The game director of MultiVersus has publicly addressed the severe backlash and threats directed at developers following the announcement of the game's shutdown. Last week, Player First Games revealed that Season 5 of the Warner Bros. brawler would mark the end, with servers shutting down in May, a mere year after the game's relaunch. Players can still enjoy their earned and purchased content offline through local and training modes.
With real-money transactions halted, players can use existing Gleamium and character tokens until the support ends on May 30. At that point, MultiVersus will be removed from digital storefronts including the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store.
The announcement, coupled with the lack of a refund policy, sparked outrage among those who purchased the $100 premium Founder's Pack, with many feeling "scammed." Some players, who had already unlocked all characters, found their remaining tokens useless, leading to review bombing on Steam.
Tony Huynh, co-founder of Player First Games and game director of MultiVersus, took to Twitter to address player concerns and condemn the threats of violence against the team. In his statement, Huynh expressed gratitude towards Warner Bros. Games, the developers, and the IP holders for their trust and collaboration. He also thanked the players for their support and apologized for not addressing the situation sooner, citing his focus on the game and the team.
Huynh highlighted the community's contributions, such as fan art and character ideas, and explained the complexities behind character selection, using the example of BananaGuard, which was developed quickly due to team enthusiasm. He emphasized the collaborative nature of Player First Games and their commitment to delivering value to players.
Addressing the threats, Huynh stated, "You’re entitled to what you say and think, but when there are threats to harm it’s crossing the line." He urged the community to recognize the emotional toll on the team and expressed hope that players would enjoy Season 5 and continue supporting other platform fighters and fighting games.
Angelo Rodriguez Jr., a community manager and game developer at Player First Games, defended Huynh on Twitter, condemning the threats of physical harm and praising Huynh's dedication to the game and community. Rodriguez emphasized the team's efforts to improve the game and encouraged players to read Huynh's full statement.
MultiVersus' shutdown adds to Warner Bros. Games' recent struggles, following the poor reception of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The departure of Warner Bros. Games boss David Haddad and financial losses amounting to $300 million from these two titles have put pressure on the company. Warner Bros. Discovery's only new release in the third quarter of 2024, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, also failed to make a significant impact.
In a financial call, Warner Bros. Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav acknowledged the underperformance of the games business and announced a focus on four key franchises: Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman. Despite these setbacks, Mortal Kombat 1 has achieved over five million sales, and Warner Bros. continues to develop new titles such as Batman: Arkham Shadow and a Wonder Woman game.
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