Matt HillUnfortunately, studio closures and layoffs seem to happen more frequently than any of us would like. The latest in this long line has been confirmed by the publisher Warner Bros.
A statement was released through Kotaku.
We have had to make some very difficult decisions to structure our development studios and investments around building the best games possible with our key franchises -– Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC and Game of Thrones. After careful consideration, we are closing three of our development studios – Monolith Productions, Player First Games and Warner Bros. Games San Diego. This is a strategic change in direction and not a reflection of these teams or the talent that consists within them.
The development of Monolith’s Wonder Woman videogame will not move forward. Our hope was to give players and fans the highest quality experience possible for the iconic character, and unfortunately this is no longer possible within our strategic priorities. This is another tough decision, as we recognize Monolith’s storied history of delivering epic fan experiences through amazing games. We greatly admire the passion of the three teams and thank every employee for their contributions. As difficult as today is, we remain focused on and excited about getting back to producing high-quality games for our passionate fans and developed by our world class studios and getting our Games business back to profitability and growth in 2025 and beyond.
Monolith Productions, best known for their work on the Middle-earth duology and F.E.A.R was one of the surprising announcements given the success of their previous games and patented nemesis system. Alongside the closure, Warner Bros also confirmed that the eagerly anticipated Wonder Woman game has also been canceled.
On top of Monolith Productions, Player First Games, who brought us the brawler MultiVersus and Warner Bros. Games San Diego join the aforementioned studio in the publisher’s 2025 planned reshuffle. Fans of MultiVersus were already bracing themselves for the game shutting down on May 30, following the end of Season 5, but the closing of the studio marks another sad piece of news for gamers.
Are you sad or surprised by Warner Bros’ recent actions? Let us know in the comments below.
