The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has revealed that developers have received threats of harm following the announcement of the game's closure. Last week, Player First Games announced that Season 5 would be the game's last, with servers shutting down this May, just a year after its relaunch. Offline access to purchased and earned content will remain available via local and training modes. While real-money transactions have ceased, players can still utilize Gleamium and character tokens until support ends on May 30th. The game will also be delisted from major digital stores.
Following the announcement—and the lack of a refund policy—many players, particularly those who purchased the $100 Founder's Pack, expressed anger, with some claiming to feel "scammed." Online reports detail numerous disgruntled customers with unusable character tokens after unlocking all playable characters. Unsurprisingly, MultiVersus is experiencing review bombing on Steam.
Huynh addressed player concerns and condemned the threats of violence in a tweet:
Hey all, I wanted to say a few words reflecting on the recent MultiVersus news. While saddened by the outcome, I'm eternally grateful for the opportunity from Warner Bros. Games and every developer at Player First Games and WB Games. Thank you to all IP holders for entrusting us; we hope we honored your characters authentically. I'm incredibly proud of the PFG team; their creativity and passion were inspiring. And thank you to every player who played or supported MultiVersus. Delighting players is Player First Games' objective.
I apologize for the delayed response; much has been happening, and my focus has been on the team.
Thank you for the fan art, character ideas, and personal stories—they were daily highlights.
I'm sorry we couldn't include every favorite character. Aquaman and Lola are cool; I hope you check them out. Character selection involves development time, community feedback, IP holder approvals, cross-marketing opportunities, and team inspiration.
BananaGuard, for example, emerged from team enthusiasm—a fun, quick project. It wasn't at another character's expense; it was driven by excitement.
I don't have the power some believe. PFG is collaborative; ideas are encouraged, and we prioritize player value.
We try to listen and act, but time and resources are limited.
This is painful for everyone, including PFG. You're entitled to your opinions, but threats of harm are unacceptable. Please understand this is an incredibly difficult time for the team. No one wanted this outcome; it wasn't due to lack of care or effort.
I hope you enjoy Season 5. Please continue supporting platform fighters and fighting games; they've positively impacted me, fostering friendships and memories—something we strived to share with you. We hope MVS brought you joy and friendships.
Thank you for making this dream a reality, even if shorter than hoped. I don't know what the future holds, but thank you. It's been an honor working with PFG to serve our community.
Player First Games' community manager, Angelo Rodriguez Jr., defended Huynh on X/Twitter, stating that threats of harm are unacceptable. He highlighted Huynh's dedication and efforts to engage with the community.
MultiVersus's failure is another high-profile setback for Warner Bros. Games, following Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's disastrous launch. Last month saw the departure of Warner Bros. Games boss David Haddad after a challenging year. Warner Bros. Discovery stated that Suicide Squad's failure resulted in a $200 million loss, with MultiVersus adding another $100 million. Their only new Q3 2024 release, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, failed to gain traction.
Warner Bros. Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav acknowledged the games division's underperformance. Suicide Squad's post-launch content has ended, and Rocksteady's next project remains unannounced, though they're reportedly assisting with a Hogwarts Legacy director's cut. Rocksteady has also experienced layoffs.
Mortal Kombat 1's financial performance is uncertain, although NetherRealm's Ed Boon reported over five million sales and teased future DLC.
Zaslav stated that Warner Bros. is focusing on four core franchises: Hogwarts Legacy (a sequel is in development), Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman (Batman: Arkham Shadow VR released on Meta Quest 3, and a Wonder Woman game is in development). Zaslav emphasized focusing development on core franchises with proven studios to improve success rates.
