Warner Bros. is canceling its planned Wonder Woman game and closing three studios: Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB San Diego. Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier broke the news on Bluesky, later confirmed by WB in a statement to Kotaku. The statement cited a strategic shift focusing on key franchises like Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones. While acknowledging the talent and contributions of the affected teams, WB stated the Wonder Woman game's development wouldn't continue due to strategic priorities.
Earlier this year, reports suggested the Wonder Woman game was facing difficulties following a reboot and director change in early 2024. This followed broader challenges within WB Games, including layoffs at Rocksteady, the mixed reception of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and the closure of MultiVersus. Recent restructuring included the departure of long-time games head David Haddad and rumors of a potential sale of the division.
This decision significantly impacts WB's DC universe gaming efforts, especially considering James Gunn and Peter Safran's recent announcement that the first DCU video game is still a couple of years away.
The closures represent a major loss for the games industry. Monolith Productions, founded in 1994 and acquired by WB in 2004, is known for the Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor series and its innovative Nemesis system (patented by WB in 2021). Player First Games (established 2019) developed MultiVersus, which, despite initial success, didn't meet expectations. WB San Diego (also established 2019) focused on mobile, free-to-play games.
These shutdowns continue a troubling trend of layoffs, cancellations, and studio closures in the games industry. While 2023 and 2024 saw significant job losses (over 10,000 and 14,000 respectively), precise figures for 2025 are less clear due to reduced reporting.
