MultiVersus Dev Mourns Game, Condemns Threats After Shutdown

The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has publicly addressed the disturbing "threats to harm" developers following the announcement of the game's impending shutdown. Last week, Player First Games revealed that Season 5 of the Warner Bros. brawler would mark its final chapter, with servers set to go offline in May, just a year after its relaunch. Players will still have access to their earned and purchased content offline through local gameplay and training modes.

In-game purchases using real money have ceased, but players can continue using Gleamium and character tokens until the support ends on May 30. At that point, MultiVersus will also be removed from digital storefronts including the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store.

The announcement sparked a backlash from players, particularly those who purchased the $100 premium Founder's Pack, feeling "scammed" due to the lack of a refund policy. Many players are frustrated as their character tokens are now useless since they've already unlocked all playable characters. As a result, MultiVersus is facing review bombing on Steam.

Tony Huynh, co-founder of Player First Games and game director of MultiVersus, took to Twitter to address these concerns and denounce the threats of violence against his team. In his statement, Huynh expressed gratitude towards Warner Bros. Games, the developers, IP holders, and the players. He acknowledged the sadness surrounding the game's end and apologized for not addressing issues sooner, emphasizing the team's dedication to player satisfaction.

Huynh also shared insights into the character selection process, highlighting the enthusiasm behind creating characters like BananaGuard. He stressed that Player First Games operates as a collaborative team focused on delivering value to players, and despite their efforts to listen and improve, they are constrained by time and resources.

He called out the threats of harm, urging the community to recognize the emotional toll on the team and to enjoy the remaining time with Season 5. Huynh expressed hope that players would continue supporting other platform fighter and fighting games, reflecting on the positive impact these games have had on his life and the memories created through MultiVersus.

Community manager and game developer Angelo Rodriguez Jr. defended Huynh on social media, condemning the threats against him. Rodriguez praised Huynh's dedication to the game and the community, emphasizing the team's commitment to MultiVersus despite the current challenges.

MultiVersus' shutdown adds to a series of setbacks for Warner Bros. Games, following the poor reception of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and the departure of Warner Bros. Games boss David Haddad. Warner Bros. Discovery reported significant financial losses due to these failures, with Suicide Squad contributing a $200 million hit and MultiVersus adding another $100 million. The company's latest release, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, also failed to make an impact.

In a financial call, Warner Bros. Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav acknowledged the underperformance of their games business and announced a focus on four key franchises: Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman. Warner Bros. has recently released Batman: Arkham Shadow for VR and is working on a Wonder Woman game, aiming to improve their success rate with proven studios and core franchises.