MultiVersus Dev Calls Out ‘Threats to Harm’ Following Shutdown Announcement: ‘I Am in Deep Mourning for the Game’

The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has publicly condemned the threats of violence received by developers following the announcement of the game's closure. Player First Games revealed last week that Season 5 would be the final season, with servers shutting down this May, just a year after its relaunch. Offline access to purchased and earned content will remain via local and training modes.

While in-game purchases are no longer available, players can still utilize Gleamium and character tokens until support ends on May 30th. The game will also be delisted from major digital storefronts.

The announcement, coupled with the absence of a refund policy, sparked outrage among players, particularly those who purchased the $100 Founder's Pack, with many expressing feelings of being "scammed." The situation has led to a wave of negative reviews on Steam.

Huynh's statement addressed player concerns and strongly denounced the threats:

He expressed gratitude towards Warner Bros. Games, the development teams, and IP holders. He highlighted the team's creativity and passion, and thanked players for their support, fan art, and ideas. He acknowledged the limitations in character selection due to factors like development time, community feedback, IP approvals, and cross-marketing opportunities. He explained the creation of BananaGuard as a result of team enthusiasm, not at the expense of other characters. He emphasized the collaborative nature of Player First Games and the team's efforts to listen to player feedback. He appealed for understanding, acknowledging the emotional toll the shutdown has taken on the team, and condemned the threats of harm. He expressed hope that players would continue to support the platform fighter genre.

Player First Games' community manager, Angelo Rodriguez Jr., also defended Huynh, highlighting his dedication and commitment to the community, emphasizing that threats of violence are unacceptable.

MultiVersus' failure adds to Warner Bros. Games' recent setbacks, following the poor launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League last year and the departure of Warner Bros. Games boss David Haddad. Warner Bros. Discovery reported that these two titles resulted in a combined $300 million loss. The company's third-quarter 2024 release, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, also underperformed.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav acknowledged the underperformance of the games division and announced a renewed focus on four core franchises: Hogwarts Legacy (with a sequel in development), Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman. This strategy includes focusing development efforts on proven studios to improve success rates. While Mortal Kombat 1's financial performance remains uncertain, NetherRealm Studios reported over five million sales and teased future DLC.

(Image caption should be updated to reflect the content of the article)