Warner Bros. Discovery has shut down three of its video game studios and canceled a Wonder Woman game as part of a strategic restructuring, one that the company hopes will improve the profitability of what is apparently an underperforming division.
The studios being shuttered are Monolith Productions (F.E.A.R., Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor), Player First Games (MultiVersus), and Warner Bros. Games San Diego, according to a memo that Warner Bros. sent out to several press outlets this afternoon:
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—Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones. After careful consideration, we are closing three of our development studios—-Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego. This is a strategic change in direction and not a reflection of these teams or the talent that consists within them.
The development of Monolith’s Wonder Woman video game will not move forward. Our hope was to give players and fans the highest quality experience possible for the iconic character, and unfortunately this is no longer possible within our strategic priorities. This is another tough decision, as we recognize Monolith’s storied history of delivering epic fan experiences through amazing games.
We greatly admire the passion of the three teams and thank every employee for their contributions. As difficult as today is, we remain focused on and excited about getting back to producing high-quality games for our passionate fans and developed by our world class studios and getting our games business back to profitability and growth in 2025 and beyond.
Here’s the teaser trailer for Monolith Productions’ Wonder Woman project, which Warner Bros. Games shared in December 2021:
“In development by Monolith Productions, creators of the critically acclaimed Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and sequel Middle-earth: Shadow of War, this open-world action-adventure game will feature the beloved DC Super Hero, Wonder Woman,” a description for the canceled project reads.
“The single player open-world action game will introduce an original story set in the DC Universe and allow players to become Diana of Themyscira in the fight to unite her Amazon family and the humans from the modern world,” it continues. “Powered by the Nemesis System, gamers will forge deep connections with both enemies and allies as they progress from a heroic fighter into a proven leader.”