Warner Bros to Discontinue Operations at Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and Warner Bros San Diego

Updated on February 25, 2025: Warner Bros. Games issued a statement expressing that the decision to close the three studios was a challenging one and not a reflection on the teams or their talent, but rather a result of a strategic change in direction. The exact number of affected developers remains unclear, but according to their LinkedIn profiles, Monolith employs between 201-500 people, WB Games San Diego has 51-200 employees, and Player First has 11-50 staff. In a statement to Kotaku, Warner Bros. explained, "We have made difficult decisions to structure our development studios and investments around building the best games possible with our key franchises - Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, DC, and Game of Thrones." After careful consideration, Warner Bros. decided to close Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego, citing this as a strategic change in direction and not a reflection on the teams or their talent. The development of Monolith's Wonder Woman videogame will not proceed. The company had hoped to provide players and fans with a high-quality experience for the iconic character but unfortunately, this is no longer feasible within their strategic priorities. This decision is particularly tough given Monolith's history of delivering epic fan experiences through amazing games. Warner Bros. expressed admiration for the passion of the three teams and thanked every employee for their contributions. The statement concluded, "As difficult as today is, we remain focused on and excited about getting back to producing high-quality games for our passionate fans and developed by our world-class studios, and getting our Games business back to profitability and growth in 2025 and beyond." Originally, it was reported that Warner Bros. Games was shutting down Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and Warner Bros San Diego. According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, Warner Bros. also canceled its upcoming Wonder Woman game. A spokesperson for Warner Bros. Games told Bloomberg that the shutdowns were "not a reflection of these teams or the talent that consists within them." JB Perrette, head of games and streaming for Warner Bros., stated in a memo to staff, "The quality of too many of our new releases has really missed the mark." He added, "We need to make some substantial changes to our portfolio/team structure if we are to commit the necessary resources to get back to a 'fewer but bigger franchises' strategy." Last month, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president David Haddad stepped down after 12 years leading the company. In December, nearly 100 developers were laid off from Warner Games Montreal. The cuts followed Warner Bros Discovery reporting it had taken "another $100+ million impairment" due to the "underperforming" MultiVersus, a free-to-play crossover fighting game, which was recently announced to be delisted and have all online functionality disabled in May 2025.