Tech

From 2024 to 2025, Warner Bros. Games experienced a period of intense turmoil. On the one hand, its once proud Batman: Arkham series is still the benchmark for superhero games; on the other hand, the disastrous failure of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the operational collapse of MultiVersus, and the mediocre performance of Harry Potter: Quidditch Championship have plunged the veteran publisher into a double crisis of finance and reputation. The latest report by Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier reveals the pressure of restructuring within Warner, especially after the departure of CEO David Haddad, the development direction of its future projects has been questioned.

Failure Of Warner Games

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League

As Rocksteady Studio’s first new work after Batman Arkham trilogy, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was highly anticipated, but it eventually became Warner’s most expensive failure case in recent years. After the launch of this multiplayer cooperative shooting game, it was criticized for its repetitive gameplay, weak plot and technical problems. Steam praise rate has long been hovering at “mixed praise”, and the player churn rate is as high as 95%. According to Bloomberg, the game directly caused Warner to lose $200 million and forced Rocksteady to lay off nearly 60% of its employees, leaving only 15 people on the team.

MultiVersus

Another service-based game, MultiVersus, is also in trouble. This free fighting game that brings together Warner’s IP characters once attracted more than 150,000 concurrent online players with its Brawl mode, but due to weak subsequent updates and poor character balance, the number of online players in the second season plummeted to less than 2,000. Warner eventually set aside more than $100 million in impairment losses and announced the suspension of service in early 2025.

Strategic Misjudgment Of Service-Based Games

Warner executives’ decisions were accused of blindly following industry trends. Rocksteady previously focused on single-player narratives (such as Arkham series), but was forced to turn to multiplayer service-based game development. The team size expanded from 160 to 250 people, and management chaos and lack of experience led to the project getting out of control. Similar problems also plagued other manufacturers, such as Sony’s (Concord), which also died suddenly due to the service-based model and lost $200 million.

Follow-Up Plan

Warner CEO David Zaslav made it clear in the earnings call that the future will focus on four cores: Hogwarts Legacy, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones and DC Universe (especially Batman). Among them, the sequel to Hogwarts Legacy has entered the development stage, and the global sales of the first game exceeded 30 million copies, becoming Warner’s most successful stand-alone work in recent years.

Wonder Woman project developed by Monolith Productions cost more than $100 million, but due to creative differences, it was restarted many times. The original Nemesis system was abandoned and changed to a traditional action-adventure mode, and the release date is far away.

WB Games Montréal, which launched Gotham Knights, is now turning to assisting in the development of a new Game of Thrones game, while the previously planned Constantine game was canceled because of the box office failure of DC movie The Flash.

Besides preparing the sequel to Hogwarts Legacy, Avalanche Software is also preparing DLC and new content. It is expected that players will experience a more complete wizarding world in the near future. In order to ease financial pressure, Warner plans to launch the next-generation upgraded version of Hogwarts Legacy, Lego co-branded games and multiple mobile games in the next two years, trying to maintain cash flow through low-cost projects.

Batman: Arkham

Batman Arkham series (2009-2015) defines the gold standard for superhero games. From the closed narrative of Arkham Asylum to the open world of Arkham Knight, the series has won more than 30 million sales worldwide with a solid combat system, delicate character creation and immersive environment design. In contrast, the failure of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League highlights Warner’s deviation from its own advantages.

After the failure of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Warner quickly adjusted its strategy. Rocksteady has been approved to develop a new Batman single-player game, and may completely bid farewell to Arkham label and start a new storyline. In addition, to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the release of Arkham Asylum, rumors of a remake are rampant, and modern technology may be used to reproduce classic scenes. This may be a good thing for both Warner Games and players. Warner Games’ transformation attempts in recent years have basically failed and have greatly consumed the trust of the fan base greatly. Warner Games is already very familiar with Batman series, and restarting this series may save Warner Games’ few reputations.

According to reports, Sony is actively striving for platform exclusivity for the new Batman game, which may be tailored for PS5 or PS6. If true, this will be another heavy bargaining chip for Sony to consolidate its position in the console market after Final Fantasy 16 and Marvel’s Spider-Man 2.

