Warner Bros. Games is closing three studios—Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB Games San Diego—and canceling its planned Wonder Woman game, according to a report by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier. This strategic shift focuses development on key franchises like Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones.
WB confirmed the closures in a statement, emphasizing that this decision isn't a reflection on the talent within the affected studios. The Wonder Woman game's cancellation, while disappointing, reflects a prioritization of delivering high-quality experiences within their strategic goals. The company expressed gratitude for the teams' contributions and reiterated its commitment to returning to profitability and growth by 2025.
This news follows earlier reports indicating difficulties with the Wonder Woman game, including reboots and director changes in early 2024. These challenges coincide 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 represent a significant setback for WB's DC universe gaming ambitions, especially 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. 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, the former pioneering the acclaimed Nemesis system. Player First Games, established in 2019, developed MultiVersus, a critically acclaimed title that, despite initial success, fell short of expectations. WB Games San Diego, also founded in 2019, focused on mobile, free-to-play games.
These closures are part of a larger trend in the games industry, marked by layoffs, project cancellations, and studio shutdowns. While 2023 and 2024 saw significant job losses (over 10,000 and 14,000 respectively), the exact figures for 2025 remain less clear due to reduced reporting.
