During a recent financial call, Warner Bros. executives revealed that MultiVersus has underperformed, adding to the company's already significant deficit for the year. Despite the game's rocky history, including its shutdown earlier in 2023 after a lengthy beta period, there was initial optimism when Warner Bros. and Player First Games announced the free-to-play brawler's relaunch.
The May relaunch sparked excitement within the community, especially after Player First introduced various changes based on beta feedback. The game transitioned to Unreal Engine 5, added a new PvE mode called Rifts, and brought in unexpected characters like The Joker, Jason Voorhees, and Agent Smith to kick off the new season. However, this excitement appears to have been short-lived.
Despite the early buzz, MultiVersus struggled to maintain momentum after its relaunch. The game's initial success even led Warner Bros. to acquire Player First Games just a few months later. Yet, the title's performance has been underwhelming, contributing $100 million to the company's $200 million deficit in the games division.
While Warner Bros. CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels clarified that MultiVersus wasn't the sole cause of the deficit, it was identified as a key factor, alongside other underperforming releases. The company's year has been tough, beginning with the disappointing launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The highly anticipated, but critically panned, title from Rocksteady became a financial failure, exacerbating the company's struggles in 2024.
Despite the setbacks, Player First Games continues to push forward with new content for MultiVersus. Season 4 has already been revealed, featuring new characters Raven and Marceline, along with an updated Arena game mode, new maps, the Fighters Road feature, and more limited-time events and Rifts over the course of the 10-week season.