Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav’s Disappointment with Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Release
During Warner Bros. Discovery’s Q1 financial results call, CEO David Zaslav expressed his disappointment with the release of Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League. According to IGN, the company saw a significant decline in games revenue compared to the previous year.
Suicide Squad vs. Hogwarts Legacy
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League was facing an uphill battle from the start in terms of performance, especially when compared to the success of Hogwarts Legacy last year. Hogwarts Legacy was the top-selling game of 2023, marking the first time a non-Call of Duty game claimed that position in years. Despite being developed by Rocksteady Studios, known for the acclaimed Batman: Arkham series, Suicide Squad failed to meet expectations as both critics and players have pointed out. Check out Game Informer’s review of Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League for an in-depth analysis.
Financial Impact
Chief Financial Officer Gunnar Wiedenfels acknowledged the financial impact of the disappointing Suicide Squad release. He highlighted a $400 million year-over-year decline in the first quarter, attributing it to strong competition from last year’s success with Hogwarts Legacy. The underperformance of Suicide Squad led to a $200 million EBITDA impact in the first quarter.
Concerns for Rocksteady
Given the current landscape of the games industry, concerns are raised about the future of Rocksteady Studios post-Suicide Squad. With studio closures and layoffs affecting thousands of employees in the industry this year, the possibility of job cuts at Rocksteady looms. Let’s hope for the best for the talented team at Rocksteady.
For more insights on Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, don’t miss Game Informer’s spoiler-filled breakdown and discover the Joker’s debut as a playable character.
[Source: IGN]
Are you still playing Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League? Share your thoughts in the comments below!