MultiVersus Dev Calls Out ‘Threats to Harm’ Following Shutdown Announcement: ‘I Am in Deep Mourning for the Game’

The game director of MultiVersus has publicly addressed the severe backlash and threats to harm developers following the announcement of the game's impending shutdown. Last week, Player First Games revealed that Season 5 would mark the end for the Warner Bros. brawler, with servers shutting down in May, just a year after its relaunch. Players can still enjoy their earned and purchased content offline through local and training modes.

While real-money transactions for MultiVersus are no longer available, players can continue using Gleamium and character tokens to access in-game content until support ends on May 30. The game will be delisted from major platforms including the PlayStation Store, Microsoft Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store at that time.

The announcement, coupled with the lack of a refund policy, sparked outrage among players who purchased the $100 premium Founder's Pack, with many feeling "scammed." The situation is exacerbated by players who have character tokens they can no longer use, having already unlocked all characters. Consequently, MultiVersus is facing a wave of negative reviews 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 directed at his team. In his statement, Huynh expressed gratitude towards Warner Bros. Games, the developers, IP holders, and the players, while acknowledging the sadness surrounding the game's closure. He emphasized the team's dedication and creativity, apologizing for any unfulfilled character requests and explaining the complexities behind character selection.

Huynh also highlighted the collaborative nature of Player First Games, noting that the team's power to make changes is limited by time and resources. He urged the community to enjoy Season 5 and continue supporting other platform fighter and fighting games, reflecting on the positive impact these games have had on his life and career.

Community manager and game developer Angelo Rodriguez Jr. came to Huynh's defense on Twitter, condemning the threats of physical harm against him. Rodriguez emphasized Huynh's dedication to the game and the community, highlighting the sleepless nights spent worrying about the situation.

The closure of MultiVersus marks another setback for Warner Bros. Games, following the troubled launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League last year. The departure of Warner Bros. Games boss David Haddad amid a challenging period for the company was also recently announced. Warner Bros. Discovery reported significant financial losses from both MultiVersus and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, totaling $300 million. The company's only new release in the third quarter of 2024, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, failed to make a significant impact.

In a financial call, Warner Bros. Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav acknowledged the underperformance of the games division and outlined plans to focus on four key franchises: Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman. Recent releases include the VR game Batman: Arkham Shadow, and a Wonder Woman game is in development at Monolith Productions. Despite the setbacks, Mortal Kombat 1 has achieved over five million sales, with future DLC on the horizon.