Why Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad’s Fate Can’t Be an End-All Be-All

2023 and 2024 were not successful years for DC Comics gaming projects. The game Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which is expected to be scrutinized for a long time, and Gotham Knights, released earlier, were met with disappointment. These underperforming titles might influence the direction of future DC video games. Warner Bros. should take note of these lessons, but it’s crucial that they are the right ones to guide their future gaming ventures effectively.

As a dedicated gamer who’s been looking forward to “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,” I must admit my disappointment isn’t just about the game itself, but also the history of its creators. You see, Rocksteady Studios, the team behind this game, had previously nailed it with the iconic Batman: Arkham series. Each installment in that franchise captured the essence of Batman’s isolation and one-man power fantasy brilliantly well. The same can be said about Warner Bros. Montreal, creators of Gotham Knights, whose claim to fame is their work on Arkham Origins, another fantastic addition to the Arkham universe.

So, it’s a bit perplexing when these studios, both renowned for their Batman games, seem to stumble when they step away from the Arkham franchise and venture into cooperative team-up games like “Suicide Squad” and “Gotham Knights.” This makes me wonder if there’s something about this genre that doesn’t quite fit with these creative minds or if it’s just a coincidence. It’s food for thought, at the very least.

Warner Bros. Shouldn’t Be Permanently Scared Off From Ensemble Superhero Games

Suicide Squad and Gotham Knights Didn’t Fail Because of Their Casts

The causes for the poor performance of both “Suicide Squad” and “Gotham Knights” are numerous and open to interpretation, but it’s hard to deny that their team-oriented concepts played a significant role in their struggles. In principle, a game like “Suicide Squad” could have great potential, even with cooperative aspects, which some critics felt were awkwardly executed in the final version. However, in the case of “Suicide Squad,” the issue lies in the multiplayer elements that adopted a live-service model, which didn’t sit well with most gamers.

The live-service game Marvel’s Avengers, which may soon fade into obscurity, could serve as a prophetic warning for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

The team-up game Marvel’s Avengers, which might be forgotten over time, seems to have predicted the fate of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

Despite not being a live-service game, Gotham Knights shares several characteristics typical of the genre, such as slow gear progression, level restrictions, and repetitive side missions primarily for character advancement (not story development). This doesn’t even touch upon other issues, like dull or poorly written narratives and disappointing mechanics.

How Future DC Ensemble Games Could Be Improved

Due to the less than favorable response to “Suicide Squad” and “Gotham Knights”, it appears that gaming fans won’t be getting another superhero team-up game from Warner Bros for a while. Even though the publisher may understand the issues with these games (a doubtful assumption given Warner Bros.’s push towards live-service ventures), the back-to-back release of these ensemble games could lead to a break in such projects. However, when Warner Bros. decides to return to this genre, there are strategies to steer clear of similar pitfalls.

It’s increasingly evident that the live-service model, which many publishers and developers see as a financial goldmine, isn’t always the case. While there are successes like Fortnite or Warzone, they are outnumbered by numerous failures such as Concord, Babylon’s Fall, and Lawbreakers. For instance, a game centered around the Justice League or the Birds of Prey could be fantastic, but it would likely need to avoid trends like battle passes, excessive gear grinding, and seasonal content that feeds on fear of missing out (FOMO). Despite Gotham Knights not having live-service elements, its gameplay and structure adhere to the same principles, making this advice relevant for it too.

Read More

2025-01-11 01:37