MultiVersus Dev Mourns Game, Condemns Threats After Shutdown

The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has publicly addressed the "threats to harm" developers received after the announcement that the game will be shutting down. Player First Games revealed that Season 5 of the Warner Bros. brawler would mark its final chapter, with servers set to close in May, a mere year after its relaunch. Players can still enjoy all earned and purchased content offline through local gameplay and training modes.

With real-money transactions no longer available for MultiVersus, players can continue to use Gleamium and character tokens to access in-game content until support ends on May 30. The game will be delisted from digital storefronts such as the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store at that time.

The announcement, coupled with the absence of a refund policy, has led to backlash from players, particularly those who purchased the $100 premium Founder's Pack. Many feel "scammed," and the situation is exacerbated by the fact that some players have character tokens they can no longer use, having already unlocked all available characters. Consequently, MultiVersus has faced review bombing on Steam.

In response, Tony Huynh, co-founder of Player First Games and game director of MultiVersus, issued a heartfelt statement on Twitter. He expressed gratitude to Warner Bros. Games, the development teams, IP holders, and the players. Huynh acknowledged the disappointment and apologized for not addressing concerns sooner, emphasizing the team's focus on the game and its players. He highlighted the joy brought by fan art, character ideas, and personal stories, and addressed the complexities of character selection, using the example of BananaGuard, a character developed out of team enthusiasm.

Huynh also clarified his role within the team, noting that Player First Games operates collaboratively, and stressed the team's efforts to listen and respond to community feedback despite limited resources. He strongly condemned the threats of harm directed at the developers, describing the shutdown as a painful and mournful time for the team. He hoped that players would enjoy Season 5 and continue supporting other platform fighter and fighting games.

Community manager and game developer Angelo Rodriguez Jr. defended Huynh on Twitter, emphasizing the inappropriateness of threats and praising Huynh's dedication and engagement with the community. Rodriguez Jr. highlighted the team's commitment to the game and encouraged players to read Huynh's statement and reflect on their reactions.

The closure of MultiVersus marks another setback for Warner Bros. Games, following the troubled launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The financial impact of these failures has been significant, with Suicide Squad contributing to a $200 million loss and MultiVersus adding another $100 million. Warner Bros. Discovery has acknowledged the underperformance of its games business.

In the wake of these challenges, Warner Bros. is refocusing its efforts on key franchises including Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, with a particular emphasis on Batman. Recent releases and upcoming projects include the VR game Batman: Arkham Shadow and a Wonder Woman game at Monolith Productions, as the company aims to improve its success rate in the gaming industry.