Warner Bros. Axes Wonder Woman Game, Shuts Down Three Studios

Warner Bros. has made the tough decision to cancel its highly anticipated Wonder Woman game and close three of its development studios: Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB San Diego. This news was first reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier on Bluesky and later confirmed by WB to Kotaku.

In an official statement, Warner Bros. explained that the closures are part of a strategic shift to focus on key franchises such as Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones. "We have had to make some very difficult decisions to structure our development studios and investments around building the best games possible with our key franchises," the statement read. The company emphasized that the decision to close Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego was not a reflection on the talent within these studios but rather a necessary move to align with their strategic priorities.

The Wonder Woman game, developed by Monolith Productions, will not move forward. "Our hope was to give players and fans the highest quality experience possible for the iconic character, and unfortunately this is no longer possible within our strategic priorities," Warner Bros. stated. They acknowledged Monolith's impressive history, particularly with the Middle-earth series, which introduced the innovative Nemesis system.

This cancellation follows reports earlier in the year that the Wonder Woman project was facing challenges, including a reboot and a change in directors in early 2024. These issues were part of broader difficulties within Warner Bros.' gaming division, which also saw layoffs at Rocksteady and the underwhelming performance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, as well as the shutdown of MultiVersus.

The gaming industry has been hit hard by layoffs and closures in recent years, with over 10,000 game developers laid off in 2023 and the number rising to over 14,000 in 2024. The exact impact in 2025 is less clear, as fewer companies are reporting specific numbers.

Additionally, Warner Bros. Games has been undergoing a significant restructuring. Long-time games head David Haddad recently announced his departure, and there have been rumors that the division might be sold off. This latest move is a setback for WB's efforts to expand its DC universe-connected gaming portfolio, especially as James Gunn and Peter Safran recently stated that it would be "a couple of years" before the first DCU video game is released.

Monolith Productions, founded in 1994 and acquired by WB in 2004, was best known for its Middle-earth games. Player First Games, established in 2019, developed MultiVersus, which, despite critical acclaim and a successful launch, did not meet WB's expectations. WB San Diego, also established in 2019, focused on mobile and free-to-play games.

These closures highlight the ongoing challenges and uncertainties within the gaming industry, as companies continue to navigate shifting market demands and strategic priorities.