Warner Bros. Games is closing three studios – Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB San Diego – and canceling its planned Wonder Woman game, according to a report by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier. This strategic shift prioritizes development of titles based on key franchises: Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones.
WB confirmed the closures in a statement, emphasizing that the decision isn't a reflection on the talent within the affected studios. The Wonder Woman game's cancellation stems from a strategic reassessment, aiming to deliver only the highest-quality experiences for its iconic characters. The company expressed gratitude for the contributions of all employees involved. The statement concluded with a focus on returning to profitability and growth by 2025.
This news follows earlier reports of difficulties surrounding the Wonder Woman game, including reboots and director changes in early 2024. These challenges coincided with broader struggles within WB Games, including layoffs at Rocksteady, the mixed reception of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and the closure of MultiVersus. The recent departure of long-time games head David Haddad and rumors of a potential sale further underscore the division's restructuring.
The closures significantly impact WB's DC universe gaming efforts, particularly considering James Gunn and Peter Safran's recent announcement that the first DCU video game is still a couple of years away.
The industry loses three established studios with significant legacies. Monolith Productions, founded in 1994 and acquired by WB in 2004, is renowned for its Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War games, pioneering the Nemesis system, which WB patented in 2021. Player First Games (2019), creator of MultiVersus, achieved critical acclaim and initial success but fell short of expectations. WB San Diego (2019), focused on mobile and free-to-play games, also faces closure.
These shutdowns reflect a broader trend in the games industry. The past three years have seen significant layoffs, project cancellations, and studio closures. While precise figures for 2025 are less readily available, the trend of job losses continues, building on the estimated 10,000+ layoffs in 2023 and 14,000+ in 2024.
