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 the studio's struggles. This latest round of job cuts, impacting programming and art teams, comes shortly after a significant reduction in the QA department in September, reportedly halving its size.

The financial impact of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was substantial for both Rocksteady and its parent company, WB Games. Warner Bros. confirmed in February that the game fell short of sales expectations. The initial September layoffs, affecting approximately half of the QA team, were a direct consequence of this underperformance.

Eurogamer recently reported on the additional job losses at the end of 2024, affecting remaining QA staff, programmers, and artists. Several anonymous employees confirmed their dismissals, highlighting the ongoing challenges facing the studio. Warner Bros. has yet to publicly comment on these recent layoffs, mirroring its silence following the September cuts.

Ripple Effect Across WB Games

Rocksteady isn't alone in feeling the repercussions of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's underperformance. WB Games Montreal, the studio behind Batman: Arkham Origins and Gotham Knights, also announced layoffs in December, primarily affecting QA staff who supported Rocksteady with the game's post-launch DLC.

The final DLC, released December 10th, introduced Deathstroke as a playable character. While Rocksteady plans one last update for Suicide Squad later this month, the studio's future plans remain unclear. The game's underperformance casts a shadow on Rocksteady's otherwise impressive track record, leaving a significant impact in the form of substantial layoffs.