Warner Bros. Discovery has acknowledged that its gaming division has been struggling, with its free-to-play fighting game, MultiVersus, falling short of expectations. This revelation came alongside the announcement of two new characters joining the game’s upcoming fourth season.
The company has taken a significant financial hit due to the underperformance of its games. Earlier this year, Warner Bros. Discovery wrote down $200 million, and MultiVersus has now added another $100 million to that total. This comes on the heels of the disappointing launch of Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which received poor reviews and failed to meet sales targets.
David Zaslav, CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery, has confirmed the games division’s underperformance, but the company is not giving up on the space entirely. They plan to streamline their efforts, focusing on four powerful franchises: Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC. Zaslav highlighted the success of *Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions* and the upcoming *Hogwarts Legacy* director’s cut, demonstrating their commitment to leveraging the Harry Potter brand.
This strategic shift means Warner Bros. Discovery will move away from releasing a large number of games and concentrate on developing fewer titles that hold strong fan bases and appeal to established IPs.
Despite the challenges, MultiVersus is still receiving updates and new content. The upcoming fourth season, launching on November 12, will introduce Marceline from *Adventure Time* and Raven from DC, adding to the diverse roster of characters. The season will also introduce a new arena mode where teams of two will compete, along with two new maps.
The company’s acquisition of developer Player First Games further emphasizes their commitment to MultiVersus, solidifying their strategy to leverage existing intellectual properties and create a more focused, high-quality gaming experience.
While Warner Bros. Discovery acknowledges the shortcomings of its gaming division, it seems committed to revitalizing its approach by prioritizing established IPs and focusing on delivering a smaller number of impactful games. Whether this strategy will succeed remains to be seen, but the company’s efforts to resuscitate its gaming division are worth keeping an eye on.
