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.
The studio's struggles began earlier in 2024 when Suicide Squad failed to meet sales expectations, as reported by Warner Bros. in February. This initially resulted in significant layoffs within the QA department, reducing its staff by approximately half.
However, the situation worsened as the year concluded. Eurogamer recently reported additional job losses impacting not only QA, but also members of Rocksteady's programming and art teams. Several affected employees, speaking anonymously to protect their prospects, confirmed these recent cuts. Warner Bros. remains silent on these developments, mirroring its response to the September layoffs.
Layoffs Extend Beyond Rocksteady
The impact of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's underperformance isn't limited to Rocksteady. WB Games Montreal, the studio behind Batman: Arkham Origins and Gotham Knights, also announced layoffs in December, primarily affecting quality assurance staff who contributed to Suicide Squad'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 remains uncertain. The game's underperformance casts a shadow on Rocksteady's impressive track record, highlighting the challenges of live-service titles.
