Suicide Squad: Layoffs Hit Game Studio

Following the underperformance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Rocksteady Studios has announced further layoffs. These job cuts follow a previous round in September that saw its QA team halved. The latest wave impacts programming and art staff, occurring just before the game's final update.

Rocksteady, renowned for the Batman: Arkham series, faced challenges in 2024 with the release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The game's mixed reception and divisive post-launch DLC ultimately led to the cessation of new content after a final January update.

The game's poor sales, reported by Warner Bros. in February, directly contributed to the initial September layoffs affecting the QA department. Approximately half of the 33-person team was let go.

However, this was not the end of the job losses. Eurogamer reported additional layoffs at the end of 2024, impacting remaining QA staff, programmers, and artists. Several anonymous employees confirmed their dismissals, highlighting the ongoing impact of the game's failure to meet expectations. Warner Bros. remains silent on these recent developments, mirroring their response to the September layoffs.

Further Fallout from Suicide Squad's Underperformance

The repercussions of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's underperformance extend beyond Rocksteady. WB Games Montreal, the studio behind Batman: Arkham Origins and Gotham Knights, also experienced layoffs in December, primarily impacting QA staff who supported Suicide Squad's post-launch content.

The final DLC, released December 10th, introduced Deathstroke as a playable character. While a final update is planned for later this month, Rocksteady's future remains uncertain. The game's underperformance casts a shadow on the studio's otherwise impressive track record of critically acclaimed DC games, underscoring the significant consequences of the live-service title's failure.