The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has publicly condemned the threats of violence directed at the development team following the announcement of the game's closure. Last week, Player First Games revealed that Season 5 would be the game's final season, with servers shutting down this May, just a year after its relaunch. Offline access to purchased and earned content will remain via local and training modes.
While in-game purchases are discontinued, players can still utilize Gleamium and character tokens until support ends on May 30th. The game will also be delisted from major digital stores.
The announcement, coupled with the absence of a refund policy, sparked outrage among players, particularly those who purchased the $100 Founder's Pack, with many expressing feelings of being "scammed." Reports of unused character tokens and negative Steam reviews followed.
Huynh's statement acknowledged the disappointment but expressed gratitude towards Warner Bros. Games, the development team, IP holders, and players. He highlighted the team's creativity and passion, apologized for a delayed response, and thanked players for their support and contributions. He explained the complexities of character selection, citing development time, community feedback, IP approvals, marketing opportunities, and team inspiration as key factors. He used the example of BananaGuard, a character developed due to team enthusiasm, to illustrate this point.
He emphasized the collaborative nature of Player First Games and their commitment to listening to players, while acknowledging limitations in time and resources. However, he strongly condemned the threats of harm, stating that while players are entitled to their opinions, threats crossed a line and caused significant distress to the team. He urged players to show empathy during this difficult time.
Angelo Rodriguez Jr., community manager and developer, echoed Huynh's sentiments, defending him against the personal attacks and highlighting his dedication and commitment to the game and the community. He emphasized that threats of violence were unacceptable.
MultiVersus's closure represents another significant setback for Warner Bros. Games, following the poor performance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League last year. Warner Bros. Discovery reported that these two titles contributed to a combined $300 million loss. The company's third-quarter 2024 release, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, also failed to meet expectations.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav acknowledged the underperformance of its games division and announced a renewed focus on four core franchises: Hogwarts Legacy (with a sequel in development), Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman. Recent releases include the VR title Batman: Arkham Shadow and an upcoming Wonder Woman game. Zaslav emphasized a strategy of focusing development efforts on proven franchises and studios to improve success rates. While Mortal Kombat 1's financial performance remains uncertain, NetherRealm Studios reported over five million sales and teased future DLC.
