There's a funny little quirk in Batman: Arkham Knight where, when you're playing as the caped crusader, crouching will cause Robin to follow suit. However, the dark knight refuses to follow suit for the boy wonder. For years, it's seemed like a joke from developer Rocksteady, but it's actually something much funnier: a glitch.

A clip of the interaction is currently garnering attention on Twitter, as someone points out the non-reciprocal relationship. This caught the eye of someone who used to work at Rocksteady, who provides context for the mechanic after years of speculation.

"I asked my manager at Rocksteady about this, he worked on this system," Aadit Doshi, a former senior gameplay programmer at the studio says.

"He looked me dead in the eye and said, 'Yeah, that's a bug,'" Doshi continues. "Half the game is in the player's imagination."

He doesn't name his manager, and he points out he wasn't on the team that made Arkham Knight, having joined Rocksteady in 2018, three years after the Batman threequel came out. That said, he had a solid run in the company, only leaving in 2024. Doshi makes mention of further discussion and coverage of players discovering this apparent joke years ago, and sure enough, searching around you can find articles from 2021 mentioning the speculation.

I can imagine when this started bubbling up the first time, there was some sort of internal chatter about patching it out, before realizing it's much better left in. It fits the character dynamics – Robin follows Batman lockstep, whereas Batman consistently wishes his sidekick would stop clowning around – to the point where it's better if fans believe this was on purpose.

It makes Rocksteady look funnier and more clever, and regardless of this insight, I think we should just pretend it's still that way. Kudos, team – you nailed it, however accidentally so.

GTA 6 is following Red Dead Redemption 2's footsteps in how it breaks up the story, Rockstar teases.

The Earth is shaking in Hollywood, as Paramount Skydance prepares to acquire Warner Bros in a landmark deal valued at around $110 billion. Warner Bros Games is included, but whether or not the studio survives cost-cutting measures remains to be seen.

With Mortal Kombat, Batman, and Hogwarts Legacy among the franchises on offer, Warner Bros Games brings plenty to the table, both for regular people and in terms of shareholder value. However, cuts in the region of $6 billion are to be made across all of WB as it's folded into Paramount Skydance, and video games could very well be where a significant chunk of that comes from.

"With Paramount now adding WB Games to their arsenal," Justin Kenna, CEO of GameSquare Holdings, commented to TheWrap, "they are gaining some gaming franchises that can be used to engage fans year-round within a more streamlined and vertically integrated content experience."

Kenna states that the games industry is "simply a space that you need to be playing in if you’re a media company trying to win the next generation of consumers." Marketing speak aside, games are not an avenue to be underestimated when it comes to IP. The Simpsons collab in Fortnite was the most relevant Springfield's most famous family has been in years, and the Batman Arkham games are as beloved as any of the caped crusader's films.

Then you have the Lego and Mortal Kombat games, both perennial favorites. The latter's since become a successful film series (again), opening up more opportunities for multimedia franchising ala The Last of Us and Fallout. Sadly, Warner Bros Games is in a bit of a slump, with the one-two failures of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and MultiVersus draining the publisher, and, according to industry experts, it could be up for the chop.

"Everything that’s higher-risk and half-baked and too innovative to deliver just yet are put in the freezer and you never see them again," Joost Van Dreunen, a professor in video games at NYU’s Stern School of Business, says of huge mergers like this. "So it’s not just people worrying about their jobs. There’s a real ebbing of creative energy because of this."

We can only wait and see what happens, but the medium isn't known for much stability right now, and the home of Sub-Zero and The Joker might be next to feel the squeeze.

Mortal Kombat's Sub-Zero and Kitana team up after figure skating duo's Winter Olympics silver medal win to pull off a competition illegal move – but don't worry, there's no finisher

Michael Keaton, Christian Bale, Robert Pattinson – throughout the decades, these actors have all been Batman in their own way. And that's great. But, unfortunately, they've never been made of Lego, and Superman filmmaker and DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn says the upcoming Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight action game might offer the most comprehensive look at the brooding hero so far.

"There's Batman as the do-gooder. Batman as the Dark Knight, this creature of vengeance," Gunn says in a new behind-the-scenes video posted to the Warner Bros. Games YouTube channel. "One of the many great things about Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight is that it manifests all these different elements of Batman that we've loved over the years. People can experience this character maybe as fully as they ever have."

This latest installment of the funny and fun Lego Batman series – set to release sometime in 2026 – will channel Rocksteady's iconic Arkham games in presenting a vast Gotham City to sneak around in. Because of this, our Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight preview notes gameplay "depth far beyond what I was expecting."

James Gunn seems to know that's what we're thinking. He adds in Warner Bros.' behind-the-scenes video, "I love when a story defies expectation. I love the fact that we're going into Lego Batman, it actually has real emotion and stakes."

"I love this combination of DC and Lego," Gunn says. "I like them working together. There's something about Lego that just opens our mind to play and creativity – and kind of our own personal artistic expression."

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight's combat was inspired by the Arkham series: "We also wanted to bring our own Lego approach to that foundation."

