WarnerBros.Discovery'ssuddenremovalofseveralCartoonNetworkandAdultSwimgamesfromdigitalstorefrontshassparkedsignificantfanbacklash.Thedelistings,affectingtitleslikeStevenUniverse:SavetheLightandSamuraiJack:BattleThroughTime,occurredwithoutexplanation.Gamersarenowunabletolegallypurchasethesepopulartitles.
ThisactionisconsistentwithWarnerBros.Discovery'srecentcost-cuttingmeasures,whichhaveincludedshelvingfilmsandremovingcontentfromstreamingservices.AsimilarincidentinMarch2024sawthethreateneddelistingofseveralAdultSwimgames,someofwhichwereultimatelysparedduetopublicpressure.However,thislatestwaveofremovals,affectingatleastsixgames,hasleftfansfrustratedanddisappointed.
Thedelistings,notedbyWario64onTwitter,involvedarangeoftitlesacrossvariousplatforms,includingSteamandtheNintendoeShop.AllaffectedgamesdisplayedamessageindicatingtheirremovalfromsaleafterDecember23rd,2024.Theremovedtitlesinclude:
<DelistedCartoonNetwork&AdultSwimGames:
<
<- AdventureTime:FinnandJake'sEpicQuest
<
- AdventureTime:MagicMan'sHeadGames
<
- OKK.O.!Let'sPlayHeroes
<
- SamuraiJack:BattleThroughTime
<
- StevenUniverse:SavetheLight
<
- StevenUniverse:UnleashtheLight
WhilesomeCartoonNetworkGamesremainavailable(e.g.,CartoonNetworkJourneysVR),thelackofcommunicationfromWarnerBros.Discovery,CartoonNetworkGames,andAdultSwimGamesregardingthereasonsforthesedelistingshasfueledfananger.TheremovalofSamuraiJack:BattleThroughTimeisparticularlycontroversial,asitcontainedcanonicalcontentcrucialtotheshow'snarrative.
Theoldestgameaffected,AdventureTime:FinnandJake'sEpicQuest,debutedinApril2014.Othertitles,suchasStevenUniverse:SavetheLightandOKK.O.!Let'sPlayHeroes,werereleasedin2018,whileStevenUniverse:UnleashtheLightlaunchedin2021.Thisincidenthighlightstheongoingconcernssurroundingthepreservationofdigitalgamesandtheimpactofcorporatedecisionsonfansandgamers.
