Following the underperformance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Rocksteady Studios has experienced further layoffs. The game's disappointing sales initially resulted in a 50% reduction of the QA team in September. Recent layoffs have now impacted Rocksteady's programming and art departments, occurring shortly before the game's final update.
Rocksteady, renowned for the Batman: Arkham series, faced challenges in 2024 with the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The game received a mixed reception, and post-launch DLC further fueled controversy. Consequently, Rocksteady announced the cessation of new content after a final January update.
Both Rocksteady and its parent company, WB Games, incurred significant losses due to the game's failure to meet sales projections, as reported by Warner Bros. in February. The subsequent layoffs in the QA department, reducing staff from 33 to 15, were a direct consequence.
Eurogamer recently reported additional layoffs at the end of 2024, affecting remaining QA personnel, programmers, and artists. Several anonymous employees confirmed their dismissals, citing concerns about their future prospects. Warner Bros. remains silent on these layoffs, mirroring their response to the September cuts.
Further Fallout from Suicide Squad's Underperformance
Rocksteady isn't alone in experiencing the repercussions of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's poor performance. WB Games Montreal, the studio behind Batman: Arkham Origins and Gotham Knights, also conducted layoffs in December, primarily impacting QA staff who supported Suicide Squad's post-launch DLC.
The final DLC, released December 10th, introduced Deathstroke as the fourth playable character. While Rocksteady plans one last update later this month, the studio's future plans remain uncertain. The game's underperformance casts a shadow on Rocksteady's impressive track record of successful DC-themed games, highlighting the significant impact of the live service title's failure.