Warner Bros. Games is at a crossroads. From the glory of Batman Arkham to the collapse of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the lessons have profoundly confirmed the importance of not forgetting the original intention. Although it will take several years for the new Batman series of games to meet players officially, the expectations of fans and the attention of the industry have re-lit the signal light for this virtual Gotham City. As Zaslav said: “We must focus on what we are good at.” For Warner Games, Batman series may be the game they are really good at.

It’s no surprise that Dead by Daylight has crossovers with some of the most famous villains and killers in pop culture. Nicolas Cage, Chuckie and Hellraiser are just a few of the characters in its many DLCs. However, the latest crossover may be the most surprising content ever. This time Junji Ito’s work enters the chaos of killing.

Dead By Daylight Crossover With Junji Ito’s Characters Brings New Skins

Behaviour Interactive announced on January 7, 2025 that in order to celebrate horror manga artist Junji Ito and the many classic characters he has created over the past 40 years, it will bring players eight new skins in The Fog, all inspired by Junji Ito’s works.

Born in 1963, Junji Ito began drawing comics at the age of 4 and had his first very popular work at the age of 24. In 1987, Junji Ito contributed a short horror novel to Monthly Halloween magazine.

The novel eventually became a success, and became Tomie series, which has been serialized for more than ten years. Junji Ito has created countless horror comics and many terrifying monsters in the past. This time, some of them will appear in the game of Dead By Daylight.

Seeing the terrifying and creepy characters in his works come to life in the game will definitely bring a very good experience to players who like horror. In fact, this event scared even Junji Ito.

He stated in a press release that he was very happy to experience the gameplay of Dead By Daylight. In the game, the characters he created became ruthless killers and did things that Junji Ito himself would be scared of. He was very happy to see that they became even more terrifying after leaving me.

Where Do Junji Ito’s Killer Skins In Dead By Daylight Come From?

1. The Artist: Miss Fuchi from Fashion Model

Miss Fuchi first appeared in Junji Ito’s work Rumors, which is the fourth chapter of the work Souichi’s Diary of Curses, which was first published in 1997. Ms. Fuchi is a very frail-looking fashion model who is said to eat children and any of her business rivals. Her in-game look is specifically modeled after her look in Fashion Model chapter.

2. The Spirit: Tomie from Painter

This character is probably the most classic character written by Junji Ito. Tomie Kawakami portrays herself as a young and beautiful woman. But in reality, Tomie is more like a living infected person who can clone herself and even put her organs or blood into a human body, turning humans into her copies. Tomie has appeared in three of Junji Ito’s horror story series. The image inspired this skin in Tomie Part 2’s Painter.

3. The Twins: Hikizuri’s Dark Past from The Strange

The Twins Killer duo in Dead by Daylight has received a new skin, which is based on Junji Ito’s The Strange Hikizuri Siblings, also known as The Bizarre Hizikuri Siblings. Soichi is a character from the Horror World of Junji Ito series, Volume 13, Chapter 5. The story tells the story of a family where six siblings decide to hold a seance after their parents die, and one of them is possessed by the spirit of their dead father.

4. The Trickster: Soichi’s Party Clothes from Soichi’s Convenient Curse

Soichi, or Souichi as he’s often called, is another very famous character from Junji Ito, and the eponymous character from Souichi’s Diary of Curses above. Souichi, in the article, is a fifth-grader who suffers from iron deficiency, and he treats his iron deficiency by putting some metal nails in his mouth. Of course, this also becomes the best tool for him to torture his classmates and other targets. This skin is mainly inspired by the first chapter.

5. The Dredge: Half Spirits’ Torment from The Story of the Mysterious Tunnel

The Dredge skin comes from The Story of the Mysterious Tunnel, Chapter 2, Volume 14 of the Horror World of Junji Ito. This short story mainly tells about the entire town being slowly hypnotized and walking into the titular tunnel, where they are sucked into the wall and greeted by the ghosts of the tunnel’s previous victims.

