A recent report from Eurogamer revealed that Rocksteady, a game developer based in London, has undergone staff reductions. The main impact of these layoffs appears to have affected the Quality Assurance team, with their numbers slashed by almost half, from 33 employees to just 15. Additionally, there have been reports of at least one non-QA staff member being terminated while on paternity leave.
Insiders at Rocksteady, as cited by Eurogamer, admit that these layoffs will undoubtedly have a negative impact on the quality of game development and will place a heavier workload on the remaining team members.
The primary cause of these layoffs can be traced back to the failure of Rocksteady’s latest release, “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.” After a nine-year gap following the launch of “Batman: Arkham Knight” (eight if we count “Batman: Arkham VR”), the final product was met with significant disappointment. Critic Nathan Birch gave the game a lackluster rating of 5 out of 10 on Wccftech:
“Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League offers some of the signature Rocksteady charm with its polished graphics, fluid gameplay, and witty banter. However, the overall experience is dragged down by monotonous and uninspired missions, hollow live service components, and a narrative that feels needlessly negative. Even the central premise of battling and defeating the Justice League fails to deliver an engaging or memorable experience. While fans of the Arkhamverse may feel compelled to try this game, it is advisable to wait for a substantial discount before subjecting yourself to this tedious collaboration.”
The game’s poor performance also had a financial impact, leading to a 41% drop in game revenues for Warner Bros. compared to the exceptional launch of “Hogwarts Legacy” in February 2023, which went on to become the top-selling game of the year. Despite post-launch efforts to enhance “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,” it did little to alter its overall reception.
In an effort to bounce back, rumors suggest that a segment of the Rocksteady team is involved in creating a Director’s Cut version of “Hogwarts Legacy.” Despite the recent layoffs, Rocksteady is not facing imminent closure, with speculation pointing towards a potential return to their roots with Batman-themed games.
