Rocksteady Faces Further Layoffs Following Suicide Squad's Underperformance
Rocksteady Studios, renowned for the acclaimed Batman: Arkham series, has experienced another wave of layoffs, adding to the difficulties faced following the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The game's mixed reception and disappointing sales, reported by Warner Bros. in February, initially resulted in a significant reduction of the QA team in September – approximately half of its staff.
This latest round of job cuts, reported by Eurogamer, extends beyond QA, impacting Rocksteady's programming and art departments. Several affected employees, speaking anonymously, confirmed their recent dismissal. Warner Bros. remains silent on the matter, mirroring their response to the September layoffs.
The financial strain of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is evident, impacting not only Rocksteady but also WB Games Montreal. WB Games Montreal, responsible for Batman: Arkham Origins and Gotham Knights, also announced layoffs in December, largely affecting QA staff who supported Rocksteady's post-launch DLC for Suicide Squad.
The final DLC, released December 10th, introduced Deathstroke as a playable character. While a final update is slated for later this month, the future of Rocksteady remains uncertain following the conclusion of support for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The game's underperformance casts a shadow on Rocksteady's impressive track record, highlighting the challenges of live-service titles.