The above is a detailed introduction to the five main skins. Players can refer to their favorite characters to experience the new game content.

As a mountain that is difficult to cross in the game industry, Nintendo’s games in 2024 did not cause much waves. But this does not mean that Nintendo has no strength, because Super Mario and The Legend of Zelda are still classics in the history of games, and many games have found inspiration in Nintendo’s games. And the first big move of Nintendo this year is that their new console will be announced within 100 days. We can look forward to the new works that will escort this console at that time.

New Works

Nintendo’s new console is about to be released, and they also have to escort the new console. Therefore, in the next few months, Nintendo will continue to fill their Switch console with new games.

Donkey Kong Return HD

Donkey Kong Return HD will be released on January 16. This is an HD remake of Wii platform game launched in 2010, which also includes additional levels from the 2013 3DS version. This is the third time Nintendo has remade this game.

Perhaps Nintendo will bring you a new Donkey Kong after the release of Donkey Kong theme movie and the opening of the theme park. If you haven’t played this game, it is recommended that you try this good platform jumping game.

Nintendo Xenoblade Chronicles X

On March 20, players will usher in another remastered game, Nintendo Xenoblade Chronicles X. This game has many fans, and this news must make them very excited.

The story of Nintendo Xenoblade Chronicles X is independent and not deeply related to the trilogy. Nintendo Xenoblade X was released in 2025. This time it will be the 10th anniversary of this game. Players can finally play this large-scale open world RPG. Nintendo Xenoblade Chronicles has not only improved the graphics of the original version but also expanded the content of the game, so that even fans of the original version can play more happily.

Pokémon

Next is Pokémon LEGENDS Z-A. Its release date has yet to be announced, but this is Game Freak’s return to Legends series after their successful reinvention with Pokémon Legends: Arceus in 2022.

We still don’t know much about Pokémon Legends Z-A, except that it will revolve around the urban reconstruction of Lumiose City in Kalos region from Pokémon X/Y, and that the sixth-generation Mega-Evolution will return in some form. This Pokémon has been polished for a whole year, and we’re excited to see what new changes they can bring to Pokémon world.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

The last big news is that Metroid Prime 4: Beyond is coming in 2025. The game first appeared at E3 in 2017, and nothing has been heard from it since. Then Nintendo re-announced it to players in June 2024. It’s great news that the game didn’t die. The game will be released later in 2025, and the classic villain of the series will also return.

Switch 2

Switch was released in 2017. After so many years, Switch is finally going to release the second generation. What is exciting is not only the new performance brought by the new machine but also what Nintendo will release to escort Switch 2. Developers claim that the performance of Switch 2 is comparable to that of PS4 Pro, and the powerful performance means that more games can be logged in to Switch 2.

The latest news about this game console will be announced around March 2025, but it may take some time for the official release. Maybe in the second half of 2025. The release of Switch 2 is unlikely to be delayed until 2026, because even players will lose patience.

The developers are very tight-lipped, and no news has been leaked yet. However, the new console means a luxurious new game lineup, and Nintendo may need some time to develop new games for their new console.

Super Mario Odyssey first met players in 2017, and in the eight years since then, Mario 3D series has not launched the next official work. Players may see the new Mario appear with Switch 2, because 2025 is the 40th anniversary of the birth of Super Mario Bros.

Mario is a timeless classic, but it alone is not enough to make Switch 2 popular among players. Will players play a new Legend of Zelda game on Switch 2? This may not be possible. It is more likely that players can play The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and The Legend of Zelda: Kingdom of Tears on Switch 2, and perhaps The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.

In addition, Masahiro Sakurai, the producer of Super Smash Bros., revealed in 2022 that he was secretly making a brand new game. Now it has been developed for three years, and players may get news of this game at Switch 2 conference in 2025. Of course, maybe this game is Super Smash Bros. 2.

Next Generation

With the update and development of equipment, the development direction of many game companies has changed from small and exquisite to large and beautiful, and various next-generation games have emerged. Nintendo’s release of a new game console may also prepare a new next-generation game for it.

