In a setback for Rocksteady Studios, renowned for creating the Batman: Arkham series, there have been reports of layoffs towards the end of 2024, attributed to the underperformance of their live service co-op shooter game, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, which was tainted by issues at Sweet Baby Inc.
Reports disclosed that employees from the programming, design, and quality assurance departments were impacted, signifying the studio’s second wave of layoffs within a short span of time. In September, the quality assurance team was significantly reduced, dropping from 33 to 15 members, taking many workers by surprise. This unfortunate event even affected an employee who found out about his termination while on paternity leave.
The trigger for this collapse? The disastrous release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
It appears that the game developed by Rocksteady, despite being eagerly awaited for years, ended up costing Warner Bros. approximately $200 million due to lack of interest from players. By December 2025, Rocksteady announced they would no longer create new content for the game, although the servers would continue operation. With low player numbers and negative feedback, it’s evident that the game didn’t meet expectations. The studio’s future is now unclear, as Warner Bros. has yet to comment on recent layoffs.
Involving Sweet Baby Inc., a company specializing in diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives (DEI), as a narrative designer for the game “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,” has raised more interest due to their substantial role in the game’s creation. They were so deeply involved that they even had a separate credit section within the game “Kill the Justice League” dedicated to their team members.
As Rocksteady Studios struggles, it seems that SBI is prospering. YouTube influencer MasterOfTheTDS claims that SBI has avoided layoffs and currently manages up to 30 active video game projects. This significant difference in fortunes raises doubts about SBI’s part in the game’s downfall, and whether their business strategies might exacerbate the troubles within the gaming industry.
SBI’s Trail of Destruction
Sweet Baby Inc., the storytelling consultation company established by Kim Belair along with partners, has accumulated an unfortunate image for causing disarray among collaborating film studios.
For example, Avalanche Studios Group, another one of SBI’s clients, made a significant announcement in the summer of 2024, reducing its workforce by approximately 10% and closing down its offices in New York and Montreal. Similarly, Reflector Entertainment and Heart Machine, both partners of SBI, experienced substantial staff reductions following the release of projects that did not meet their expectations.
Detractors claim that when SBI gets involved, storylines tend to become overly complex, emphasizing diversity and inclusion and signaling moral virtues, which often misses the mark with players. Consequently, developers are left dealing with lackluster launches. In the instance of Rocksteady, the previously untarnished fame of the Arkham series has been diminished, but SBI remains unaffected by this fallout.
A Studio in Decline
Rocksteady Studios’ decline serves as a warning for developers collaborating with outside companies like SBI. Following their success in creating the Arkham trilogy, Rocksteady was expected to produce another successful game. However, instead of delivering a hit, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League turned into a financial and critical flop, pulling the studio along with it.
The collapse of the game led not only to job losses at Rocksteady but also impacted Warner Bros. Games Montreal, who reportedly let go 99 employees in December. A significant number of these positions were allocated to assisting Rocksteady with post-release content for the Suicide Squad game.
As Rocksteady’s staff grapple with job uncertainties, SBI manages to secure deals unfazed by the gaming industry’s challenges, which leaves some questioning accountability within game development due to their apparent immunity from the consequences.
After Rocksteady faces job cuts, there’s uncertainty about whether studios will persist in working with companies like Sweet Baby Inc., or if this incident will spark a reevaluation within the industry. For now, Rocksteady, once a powerful force, stands as a somber lesson of the consequences when collaboration and execution are both flawed.
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2025-01-10 18:55