The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has publicly condemned the threats of violence directed at 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, Gleamium and character tokens can still be used until May 30th, after which the game will 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, with many expressing feelings of being "scammed," especially those with unused character tokens. Consequently, MultiVersus is experiencing negative review-bombing on Steam.
Huynh's statement acknowledges the disappointment but expresses gratitude towards Warner Bros. Games, the development team, IP holders, and players. He apologizes for the delayed response, citing the intense focus on the team and game's closure. He highlights the team's dedication, creativity, and the joy derived from fan engagement. He explains the complexities of character selection, emphasizing factors like development time, community feedback, IP approvals, marketing opportunities, and team inspiration, using BananaGuard as an example of a character born from internal enthusiasm.
He clarifies his limited authority within the collaborative team and reiterates their commitment to player value. While acknowledging the pain surrounding the game's closure, he strongly condemns the threats of harm against the team, urging players to show empathy during this difficult time. He hopes players will enjoy the remaining Season 5 and continue supporting other platform fighters.
Player First Games' community manager, Angelo Rodriguez Jr., also defended Huynh, highlighting his dedication and commitment to the community, emphasizing that threats of violence are unacceptable.
MultiVersus' failure adds to Warner Bros. Games' recent struggles, following the poor reception of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which, along with MultiVersus, contributed to a significant financial loss for Warner Bros. Discovery, totaling $300 million. 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 (especially Batman), emphasizing proven studios and core franchises to improve success rates. Recent releases include Batman: Arkham Shadow for Meta Quest 3 and an upcoming Wonder Woman game.
