Warner Bros. Cancels Wonder Woman Game, Closes Three Studios

Warner Bros. has announced the cancellation of its highly anticipated Wonder Woman game and the closure of three of its studios: Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB San Diego. This news was first reported by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier on Bluesky and later detailed in a full report on Bloomberg. Warner Bros. confirmed the closures in a statement to Kotaku, emphasizing a strategic shift to focus on key franchises such as Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones.

The statement from Warner Bros. highlighted the difficult nature of these decisions, stating, "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 company also acknowledged the talent within the affected studios but stressed that the move was necessary to realign their strategic priorities. Specifically, the development of Monolith's Wonder Woman game was halted, with Warner Bros. expressing regret over not being able to deliver a high-quality experience for the iconic character.

This decision comes after a series of challenges for Warner Bros.' gaming division, including the reboot and change of direction for the Wonder Woman project earlier in 2024, as well as the lukewarm reception to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and the shutdown of MultiVersus. The gaming division has also seen significant changes, including the departure of long-time games head David Haddad and rumors of potential divestiture of the division.

The closure of these studios is a significant setback for Warner Bros.' efforts to expand its DC universe in gaming. Just a day before the announcement, DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran indicated that fans would have to wait "a couple of years" for the first DCU video game.

Monolith Productions, established in 1994 and acquired by Warner Bros. in 2004, was best known for the Middle-earth series, including Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War, which introduced the innovative Nemesis system. Player First Games, founded in 2019, developed MultiVersus, which, despite critical acclaim and a successful launch, did not meet Warner Bros.' expectations. WB San Diego, also established in 2019, focused on mobile and free-to-play games.

These closures contribute to a troubling trend in the gaming industry, with over 10,000 game developers laid off in 2023 and over 14,000 in 2024. While specific numbers for 2025 are less clear, the industry continues to face significant challenges and restructuring.