mortal Kombat | NetherRealm Studios | Mortal Kombat II (2026) on HBO Max since July 24, 2026 | HBO Max on DIRECTV |
| Batman and DC | Rocksteady Studios (Batman: Arkham games) | The Batman (2022) and The Penguin on HBO Max | HBO channels (501 and up) with HBO Max |
| Game of Thrones | Part of the unit's franchise lineup (no game named in the announcement) | Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon on HBO Max | HBO channels (501 and up) with HBO Max |
| Star Trek | Paramount Games Studio: Star Trek: Shadow Frontier | Star Trek: Strange New Worlds and Star Trek: Starfleet Academy on Paramount+ | Paramount+ app |
| Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles | Paramount Games Studio: TMNT: The Last Ronin, with Platinum Games | Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles on Paramount+ | Paramount+ app |
| Avatar: The Last Airbender | Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, with Nickelodeon and outside partners | The animated Avatar: The Last Airbender on Paramount+ | Paramount+ app |
| South Park | Part of the unit's franchise lineup (no game named in the announcement) | Paramount+ | Comedy Central (249) |
| SpongeBob SquarePants | Part of the unit's franchise lineup (no game named in the announcement) | Paramount+ | Nickelodeon (299) |
Skydance also listed Mission: Impossible, The Godfather, The Matrix and Rick and Morty among the franchises the combined team will work with. The announcement didn't name new games for them.
Not sure which of these channels and apps your plan already includes? Call American TV at 1-855-690-9884 and we'll check your DIRECTV package.
What exactly was announced
On Tuesday, October 6, Skydance president Andy Gordon told staff in a memo, reported by Variety, that Paramount's and Warner Bros. Discovery's games and experiences divisions will become one team. Here's what's in it:
- From Warner Bros. Games: the in-house developers Avalanche Software (Hogwarts Legacy), NetherRealm Studios (Mortal Kombat), Rocksteady Studios (the Batman: Arkham games), TT Games (the LEGO games), WB Games Montréal and WB Games Boston.
- From Paramount: Paramount Games Studio, which launched on June 5, 2026 at Summer Game Fest. It already combines Skydance's game teams with Paramount's franchises, and its slate includes TMNT: The Last Ronin, Star Trek: Shadow Frontier and Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game.
- Who runs it: Tony Driscoll, Skydance's president of games and experiences, who also leads corporate strategy and development. The experiences side includes theme parks, resorts, restaurants, retail and studio tours.
Gordon called games, experiences, consumer products and publishing "core pillars" of the company's strategy. "We want to meet consumers where they watch, play, and engage," he wrote.
For the bigger picture on CBS, CNN, TNT, HBO and Paramount+ after the deal, see our explainer on what the Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger means for TV customers.
Why it matters if you watch more than you play
Games and screen adaptations now sit under one owner. The studio behind Hogwarts Legacy belongs to the same company that is releasing HBO's Harry Potter series. NetherRealm, which makes the Mortal Kombat games, shares an owner with the studio that made the Mortal Kombat movies. Rocksteady's Batman games now sit alongside The Batman and The Penguin.
Both studios had already turned games into movies before the merger:
- Warner Bros.: The 2021 Mortal Kombat movie opened in theaters and on HBO Max on the same day. Mortal Kombat II followed in theaters in May 2026 and moved to HBO Max on July 24.
- Paramount: Paramount turned Sonic the Hedgehog into a film franchise, and its live-action Call of Duty movie with Activision is set for theaters on June 30, 2028. Sonic and Call of Duty games come from Sega and Activision, so they aren't part of this unit.
What hasn't been announced: new film or TV adaptations, game features inside HBO Max or Paramount+, or any change to how you subscribe or watch. Treat anything beyond what's above as speculation for now.
What to do now
- Want HBO's Harry Potter series at Christmas? You'll need HBO or HBO Max. On DIRECTV, HBO Max Standard comes with the Signature PREMIER package and can be added to other packages. Here's how HBO Max works on DIRECTV.
- Star Trek, TMNT or Avatar fans: those shows stream in the Paramount+ app. See why Paramount+ may not show up on DIRECTV.
- South Park and SpongeBob on live TV: look for Comedy Central (249) and Nickelodeon (299) in your DIRECTV guide.
- Paying for both HBO Max and Paramount+? Skydance plans to combine the two apps later, but this games news doesn't change either one. We explain what that could mean in whether you'll need both subscriptions when the apps merge.
Want HBO, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon in one guide with one bill? Call American TV at 1-855-690-9884 to compare DIRECTV packages at your address.
Frequently asked questions
Does the games merger change HBO Max, Paramount+ or my DIRECTV channels?
No. The October 2026 announcement reorganizes the companies' video game studios. It did not change any streaming app, price, channel number or channel lineup.
Which game studios are in the new Paramount and Warner Bros. games unit?
Paramount Games Studio, which already includes Skydance's game teams, is combining with Warner Bros. Games' in-house developers: Avalanche Software, NetherRealm Studios, Rocksteady Studios, TT Games, WB Games Montréal and WB Games Boston. Tony Driscoll leads the unit as president of games and experiences.
Will there be new TV shows or movies based on these games?
None were announced with the merger. The shows and movies listed on this page already exist or were announced earlier, such as HBO's Harry Potter series, which debuts at Christmas 2026.
Where can I watch Mortal Kombat II?
Mortal Kombat II has streamed on HBO Max since July 24, 2026, and it debuted on HBO's TV channel on July 25. DIRECTV customers with HBO Max can watch it there.
Questions about adding HBO Max or lining up live TV with streaming apps? Call American TV at 1-855-690-9884.
Details reviewed October 7, 2026 (ET). Based on Skydance's October 6, 2026 closing announcement, Skydance staff memos reported by Variety, GameSpot's October 7 report, and official HBO Max, Paramount+ and DIRECTV pages. Streaming availability and channel numbers can change. Skydance, Paramount, Warner Bros., HBO, HBO Max, Paramount+, DIRECTV and related marks belong to their respective owners. American TV is an independent dealer and resource site.