Monolith Productions Shuts Down Along with WB Games San Diego and Player First Games Amid Strategic Restructuring
In a major shakeup, Warner Bros. Games has officially shut down three of its development studios—Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and WB Games San Diego. This decision comes on the heels of earlier challenges, including the troubled development of the Wonder Woman game and the impending closure of MultiVersus, marking a difficult period for the publisher.
Monolith Productions, one of the most storied developers in the industry since its founding in 1994, is best known for cult classics such as Shogo: Mobile Armor Division, No One Lives Forever, Tron 2.0, F.E.A.R., and Condemned, as well as the critically acclaimed Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel. At The Game Awards 2021, Monolith had announced a Wonder Woman game featuring an original storyline and its trademark Nemesis system. However, after years of unfruitful development and significant delays, Warner Bros. Games—now under new leadership following the departure of division chief David Haddad—decided to cut its losses.
In a publisher statement, Warner Bros. Games explained:
"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 these teams or the talent that consists within them. The development of Monolith's Wonder Woman videogame 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."
The announcement acknowledged the deep legacy of Monolith Productions and expressed gratitude for the passion and contributions of its employees. Yet the closure marks a turning point as Warner Bros. Games shifts its focus toward more profitable franchises and projects, such as a forthcoming Game of Thrones title and a new LEGO game reportedly set to launch as early as next year. Notably, TT Games is in the final stages of development on the latter.
Journalist Jason Schreier provided additional context during the latest episode of the Kinda Funny Gamescast. Schreier revealed that Monolith had been working on an original IP codenamed Legacy next after the 2017 launch of Middle-earth: Shadow of War. However, when Warner Bros. Games cancelled this project in April 2021, it proved to be a fatal blow for Monolith. Much of the studio’s leadership subsequently resigned to form Cliffhanger Games, now under Electronic Arts, where they are developing a Black Panther game featuring new storytelling technology reminiscent of Monolith's famed Nemesis system.
These studio closures come as Warner Bros. Games grapples with a series of disappointing releases over recent years—including Gotham Knights, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and MultiVersus—despite the phenomenal success of titles like Hogwarts Legacy. Internal restructuring efforts include plans to transform WB Games Montreal into a support studio, while other teams have been reallocated to assist with troubled projects like the Wonder Woman game until its eventual cancellation.
What do you think about Warner Bros. Games’ decision to shutter these storied studios? Will the focus on high-performing franchises help the publisher regain momentum? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
