Warner Bros. has announced the cancellation of its eagerly anticipated Wonder Woman game and the closure of three of its studios: Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB San Diego. This news, first reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier on Bluesky and later detailed in a full report, was swiftly confirmed by Warner Bros. in a statement to Kotaku.
In their statement, Warner Bros. explained the decision as a strategic move to focus their resources on key franchises such as Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones. They emphasized that the closure of the studios and the cancellation of the Wonder Woman game were tough choices, not a reflection of the talent within these teams. Monolith Productions, known for its acclaimed Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War games, had been developing the Wonder Woman project. Despite their storied history, Warner Bros. stated that continuing with the game was no longer aligned with their strategic priorities.
The decision comes amidst a challenging period for Warner Bros.' gaming division. Earlier this year, Bloomberg reported that the Wonder Woman game faced difficulties after a reboot and a change in directors in early 2024. This was part of broader struggles, including layoffs at Rocksteady, the underwhelming reception to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and the shutdown of MultiVersus.
Adding to the turmoil, Warner Bros. Games has undergone significant restructuring, highlighted by the departure of long-time games head David Haddad and rumors of a potential sale of the division. The closure of these studios is a significant setback for Warner Bros.' efforts to expand its DC universe in gaming, especially following a recent statement by James Gunn and Peter Safran that the first DCU video game is still a couple of years away.
Monolith Productions, established in 1994 and acquired by Warner Bros. in 2004, is renowned for its innovative Nemesis system introduced in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, which Warner Bros. patented in 2021. Player First Games, founded in 2019, developed MultiVersus, which, despite critical acclaim and a successful launch, did not meet Warner Bros.' expectations. WB San Diego, also established in 2019, focused on mobile and free-to-play games.
These closures are part of a broader trend of layoffs, project cancellations, and studio shutdowns in the gaming industry. In 2023, over 10,000 game developers were laid off, a number that increased to over 14,000 in 2024. While 2025 has seen numerous closures, the exact impact on individuals remains unclear due to less transparency from companies about these actions.
