When “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” was released in February, no one expected it to fail so badly. The game was based on a popular DC property and created by Rocksteady, the same studio behind the hit Batman: Arkham series. With that pedigree, what could go wrong?
A lot, it turns out. Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) is now facing a massive $200 million loss on the game.
The news came out during an earnings call where WBD’s CEO, David Zaslav, described the game’s performance as “disappointing.” Bloomberg then investigated what went wrong behind the scenes of what seemed like a guaranteed hit.
The game, a live-service shooter and looter, was in development for eight years. During that time, the project faced numerous issues, including poor management and a disjointed team that struggled to stay aligned. Many team members even left, frustrated by the lack of clear direction.
Making the game a live-service one didn’t help either. Live-service games are designed to keep players engaged through regular updates, but they also often encourage players to spend real money for in-game rewards, which can be controversial. This approach was very different from how Rocksteady handled their previous games like Batman: Arkham, which didn’t rely on such mechanics.
The result was a major flop, leaving WBD with a $200 million shortfall.
Looking ahead, Rocksteady hopes to bounce back with a director’s cut of “Hogwarts Legacy.” After that, they might return to their roots with a new installment of Batman: Arkham, steering clear of the live-service model.