Nintendo has developed over the years and is no longer just a game company. Its business has now expanded from games to film and television and offline entertainment. Nintendo’s entertainment business is in full swing. I believe it can bring better entertainment products for players.

Sony announced at CES 2025 press conference that Sony Productions and Sony Pictures will jointly produce Helldivers 2 movie, but the specific details are not too much.

Asad Qizilbash, head of PlayStation Productions, said in his speech at the press conference: “Looking ahead to what will happen in the next period, I am very happy to announce that we are working with Sony Pictures to shoot a movie adapted from the very popular PlayStation game Helldivers 2.”

The Content And Brilliant Achievements Of Helldivers 2

Helldivers 2 is a third-person shooter game made by developer Arrowhead. This game is deeply inspired by the classic sci-fi movie Starship Troopers. Fans have also put forward their point of view that adapting Helldivers 2 is almost like remaking Paul Verhoeven’s movie. The game-tells the story of future soldiers fighting to defend a regime called fascist Super Earth.

In the game, players join the titular Helldivers and fight alien robots called “Automatons” and bugs called “Terminids”, constantly acquiring Helldivers 2 Items to upgrade their abilities to complete the task of turning the tide of the interstellar war.

Helldivers 2 sold 12 million copies of the game in just 12 weeks, becoming the fastest-selling PlayStation Studios game to date. After the release of the long-awaited Illuminate update, a third faction was added. Helldivers 2 is currently in a resurgence. However, this update is not for all players. In an interview with GamesRadar+ after the Omens of Tyranny update, producer Alex Bolle said that these new contents are more suitable for hardcore players.

Helldivers 2 won many awards last year, including 2024 Golden Joystick Awards’ Critics’ Choice Award. Reporters from a trusted network of freelance writers decide this award at GamesRadar+, PCGamer, Edge, Retro Gamer, The Future Games Show, and Future.

Fans Want Casts Chris Pratt To Play Bile Titan In The Game

Since Sony announced that it would be adapting to the movie Helldivers 2, there has been a lot of discussion among players about the character selection in the movie. One of the most discussed topics is whether Casts Chris Pratt can play Bile Titan.

Players who have played Helldivers 2 know that Helldivers in the game are all classic soldiers with their faces covered. These characters are often easily replaced, but this has not stopped players from discussing who will play Bile Titan.

Redditor 2Tired2pl once joked about wanting to see Casts Chris Pratt play Bile Titan. Casts Chris Pratt may be an unfamiliar name to some players, but if you mention Mario in the movie The Super Mario Bros, everyone may not feel unfamiliar. Yes, this character is played by Casts Chris Pratt, which became a very popular meme.

Since then, people like to tease him with a picture that Nintendo used to reveal the cast and let him play the most ridiculous role. Although he plays Mario very well, players are still looking forward to him playing one of the biggest enemies in Helldivers 2 movie, the Bile Titan. Because players are very eager to see how he performs the bile vomiting clip.

These ideas of players are just to tell the producers that it is best not to have any popular stars in the casting. Players would rather choose actors who can fully interpret the characteristics of each character in the game, so that only the nameless Helldivers in the movie will fight with Terminids, Automatons and Illuminate. This will be similar to the animation of Warhammer 40,000.

One player said: “He really doesn’t want to see any actor’s face in the movie. Just like in Mandalorian, people will be killed every few minutes. The only thing that matters is to complete the mission.”

Another player said: “He hopes to see Ella Purnell play Eagle-1, if she is not tired of game adaptations after Fallout and Arcane. But one thing is certain, if Craig Lee Thomas can appear in the current movie, he will be very happy.”

Not wanting to see actual faces does not mean that players cannot accept the appearance of actors’ faces. If it is like some classic plots in some movies, such as Brad Pitt in Deadpool, and the helmet is immediately destroyed after taking it off, the players will not mind.

Helldivers 2 is not the only game that will be adapted into a movie. Sony announced that it will also adapt Guerrilla Studios’ Horizon Zero Dawn and Sucker Punch Studios’ Ghost of Tsushima.