Rocksteady Studios, known for its acclaimed Batman: Arkham series, is reportedly planning to recover from the challenges faced with their recent game, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, by returning to their roots with a new single-player game. This comes after Suicide Squad struggled to meet expectations, leading to speculation about the studio’s next steps.
According to a report by Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, Rocksteady is looking to develop a single-player game that aligns more closely with their expertise in creating immersive solo gaming experiences. Investment analyst Doug Creutz expressed optimism about Rocksteady’s future, suggesting that the studio will likely get another opportunity with publisher Warner Bros. Games to work on a project better suited to their strengths.
The Batman: Arkham series, which focused on single-player adventures, established Rocksteady as a top-tier developer known for creating deep and engaging narratives. However, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, a four-player co-op game, failed to capture the same level of acclaim. Editor-in-chief Josh West from GamesRadar+ noted that the game felt like an empty open-world experience with characters lacking individuality.
Schreier’s report highlights that the development of Suicide Squad was influenced by Warner Bros.’ push for a live-service, multiplayer format, which led to significant shifts in the game’s design focus, including a controversial pivot from melee combat to gunplay.
Despite the setbacks, there is hope that Rocksteady’s next project, potentially a new IP, will allow the studio to reclaim its reputation for high-quality, single-player games. With Warner Bros. backing them, Rocksteady aims to deliver an outstanding game that leverages their proven talents.
This news indicates that Rocksteady is keen on learning from past experiences and is ready to innovate once more in the realm of single-player adventures, a genre where they have previously excelled.
