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

Warner Bros. has announced the cancellation of its highly anticipated Wonder Woman game and the closure of three of its development studios: Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB San Diego. This news was initially reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier on Bluesky and later confirmed by WB in a statement to Kotaku.

In the statement, Warner Bros. explained the decision as part of a strategic shift to focus on developing high-quality games centered around their key franchises: Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones. The company emphasized that the closure of the studios and the cancellation of the Wonder Woman game were not reflections on the talent within these teams but rather a necessary restructuring to align with their new priorities.

The Wonder Woman game, developed by Monolith Productions, was intended to deliver a top-tier experience for fans of the iconic character. However, due to strategic realignments, the project could not move forward. Monolith, known for its critically acclaimed Middle-earth games, including Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War, has been a significant part of WB's portfolio since its acquisition in 2004.

Player First Games, the studio behind MultiVersus, and WB San Diego, which focused on mobile and free-to-play games, are also affected by these closures. MultiVersus, despite its initial success, did not meet Warner Bros.' expectations, contributing to the studio's shutdown.

This move comes amidst broader challenges within Warner Bros.' gaming division, including earlier layoffs at Rocksteady and the underwhelming reception to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Additionally, the recent departure of long-time games head David Haddad and rumors of a potential sale of the gaming division signal further restructuring within the company.

The closures represent a significant setback for Warner Bros.' efforts to expand its DC universe-connected gaming portfolio. Just a day before this announcement, DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran indicated that fans would have to wait a couple of years for the first DCU video game.

The gaming industry has been experiencing a wave of layoffs, project cancellations, and studio closures over the past three years. In 2023, over 10,000 game developers were laid off, with the number rising to over 14,000 in 2024. While specific numbers for 2025 are less clear, the trend of industry consolidation and restructuring continues to impact numerous developers and studios.