Written by Dante Uzel on 26 February 2025 14:52
Warner Bros. Games has announced the decision to shut down three of its studios, Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego, citing a shift in strategic direction. In a statement, the company clarified that this move was "not a reflection of these teams or the talent that consists within them," but rather the result of a change in their overall approach.
The full impact on staffing remains unclear, though Monolith Productions lists between 201 and 500 employees on LinkedIn, WB Games San Diego has 51-200, and Player First Games employs 11-50 people.
"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 - Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones," Warner Bros. stated in a message to Kotaku. "After careful consideration, we are closing three of our development studios - Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego. This is a strategic change in direction and not a reflection of these teams or the talent that consists within them."
The company also confirmed that the development of Monolith’s Wonder Woman video game will be cancelled. "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. This is another tough decision, as we recognize Monolith’s storied history of delivering epic fan experiences through amazing games."
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Warner Bros. expressed appreciation for the teams’ dedication: "We greatly admire the passion of the three teams and thank every employee for their contributions," the statement continued. "As difficult as today is, we remain focused on and excited about getting back to producing high-quality games for our passionate fans and developed by our world-class studios, with an eye on returning our Games business to profitability and growth in 2025 and beyond."
In an earlier report, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier revealed the studio closures and the cancellation of the Wonder Woman game. A Warner Bros. spokesperson also reiterated that the closures were "not a reflection of these teams or the talent that consists within them."
JB Perrette, head of games and streaming at Warner Bros., acknowledged the company's recent struggles: "The quality of too many of our new releases has really missed the mark." He went on to explain that significant changes are necessary to focus on a "fewer but bigger franchises" strategy.
Tags: Warner Bros.
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