Summary
After the disappointing sales ofSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the CEO and president of games atWarner Bros.has revealed that the studio is changing its approach to gaming. Instead of focusing on making more games likeHogwarts Legacy, it is going to be focusing its resources on live-service, free-to-play, and mobile experiences. While this shift makes some sense as those types of games have been doing very well, it may not end like howWarner Bros.wants it to.
As more and more studios focus on live-service games thanks tothe success of titles likeFortnite, players have become increasingly burnt out by the idea. Now, whenever a new live-service title gets announced, it is often met with much controversy across social media. On top of that, many of these titles have been forced to shut down and Warner Bros. has struggled to even get one successful title off the ground. So, even if it successfully captures that audience, this entire approach may still hurt the studio in the long run.
Warner Bros' Gaming Shift Could Have Some Major Ramifications
Perhaps one of the biggest signs that this new approach might not work is the fact that Warner Bros. has not had great success in the market so far. While it has done well in the mobile market with titles likeHarry Potter: Magic Awakened, its multiplayer live-service titles have fallen flat with audiences.Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguewas supposed to be a massive new DC adventure, but it didn’t quite make a splash. Additionally,MultiVersuswas taken offlineto prepare for a relaunch, but its player count was also dropping dramatically. Outside of that, the studio has also injected some live-service features into games likeGotham KnightsandMortal Kombat 1with mixed results.
At the same time, Warner Bros. recently hadmassive success in the single-player market withHogwarts Legacy. That game had no multiplayer features or live-service mechanics, yet it went on to make over $1 billion. Along with that, the studio has also had great success with theLEGOfranchise, which has not delved into the world of live-service titles yet. And franchises such asHitmanhave had similar success without those controversial mechanics. Yet even with that success, the studio still wants to pivot to an entirely different type of game.
Players Have Become Increasingly Critical of the Entire Concept
Not only does it seem like Warner Bros. has not had great luck bringing its iconic IPs to the live-service space, but the genre has also become shrouded in controversy these last couple of years. Gamers have become increasingly burnt out from these games that require them to devote so much of their time. Additionally, the state of microtransactions, battle passes, and price of admission have also been scrutinized.As more live-service games launch, it seems like even more of the genre’s faults are put on full display.
There are also just too many live-service games out there vying for players' attention. Unless the game truly offers something different, it will often just come and go with a whimper. Many of these titles are forced to shut down shortly after release because no one is interested in them. And since they are often built around years of post-launch content, they tend to die before their potential can even be realized.
Warner Bros.' decision to change coursetowards more of these types of games just sounds like an extremely risky endeavor. As more players turn their backs on the genre, it feels like a bad time to join it. Additionally, the studio has yet to prove that it is capable of releasing a stellar live-service experience. So, if it is unable to rectify that, then this entire approach may be dead before it even begins.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
WHERE TO PLAY
Play as the Suicide Squad to take down the World’s Greatest DC Super Heroes, The Justice League. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, is a genre-defying, action-adventure third-person shooter from Rocksteady Studios, creators of the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham series.
