Warner Bros. Games is preparing a new live-service game

Stefani Couto
Journalist by training, gamer by passion! I write about games, trivia, and guides to help other players explore this incredible universe.

Despite the disappointing performance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Warner Bros. Games is developing a new game as a service. This information came to light after a job posting for an executive producer at WB Games Montréal was released. This signals the company's first steps towards another long-term project.

The new title hasn't been officially revealed yet, but it will be a AAA game based on one of the most popular franchises in the Warner Bros. catalog. It could include universes like DC Comics, Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, or Game of Thrones.

Warner Bros. Games logo
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Games

New job posting indicates game development with live service

The job description published on the official Warner Bros. website details that the candidate will lead the project's development from the conceptual phase to post-launch operations. Furthermore, the studio is looking for professionals with experience in complete production cycles and, especially, in live-service games.

This approach indicates that Warner Bros. has not abandoned the games-as-a-service model, even in the face of last year's negative results. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, developed by Rocksteady, did not reach the expected audience and directly contributed to a 41% drop in the company's gaming sector revenue in 2024.

DC remains the publisher's main focus

Although the job posting doesn't directly mention which franchise will be used, everything indicates that the new title will be set in the DC Comics universe. In February, James Gunn, current creative director of DC Studios, confirmed that he had spoken with several Warner studios, including Rocksteady and NetherRealm, to explore new opportunities for expanding the brand in the gaming sector.

Furthermore, in June, Warner Bros. announced an internal restructuring focused entirely on its biggest franchises. Among these, DC, Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, and Game of Thrones were highlighted. This increases the likelihood that the new game will be based on one of these intellectual properties, especially DC, which still has vast untapped potential in the gaming market.

Warner Bros. Games
Photo: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Games

Recent history puts Warner Bros. Games under pressure

WB Games Montréal, the studio behind Gotham Knights, also has a recent history of failures. The game, released in 2022, received lukewarm reviews from both the public and critics, and even though it wasn't a game-as-a-service, it failed to generate the expected impact.

Last December, Warner Bros. laid off 99 developers from the studio, further reinforcing the pressure on this new project. Now, the bet on a new AAA game shows an attempt to regain relevance within the competitive gaming market, even with the risks inherent in the live-service format.

Strategy shows insistence on a contested model

The failure of Suicide Squad was not an isolated case. The games-as-a-service model has faced criticism for relying heavily on constant engagement and periodic updates to keep its user base active. Several titles released with this approach in recent years have been discontinued within months of launch.

Nevertheless, Warner Bros. Games seems determined to continue exploring this format. According to the job description, the project will require strategic leadership to "keep the game's lifecycle active," which confirms the ongoing nature of the product.

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