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 in a detailed Bloomberg report. Warner Bros. also issued a statement to Kotaku, explaining the rationale behind these moves.
In their statement, Warner Bros. emphasized that the decision to restructure was aimed at focusing their resources on key franchises such as Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones. The closures of Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego were described as strategic shifts, not a reflection on the talent within these studios. The Wonder Woman game, which was being developed by Monolith, will no longer proceed, as it did not align with the company's strategic priorities.
This decision comes after a challenging period for Warner Bros.' gaming division. Earlier in the year, Bloomberg reported that the Wonder Woman project was facing difficulties, having undergone a reboot and a change in directors in early 2024. The division has also experienced layoffs at Rocksteady, a lukewarm reception to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and the shutdown of MultiVersus.
Adding to the turmoil, long-time games head David Haddad recently left the company, and there have been rumors that the gaming division might be sold off. This move is a significant setback for Warner Bros.' efforts to build a connected DC universe in gaming, especially following James Gunn and Peter Safran's recent statement that the first DCU video game is still a couple of years away.
The closure of these studios marks the loss of three highly respected entities in the gaming world. Monolith Productions, founded in 1994 and acquired by Warner Bros. in 2004, is renowned for its Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor series, which introduced the innovative Nemesis system, patented by Warner Bros. in 2021. Player First Games, established in 2019, developed MultiVersus, which, despite critical acclaim and initial success, did not meet Warner Bros.' expectations. WB San Diego, also established in 2019, focused on mobile and free-to-play games.
These closures are part of a broader trend of increasing layoffs, project cancellations, and studio shutdowns in the games industry. In 2023, over 10,000 game developers were laid off, a number that rose to over 14,000 in 2024. While 2025 has seen numerous closures, the exact impact on individuals remains unclear due to less transparent reporting from companies.
