The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has publicly denounced the threats of violence received by the development team following the announcement of the game's closure. Last week, Player First Games revealed that Season 5 would be MultiVersus' final season, with servers shutting down this May, just a year after its relaunch. Offline access to purchased and earned content will remain via local and training modes.
While in-game purchases are discontinued, players can still utilize Gleamium and character tokens until support ends on May 30th. The game will also be delisted from major digital storefronts.
The announcement, coupled with the absence of a refund policy, sparked outrage among players, particularly those who purchased the $100 Founder's Pack, leading to accusations of being "scammed" and a wave of negative reviews on Steam.
Huynh's statement acknowledged the disappointment, expressed gratitude to the team, IP holders, and players, and apologized for the delayed response. He highlighted the team's dedication, creativity, and the community's contributions, while explaining the complexities of character selection. He emphasized the collaborative nature of Player First Games and the team's efforts to listen to player feedback, acknowledging limitations in time and resources.
Crucially, Huynh condemned the threats of harm directed at the team, urging players to show empathy during this difficult time. Angelo Rodriguez Jr., community manager and developer, echoed this sentiment, defending Huynh and highlighting his dedication and efforts to engage with the community.
MultiVersus' failure adds to Warner Bros. Games' recent struggles, following the poor performance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League which, along with MultiVersus, contributed to a significant financial loss for Warner Bros. Discovery ($300 million total). The company's third-quarter 2024 release, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, also underperformed.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav acknowledged the underperformance of their games division and announced a renewed focus on four core franchises: Hogwarts Legacy (with a sequel in development), Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman. Recent releases include the VR title Batman: Arkham Shadow and an upcoming Wonder Woman game. The future of other titles, including Mortal Kombat 1, remains uncertain despite positive sales figures for the latter. Zaslav emphasized a strategic shift towards proven studios and core franchises to improve the success rate of future game releases.
