Warner Bros. has left fans deeply disappointed after announcing the cancellation of Monolith Productions’ Wonder Woman game.
Monolith Production is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Games and is the studio behind games like F.E.A.R. and Guardians of Middle-earth. In 2021, the company announced it was developing a video game featuring the DC superhero Wonder Woman. Although Wonder Woman was announced over three years ago, details on the project have been sparse. It was confirmed to be an original story featuring the DC character in a single-player open-world action-adventure game. The game was also originally supposed to reimagine the Nemesis System, which was introduced in Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, though that idea was eventually shelved.
Unfortunately, as gamers were awaiting further news on Wonder Woman, Warner Bros. announced the game was canceled.
Warner Bros. cancels Wonder Woman and shutters Monolith
On February 25, Bloomberg reported that Warner Bros. was canceling Wonder Woman and shutting down three game studios, including Monolith Productions. Warner Bros. soon released an official statement confirming the news. The studio announced the closure of Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego while confirming development on Wonder Woman would “not move forward.” Warner Bros. claimed it was a “strategic change in direction” and not a reflection of the companies and their talent. It suggested the move was necessary to provide players with the “highest quality possible” and to make the gaming business profitable again. The statement read:
We have had to make some very 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, we are closing three of our development studios – Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego. This is a strategic change in direction and not a reflection of the teams or the talent that consists within them. The development of Monolith’s Wonder Woman video game will not move forward. 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. This is another tough decision, as we recognize Monolith’s storied history of delivering epic fan experiences through amazing games. We greatly admire the passion of the three teams and thank every employee for their contributions. 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.
On social media, many users criticized the decision. After all, it won’t sit right with players that Warner Bros. swiftly patented Monolith Productions’ Nemesis System, only to let it sit stagnant for years before announcing the entire studio was shutting down. X users pointed out how other studios could’ve further developed the Nemesis System instead of letting Warner Bros. sit on it for years. In regards to Wonder Woman‘s cancellation, user @shakib4241 wrote, “Warner Bros is speedrunning how to disappoint fans every year.”
The cancellation of Wonder Woman and the shuttering of three studios are unlikely to help with Warner Bros.’s popularity, especially with one consultant on the game speaking out about its potential. Wonder Woman writer Gail Simone revealed she was a consultant on the game and called it a “showpiece epic.” She wrote, “The game was gorgeous and expansive. It was beautiful to look at. I am not going to give details for a number of reasons, but every effort was made to make this not just a great game, but a great Wonder Woman game. A showpiece epic.” She vehemently defended the talents and dedication of everyone at Monolith Productions, raising questions of why Warner Bros. indicated it wasn’t possible for the game to be the “highest quality” possible.
Published: Feb 26, 2025 11:42 am