The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has revealed that developers have received threats of violence following the announcement of the game's closure. Last week, Player First Games announced that Season 5 would be the game's last, with servers shutting down this May, just a year after its relaunch. Offline access to earned and purchased content will remain available via local and training modes. While real-money transactions have ceased, players can still utilize Gleamium and character tokens until support ends on May 30th. The game will also be delisted from major digital storefronts.
Following the announcement, and the lack of a refund policy, many players who purchased the premium Founder's Pack expressed outrage, feeling scammed, particularly those with unused character tokens after unlocking all playable characters. Unsurprisingly, MultiVersus is experiencing negative review-bombing on Steam.
Huynh addressed player concerns and condemned the threats of violence in a tweet:
Hey all, I wanted to say a few words reflecting on the recent MultiVersus news. While saddened by the outcome, I'm grateful for the opportunity from Warner Bros. Games and to every developer on the Player First Games and WB Games teams. Thank you to every IP holder for entrusting us; we hope we honored the characters and their fans. I'm incredibly proud of the PFG team's creativity and passion. And thank you to every player who supported MultiVersus. Delighting players is Player First Games' objective.
I apologize for the delayed response; much has been happening, and my focus has been on the team.
Thank you for the fan art, character ideas, and personal stories. They were daily highlights.
I'm sorry we couldn't include every requested character. Character selection involves development time, community feedback, IP holder approvals, marketing opportunities, and team inspiration. BananaGuard, for example, resulted from team enthusiasm, not at the expense of other characters.
I don't have the power some assume. PFG is collaborative; ideas are encouraged from everyone, prioritizing player value.
We strive to listen and act, though limited by time and resources.
This is painful for everyone at PFG. You're entitled to your opinions, but threats of harm cross a line. This is an extremely sad time for the team. Nobody wanted this outcome.
I hope Season 5 is enjoyed. Please continue supporting platform fighters; these games have positively impacted me, fostering friendships and memories—something we at PFG strived to share. Thank you for making this dream a reality. I don't know what the future holds, but thank you for the honor.
Player First Games' Angelo Rodriguez Jr. defended Huynh, highlighting the unacceptable nature of the threats. He emphasized Huynh's dedication and efforts to engage with the community.
MultiVersus's closure is another high-profile failure for Warner Bros. Games, following Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's disastrous launch. The departure of Warner Bros. Games boss David Haddad followed a troubling year for the company. Warner Bros. Discovery reported that Suicide Squad and MultiVersus contributed to a combined $300 million loss. Their only new release in Q3 2024, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, failed to gain traction.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav acknowledged the games division's underperformance. Suicide Squad's post-launch content has ended. Rocksteady's next project remains unannounced, though they're reportedly assisting with a Hogwarts Legacy director's cut. Layoffs have also occurred at the studio.
Mortal Kombat 1's financial performance is uncertain, though NetherRealm's Ed Boon reported over five million sales and teased future DLC.
Zaslav stated that Warner Bros. is focusing on four core franchises: Hogwarts Legacy (a sequel is in development), Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman (Batman: Arkham Shadow VR was recently released, and a Wonder Woman game is in development). The company aims to improve its success rate by concentrating development efforts on these established franchises with proven studios.
