Warner Bros. Discovery faced a significant financial hit with the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, a looter shooter that launched in February. The company reported a $200 million loss, and a recent Bloomberg report sheds light on the numerous challenges faced during the game's development.
What went wrong with this promising game?
Loopholes in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's Development
In 2016, Rocksteady Studios, renowned for their single-player action-adventure titles like Batman: Arkham Knight, was assigned to develop the Suicide Squad game. However, the transition to creating a multiplayer game was far from smooth.
Many new employees were initially unaware of the project's multiplayer nature, leading to high turnover as team members left due to the studio's inexperience with the genre.
On top of that, the game's development was plagued by shifting visions from Rocksteady's leadership. Initially focusing on melee combat, the direction shifted to emphasize heavy gunplay, causing further turmoil.
The studio grappled with making battles, levels, and bosses engaging and less repetitive-a critical aspect for live-service games that require players to frequently revisit game content. It's a mess inside the gaming division.
Moreover, Rocksteady struggled with the complexity of designing an expansive map and four unique playable characters, a stark departure from their previous single-player projects. This lack of experience contributed to numerous development setbacks and delays.
Leadership Changes and Continued Setbacks
Adding to the instability, Rocksteady co-founders Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker departed the studio in 2022 to pursue new ventures. These leadership changes and ongoing challenges delayed the game's release until this year.
During a company earnings call in May, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav labeled the game's release as "disappointing," acknowledging the $200 million loss. They thought it would make a ton of money despite a myriad of issues mentioned earlier.
Gaming Industry Under Financial Pressure
The gaming industry is under increasing financial pressure, with studios facing widespread layoffs and shifting strategies to maintain revenue. Many major studios have turned to live-service games, aiming for a continuous income stream. However, in Warner Bros. Discovery's case, this approach did not yield the desired results.
Future Directions for Rocksteady
Following the disappointing release, Rocksteady is reportedly changing its focus. The studio is working on a director's cut of Hogwarts Legacy and may return to developing single-player games, a domain where it has previously excelled.
The troubled launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a common scenario in the gaming sector. The financial loss is here to stay although it's avoidable to happen if there's proper planning for everything.
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