MultiVersus Dev Mourns Game, Denounces Threats After Shutdown

The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has publicly addressed the disturbing "threats to harm" developers that surfaced following the announcement of the game's shutdown. Last week, Player First Games revealed that Season 5 of the Warner Bros. brawler would be the final chapter, with the MultiVersus servers set to go offline in May, just a year after its relaunch. Players can still enjoy all earned and purchased content offline through local and training modes.

With real-money transactions halted, players can continue using Gleamium and character tokens to access in-game content until support ceases on May 30. At that point, MultiVersus will be removed from digital storefronts including the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store.

The announcement, coupled with the lack of a refund policy, sparked backlash from players, especially those who had purchased the $100 premium Founder's Pack. Many felt "scammed," and some reported having character tokens that were now useless since all characters had been unlocked. Unsurprisingly, MultiVersus is facing review bombing on Steam.

In a heartfelt statement on Twitter, Tony Huynh, co-founder of Player First Games and game director of MultiVersus, expressed gratitude to the community and the development teams while addressing the threats. He highlighted the team's dedication and the joy they found in fan engagement, character development, and the collaborative spirit at Player First Games.

Huynh apologized for any unfulfilled character requests, explaining the complexities involved in character selection and development. He also shared a poignant story about the creation of BananaGuard, a character that was born out of the team's weekend enthusiasm and creativity.

He emphasized the team's commitment to listening to the community and delivering value, despite constraints in time and resources. Huynh condemned the threats of harm, urging the community to recognize the emotional toll the shutdown has on the team. He hoped players would enjoy Season 5 and continue supporting other platform fighters and fighting games, reflecting on the positive impact these games have had on his life.

Player First Games community manager and developer Angelo Rodriguez Jr. defended Huynh on X/Twitter, decrying the threats and praising Huynh's dedication to the game and its community. He stressed the team's ongoing efforts to improve the game and encouraged everyone to read Huynh's full statement.

MultiVersus' closure adds to a series of setbacks for Warner Bros. Games, following the poor performance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and the departure of Warner Bros. Games boss David Haddad. Warner Bros. Discovery reported significant financial losses from both MultiVersus and Suicide Squad, with the latter's failure costing the company $200 million and MultiVersus adding another $100 million.

Warner Bros. Games' only new release in Q3 2024, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, failed to make a significant impact. In a financial call, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav acknowledged the underperformance of their games division and announced a focus on four key franchises: Hogwarts Legacy (with a sequel in development), Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman.

Despite the setbacks, Mortal Kombat 1 has seen over five million sales, with NetherRealm chief Ed Boon teasing future DLC. Warner Bros. continues to support its gaming portfolio with projects like the VR game Batman: Arkham Shadow and a Wonder Woman game at Monolith Productions, aiming to leverage proven studios and core franchises to improve their success rate.