Many may have already forgotten, but next February 2nd will see the release of “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,” a new game from Rocksteady Studios marking its return after a nine-year hiatus. The studio has been absent for nearly a decade without releasing any new titles. Announced officially in 2020, this latest project from Rocksteady has faced numerous development challenges and delays, which seem insufficient to save a game whose fate appears already sealed. Since last year’s State of Play event in February 2023, player enthusiasm for the game has significantly waned. Recently, some media outlets and YouTubers were invited to Rocksteady’s London office just before Christmas to experience the near-final version of the title, with previews being published a few days ago. The feedback on the game is mixed, even concerning for some journalists who fear the worst for a game that seems to be taking an unpopular direction with players. After all, the last time there was widespread consensus among critics about a pending failure was “Forspoken,” and those predictions came true. Is “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” following a similar path? The question is worth considering. But how did we get to this point? How did a respected studio like Rocksteady end up with such an unstable project? According to some leaked reports, Warner Bros Games bears sole responsibility for pushing Rocksteady to revive interest in the Suicide Squad franchise. It is said that after completing the Batman Arkham trilogy, all Rocksteady wanted was to develop a Superman game, which was rejected and canceled by Warner.
Rocksteady Studios, known for the Batman Arkham series, is set to release “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” on February 2nd, marking their return after a nearly 9-year hiatus. The game was officially announced in 2020 and has encountered numerous development issues and delays, leading to a decline in player anticipation. Recent previews from media outlets and YouTubers who played the near-final version have yielded mixed reactions, with some expressing concern about the game’s direction. This situation is reminiscent of the unfavorable reception for another game, Forspoken. Rumors suggest that Warner Bros Games, the publisher, pressured Rocksteady to revitalize interest in the Suicide Squad license after canceling Rocksteady’s proposed Superman game. This alleged interference has contributed to the current uncertainty surrounding “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.”
Recent previews have allowed for the discovery of new images from “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,” the final version captured by press members and invited video creators. These images quickly began circulating on social networks, revealing a visually chaotic scene. Indeed, it has been some time since we’ve seen such an interface cluttered with numerous static and contextual elements to the point where the game becomes difficult to read and almost messy. Even without the heads-up display (HUD) shown at online events, the game was already brimming with visual elements. Between special effects, explosions, map density, building density, and bursts of color in every direction, it was already quite overwhelming. With this added interface, the overload is complete! It’s difficult to believe that no one at Rocksteady Studios raised concerns about such an ill-advised HUD design, which can disrupt player immersion, especially during intense action sequences where characters are jumping around, making it challenging for players to focus on textual elements. Coming from a studio known for the Batman: Arkham series, this is quite disappointing and even puzzling, given that those games were renowned for their simplicity and clarity.
THE GAME THAT NO ONE WANTS
The primary concern regarding “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” among both press members and players is its format, as confirmed by recent previews. We were already aware of this to some extent, but it has now been officially confirmed that the game will indeed be a game-as-a-service, similar to Marvel’s Avengers, another title that faced significant challenges. While there are successful examples of game-as-a-service models such as Fortnite, GTA Online, Rainbow Six Siege, Apex Legends, and Destiny 2, many others have not succeeded. Even Destiny 2 is experiencing a decline, with layoffs at Bungie highlighting the limitations of this format. Currently, it remains uncertain whether “Suicide Squad” will receive positive public response; however, indications suggest otherwise. This concern is partly due to the general weariness towards superhero content in both cinema and video games, although the recent success of Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 demonstrates that a solo game focused on narrative single-player experiences can still perform well on consoles like PS5.
FROM SUPERMAN TO SUICIDE SQUAD
For “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,” the situation is more complex, and it remains a significant issue in 2024 for several reasons. Firstly, the general public did not expect studio Rocksteady to take this direction. As the creator of the acclaimed Batman Arkham trilogy, which revolutionized licensed superhero games, these titles also pioneered the free-flow combat system adopted by numerous other games such as “Sleeping Dogs,” “Shadow of Mordor,” and more recently, “Spider-Man” games. And honestly, how long have people been anticipating a return of a Batman game with this level of storytelling, gameplay, and graphical quality? Since nearly 10 years, since the release of “Batman: Arkham Knight” in 2015. While “Gotham Knights” was released at the end of 2022, it failed to meet expectations both in terms of gameplay and due to its development by Warner Bros Montreal, often considered a secondary team compared to Rocksteady. Moreover, who truly wanted to play as Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing, and Red Hood knowing that Batman had been declared dead in the main storyline? The same sentiment applies to “Suicide Squad.” Is the general public genuinely enthusiastic about a game featuring secondary characters like Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, and Harley Quinn?
The lack of interest in these characters among the general public has been evident in cinema, particularly following the commercial failure of David Ayer’s 2016 film “Suicide Squad.” Although the movie underperformed at the box office, it also faced criticism for its artistic quality. This led to ongoing tension between Warner Bros. and the director as of 2024. Rumors suggest that Warner Bros. is responsible for attempting to revitalize the license, thereby necessitating new characters to sustain the DC Universe. To achieve this goal, the company reportedly invested heavily in making a new Suicide Squad appealing to audiences. In cinema, they approached James Gunn, who had recently left Disney over resurfaced decade-old tweets, while in video games, Rocksteady was tasked with developing a title based on the controversial team. However, at that time, Rocksteady was already working on an ambitious narrative-driven standalone game featuring Superman. No developer has yet succeeded in creating a compelling Superman game using current technology. Despite their aspirations, Rocksteady’s project was suddenly halted. In 2018, artwork from 2015 surfaced online, but the studio quickly quashed any rumors regarding this work.
The Mass Is Said?
Based on information that was previously mentioned in 2020 during one of our “5 News & Rumors a Day” episodes following confessions from an ex-developer, there are claims suggesting Rocksteady did not want to develop the Suicide Squad game and had already begun working on a Superman game. This is supported by the presence of Superman as an enemy character in the game and the vertical gameplay offered, which aligns with the initial concept of an aerial perspective if played as Superman. Consequently, within “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,” there are indications of the Superman game that Rocksteady intended to create.
As of now, we have not had the opportunity to play the game, so it is impossible for us to share our thoughts. However, based on the general feedback from those who have experienced a half-day hands-on with Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League, the reception has been somewhat underwhelming. While there are indeed some good ideas, the game appears to offer an unclear structure, with missions that feel uninteresting and somewhat redundant. The characters also seem overly “Marvelized,” with awkward jokes, and an overly colorful universe that can be visually overwhelming. In summary, there is hope for a positive surprise in the coming month. So, tune in on February 2nd for a clearer understanding of the game’s quality.
