Warner Bros. Cancels Wonder Woman Game and Shuts Down Three Game Studios

Warner Bros. Discovery is making major changes to its gaming division, shutting down three studios and canceling the highly anticipated Wonder Woman game. The affected studios—Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB Games San Diego—are being closed as part of a broader effort to refocus on key franchises like Harry Potter, Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and Batman.

In an internal memo, JB Perrette, head of games and streaming for Warner Bros., acknowledged the disappointing performance of recent releases and stressed the need for a new approach. “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,” he wrote.

The decision comes after a rough 2024 for WB Games, with titles like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and MultiVersus underperforming. Monolith’s Wonder Woman game, which had been in development for over three years, was also struggling behind the scenes, with the game reportedly rebooting and changing directors early last year. “Our hope was to give players and fans the highest quality experience possible for the iconic; character, and unfortunately, this is no longer possible within our strategic priorities,” the company stated.

This restructuring also follows the departure of WB Games president David Haddad, who stepped down in January. His exit, along with mounting financial losses, fueled speculation that Warner Bros. might sell off its gaming division. Meanwhile, the company is shifting its strategy toward live-service and mobile games rather than traditional AAA titles.

Monolith Productions, the most established of the three studios, was best known for Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and its Nemesis system, which WB successfully patented in 2021. Player First Games, acquired by WB in 2024, had only developed MultiVersus, which launched with strong numbers but failed to maintain an audience. WB Games San Diego focused on mobile and free-to-play titles but never made a significant impact.

The closures reflect broader struggles within the gaming industry, where layoffs and studio shutdowns have been on the rise. In 2023, over 10,000 game developers were laid off, a number that increased to over 14,000 in 2024. While Warner Bros. hasn’t revealed how many employees are affected, these closures add to the growing uncertainty in the industry.

For fans of Wonder Woman, this cancellation is a major disappointment. The game was originally announced in 2021 as a single-player open-world action title with an original story set in the DC Universe. While WB is still committed to DC games, it could be years before another Wonder Woman project takes shape.

Despite these setbacks, Warner Bros. remains confident in its new direction. “As difficult as today is, we remain focused on and excited about getting back to producing high-quality games for our passionate fans and getting our games business back to profitability and growth in 2025 and beyond,” the company said in its statement.

For now, the future of WB Games remains uncertain, but the company appears determined to reshape its gaming portfolio, even if it means letting go of long-standing studios and projects.