Suicide Squad: Studio Reports Downsizing

Rocksteady Faces Further Layoffs Following Suicide Squad's Underwhelming Performance

Rocksteady Studios, renowned for the acclaimed Batman: Arkham series, has announced another wave of layoffs, following the disappointing sales of its latest title, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The game's mixed reception and divisive post-launch content led to significant financial setbacks for both Rocksteady and its parent company, WB Games.

The studio's struggles began earlier in 2024, when Suicide Squad fell short of sales projections. This initially resulted in substantial cuts to the QA department in September, reducing its staff by approximately half.

Unfortunately, these cuts weren't isolated. Recent reports indicate further layoffs affecting Rocksteady's programming and art teams, occurring near the end of 2024, just before the game's final update. Multiple anonymous sources confirmed their termination to Eurogamer, highlighting the impact of the game's underperformance on the studio's workforce. Warner Bros. has yet to publicly address these recent job losses, mirroring their silence regarding the September layoffs.

Rocksteady's Layoffs Ripple Through WB Games

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

The final DLC for Suicide Squad, released December 10th, introduced Deathstroke as a playable character. While one last update is planned for later this month, the future of Rocksteady remains uncertain following the game's conclusion. The project appears to have cast a shadow on the studio's impressive track record, leaving a trail of job losses in its wake.