Bronfman To Video Game Makers: “F U, Pay WMG”
During Warner Music Group’s earnings call today, chairman and CEO Edgar Bronfman darkened the bright mood set by his company’s narrower-than-expected quarterly loss when he poured cold water on the future of his company’s music existing on video games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band. He sniped that the companies behind those participation-heavy enterprises paying out what he called “a very paltry licensing fee per song,” and continued: “I think the industry as a whole needs to take a very different look at this business and participate more fully and in a much more partnership way,” he said. “And if that does not become the case, as far as Warner Music is concerned, we will not license to those games.” Could Bronfman be turning into the Doug Morris of the video-game world, strong-arming game makers into giving his empire large sums of cash? And if the video game companies balk, what will happen to that long-rumored Metallica-centric edition of Guitar Hero? [AP via Forbes]
