MultiVersus Devs Confront Threats Over Shutdown

The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has condemned the threats of violence directed at the development team following the announcement of the game's closure. Last week, Player First Games revealed that Season 5 would be the game's 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 discontinued, players can still utilize Gleamium and character tokens until 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." Online reports highlight significant player dissatisfaction, especially concerning rendered-useless character tokens for players who had already unlocked all characters. Consequently, MultiVersus is experiencing a wave of negative reviews on Steam.

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

"Hey all, I wanted to say a few words reflecting on the recent MultiVersus news. While saddened by the outcome, I'm grateful for the opportunity and thank every developer, IP holder, and player. I couldn't be prouder of the PFG team's creativity and passion. Thank you for the fan art, ideas, and stories. I apologize for the delayed response; we've been focused on the team.

I'm sorry we couldn't include every requested character. Character selection involves development time, community feedback, IP holder approvals, marketing opportunities, and team inspiration. BananaGuard, for example, resulted from team enthusiasm, not at the expense of other characters.

I don't possess the power some believe. PFG is collaborative, encouraging ideas from everyone. We strive to deliver value to players. We try to listen and act, but time and resources are limited.

This is painful for everyone at PFG. You're entitled to your opinions, but threats of harm are unacceptable. Please show compassion for the team during this difficult time. Nobody wanted this outcome.

I hope Season 5 is enjoyed. Please continue supporting platform fighters; they've brought me joy and friendships. Thank you for making this dream a reality."

Angelo Rodriguez Jr., community manager and developer, defended Huynh on X/Twitter, emphasizing that threats of violence are unacceptable and highlighting Huynh's dedication and efforts to engage with the community.

MultiVersus' failure adds to Warner Bros. Games' recent struggles, following the poor reception of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and the underperformance of Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions. Warner Bros. Discovery reported significant financial losses attributed to these titles. David Zaslav, CEO, acknowledged the underperformance of their games division.

While Suicide Squad post-launch content has concluded, and Rocksteady's next project remains unannounced (though they're reportedly assisting with a Hogwarts Legacy director's cut), Warner Bros. is reportedly focusing on key franchises like Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman. Zaslav stated their focus is on core franchises and proven studios to improve success rates. The financial performance of Mortal Kombat 1 remains uncertain, though Ed Boon recently announced over five million sales and teased future DLC.