Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Studio Reports More Layoffs

Rocksteady Faces Further Layoffs Following Suicide Squad's Underperformance

Rocksteady Studios, renowned for the acclaimed Batman: Arkham series, has experienced another wave of layoffs, following the disappointing performance of its latest title, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The game's mixed reception and subsequent divisive post-launch content led to this latest round of job cuts, impacting programming, art, and QA teams.

The studio's struggles began earlier in 2024, when Suicide Squad failed to meet sales expectations, as reported by Warner Bros. in February. This initial setback resulted in a significant reduction of the QA department in September, with approximately half of its staff being laid off.

Recent reports from Eurogamer indicate that further job losses occurred at the end of 2024, affecting additional QA personnel, programmers, and artists. Several affected employees, choosing anonymity to protect their future prospects, confirmed the layoffs to Eurogamer. Warner Bros. has yet to publicly address these recent cuts, mirroring their silence following the September layoffs.

Ripple Effect Across WB Games

The impact of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's underperformance extends beyond Rocksteady. WB Games Montreal, the studio behind Batman: Arkham Origins and Gotham Knights, also announced layoffs in December, primarily affecting QA staff who supported Rocksteady's post-launch DLC development for Suicide Squad.

The final DLC, released on December 10th, introduced Deathstroke as a playable character. While Rocksteady plans one last update for Suicide Squad later this month, the studio's future remains uncertain. The game's underperformance casts a shadow over Rocksteady's otherwise impressive track record of successful DC-themed video games, highlighting the challenges and risks associated with live-service titles.