Warner Bros. Games is closing three studios—Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB Games San Diego—and canceling the planned Wonder Woman game, according to Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier. This news, initially shared on Bluesky, was subsequently confirmed by WB Games in a statement to Kotaku.
The statement cited a strategic shift focusing development on key franchises like Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones. While acknowledging the talent and contributions of the affected teams, WB Games explained the Wonder Woman game's cancellation as a result of its inability to meet the company's strategic priorities for delivering a high-quality experience.
This decision follows earlier reports of setbacks for the Wonder Woman game, including reboots and director changes in early 2024, and comes amidst broader challenges for WB Games. These challenges include previous layoffs at Rocksteady, the mixed reception of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the closure of MultiVersus, and the recent departure of long-time games head David Haddad, fueling speculation of a potential sale of the division.
The closures represent a significant blow to 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 with significant legacies. Monolith Productions, founded in 1994 and acquired by WB in 2004, is renowned for the Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor series and its innovative Nemesis system, patented by WB in 2021. Player First Games, established in 2019, developed MultiVersus, a critically acclaimed title that, despite initial success, didn't meet WB's expectations. WB Games San Diego, also founded in 2019, focused on mobile, free-to-play games.
These closures are part of a broader trend in the games industry. The past three years have witnessed a significant rise in layoffs, project cancellations, and studio closures. While precise figures for 2025 are less readily available, the pattern of job losses and studio shutdowns continues a concerning trend that saw over 10,000 game developer layoffs in 2023 and over 14,000 in 2024.
