MultiVersus Dev Calls Out ‘Threats to Harm’ Following Shutdown Announcement: ‘I Am in Deep Mourning for the Game’

The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has publicly condemned the threats of violence directed at the development team following the announcement of the game's closure. Last week, Player First Games revealed that Season 5 would be MultiVersus' final season, with servers shutting down this May, just a year after its relaunch. While offline access to purchased and earned content remains via local and training modes, real-money transactions have ceased, and the game will be delisted from major digital storefronts on May 30th.

The announcement, coupled with the absence of a refund policy, sparked outrage among players, particularly those who purchased the $100 Founder's Pack, leading to accusations of being "scammed" and a wave of negative reviews on Steam.

Huynh's statement acknowledged the disappointment but expressed gratitude towards Warner Bros. Games, the development team, IP holders, and players. He apologized for a delayed response, citing the intense focus on the team amidst the challenging circumstances. He highlighted the team's creativity and passion, thanking players for their support, fan art, and suggestions. He explained the complexities of character selection, emphasizing factors like development time, community feedback, IP approvals, marketing opportunities, and team inspiration. He used the example of BananaGuard, a character developed internally due to team enthusiasm, to illustrate this point.

Huynh stressed the collaborative nature of Player First Games and reiterated the team's efforts to listen to and act on player feedback, while acknowledging limitations in time and resources. He strongly condemned the threats of harm, emphasizing the emotional toll on the team and urging players to show empathy. He expressed hope that players would enjoy the remaining Season 5 and continue supporting the platform fighter genre.

Player First Games' community manager, Angelo Rodriguez Jr., further defended Huynh, highlighting his dedication and commitment to the players and team. He underscored that threats of violence were unacceptable.

MultiVersus' closure represents another significant setback for Warner Bros. Games, following the disappointing launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League last year. Warner Bros. Discovery reported that these two game failures resulted in a combined $300 million loss. The company's third-quarter 2024 release, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, also underperformed.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav acknowledged the underperformance of their games division and announced a renewed focus on four core franchises: Hogwarts Legacy (with a sequel in development), Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman. Recent releases include the VR title Batman: Arkham Shadow and an upcoming Wonder Woman game. Zaslav stated that the company is concentrating development on these established franchises with proven studios to improve their success rate. While Mortal Kombat 1's financial performance remains unclear, NetherRealm Studios' Ed Boon reported over five million sales and hinted at future DLC.