David Haddad, who has overseen Warner Bros. Games as president, is parting ways with the company after the rough rollout of the game “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.” Unveiled in 2024, this game missed the mark with its intended audience, drawing criticism for its gameplay and live service aspects.
In recent times, WB Games has faced growing discontent among fans due to several underwhelming releases. Besides “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League,” their fighting game, MultiVersus, also struggled to gain traction, with players criticizing its monetization tactics and the absence of offline gameplay. Although Hogwarts Legacy saw a successful launch in late 2023, its follow-up, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, released in September 2024, didn’t fare as well, as fans were disappointed by its subpar graphics and repetitive gameplay.
Variety has reported that David Haddad has decided to step down after leading the company for over a decade. In his words, “I am so proud of everything we’ve accomplished together at Warner Bros. Games during my time with the company. It has been an absolute pleasure working on and building our iconic gaming franchises, and I will continue to be an enthusiastic supporter of this talented team’s future endeavors.” He will remain in his role for the next few months to help facilitate the transition to a new leader. Meanwhile, during a financial call, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav revealed that the games division wasn’t meeting expectations, and the focus would now predominantly shift to upcoming DC titles and a sequel to Hogwarts Legacy.
The news in December 2024 that “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” would receive its final content update in January 2025 signaled the end of its live service. Its rocky release was surprising, considering it was developed by Rocksteady, famed for the well-loved Batman: Arkham series. The disappointing response from both critics and players led to layoffs at Rocksteady in September 2024, attributed directly to lackluster sales. This ill-fated launch resulted in an astounding $200 million loss for Warner Bros., and by May 2024, the company reported a 41% revenue dip compared to the previous year due to the game’s poor performance.
Looking forward, WB Games’ future seems uncertain, but the anticipated sequel to Hogwarts Legacy is expected to restore some player confidence and financial stability. Excitement also swirls around the upcoming Wonder Woman game, though fans might have to wait until 2026 to see it in stores, as development only recently began.
