WB Games Montreal Lays Off 99 Developers Following Suicide Squad Fallout

The gaming industry has once again been rocked by layoffs, with WB Games Montreal reportedly cutting 99 developers tied to the controversial Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. This comes after the game’s troubled development and underwhelming reception, a stark reminder of the challenges studios face when focusing heavily on live-service multiplayer titles.

The Fallout from Suicide Squad's Failure

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was meant to be a flagship title for Warner Bros. Gaming, but delays and backlash over its live-service model doomed its release. Despite previous successes, WB Games Montreal, best known for Gotham Knights, has now taken a significant hit, with over a third of its team—comprising Keywords employees and subcontractors—reportedly let go.

According to Radio-Canada, affected staff were informed during a meeting earlier this week. The news left many developers feeling "depressed" and "stressed," as they were given the option to join a contact list or receive job-hunting support. Further work from the dismissed team isn’t expected until at least 2026, putting them in a difficult position for the foreseeable future.

An Industry in Decline?

This move paints a grim picture of the current state of Warner Bros. Gaming. The company's push toward live-service models has backfired repeatedly, damaging the reputations of its studios. Suicide Squad is just one in a string of struggles that have reverberated across the gaming giant.

While WB Games Montreal hasn’t issued an official statement, rumors suggest the studio is now shifting gears to develop a new AAA single-player DC game using Unreal Engine 5. However, the significant layoffs raise questions about how this will impact the studio’s creative capabilities and morale moving forward.

The layoffs at WB Games Montreal are yet another example of how high-profile failures in the gaming industry can lead to ripple effects, not just for the companies involved but for their employees. With live-service fatigue growing among gamers and studios struggling to meet expectations, the question remains whether publishers will adjust their strategies or continue doubling down on risky trends.

What do you think? Were these layoffs inevitable given Suicide Squad’s performance, or does this highlight deeper issues in how major publishers handle their studios? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.