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight was the biggest game announcement of Gamescom 2025, according to industry analyst Chris Dring, and frankly, I'm not surprised. While some may scoff and think "it's just another Lego game," Legacy of the Dark Knight looks super impressive, and the closest thing to a fifth Arkham game as we're going to get at this rate, with Rocksteady's games being a big inspiration for Lego Batman.

It's also the first Lego game from TT Games since 2022's Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga, which marked the biggest technical leap forward for the Lego series, transforming them from solid, family-friendly beat-'em-ups into a full-fledged third-person action game.

Speaking to GamesRadar+, the strategic director at TT Games, Jonathan Smith, explained how the big step forward with The Skywalker Saga was built upon for Batman. "We look at Batman from a perspective of everything we've done in the past, everything we achieved in Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga," Smith explained, adding, "We have new opportunities because of new technology."

Lego Batman will also feature a full-blown open-world Gotham City, and while Lego has had open worlds before (and even an open-world Gotham), Smith says, "we now can build a much more immersive city than we were ever able to do before." He also claims that "The scale of this game is much bigger than the other titles we've made in the past."

I certainly didn't expect myself to be super excited for a Lego Batman game in this day and age. Still, everything I've seen from Legacy of the Dark Knight has sold me so far, even if there are apparently only seven playable characters.

While you're here, be sure to take a look at our full roundups of everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 and the Future Games Show at Gamescom 2025 to make sure you don't miss out on any new game details.

If you can't beat 'em, leave 'em in the dust. A number of developers who worked on EA's Black Panther game before it was canceled have now joined Magic: The Gathering publisher and D&D game house Wizards of the Coast to nurture a new title under Shadow of Mordor director Michael de Plater.

Wizards of the Coast president John Hight tells GamesIndustry.biz that de Plater and "14 key people that he's worked with" at Cliffhanger Games – which EA shut down suddenly this summer – are starting "to incubate a new game for us." Some of these developers had also worked with de Plater at former home Monolith, which Warner Bros. closed at the start of 2025.

At the moment, de Plater's secret project is just in its beginning stages, but Hight can already tell it's "something very cool and new."

"And that part I can't tell you yet," he continues.

It doesn't seem de Plater has many specifics nailed down yet, as Hight explains, "We'll go through a fairly lengthy concept process where they're going to look at a lot of different ideas."

Ultimately, Wizards of the Coast wants "to give [de Plater] time" to create.

The publisher is currently also working with Dragon Age: The Veilguard co-director Corrine Busche, who left BioWare this spring before EA began cutting Dragon Age staff to shift its "full focus" on Mass Effect, and Star Wars Jedi: Survivor director Stig Asmussen, who Hight says is getting similar treatment as de Plater from Wizards regarding his untitled Dungeons & Dragons game. There's currently no indication that this new incubation project will be yet another D&D game.

"Of course" Baldur's Gate 4 is going to happen, Wizards of the Coast boss says, but that's not the D&D game Star Wars Jedi and God of War 3's director is working on.

Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight's director has spoken about the game's goal to honor the legacy of the Arkham series.

My favorite announcement of Gamescom Opening Night Live had to have been Lego Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight. While I've not played a Lego Batman game since the original one back in 2008, this one looks like a sick Batman game which we've not had since Arkham City, so I was immediately in.

Although the game isn't adapting any specific Batman story (although there are scenes pulled from the Nolan films and The Batman seen in the trailer) there is one massive inspiration on show, Rocksteady's Batman Arkham series, with the open world and combat looking ripped straight from it.

GamesRadar+'s Ali Jones spoke to strategic director at TT Games, Jonathan Smith, about the influence of Rocksteady's games on Legacy of the Dark Knight at Gamescom 2025. Smith says: "When we think about embodying Batman as a video game character today, of course we're inspired by the generational defining work that our friends and colleagues at Rocksteady Studios executed so brilliantly in the Arkham series."

He adds, "As a starting point they pulled off the experience of being surrounded by enemies, of fluid combos, and hit counters, and takedowns. We wanted that to be in the game."

However, this isn't a gritty Arkham game, this is a silly Lego game, and that was taken into account by TT Games, as Smith says: "We've also got our own take on it. We're also, in some ways, making it more accessible as well for younger players."

Smith explains: "We also wanted to bring our own Lego approach to that foundation, to deepen what we can do with the gadgets." The trailer shows the likes of the explosive gel from the Arkham series, and of course Batarangs (no Bat Credit Card though), with each of the seven main playable characters having their own gadgets. And, of course, it's a Lego game, so co-op is always a priority which Smith says "no-one has done before." This is true in terms of local co-op, but I assume we all want to forget Gotham Knights anyway.

"As part of generally honoring the legacy of Batman, we honor and appreciate and love as fans what was achieved there [at Rocksteady]."

While you're here, be sure to take a look at our full roundups of everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 and the Future Games Show at Gamescom 2025 to make sure you don't miss out on any new game details.

Warner Bros. Games is in a hole. It's been choking on dirt since 2024, after it reportedly lost $200 million on the hugely disappointing Suicide Squad shooter Kill the Justice League, whose failure supposedly led to Warner Bros. choosing to axe its planned open-world Wonder Woman game, alongside Monolith Productions. But like any glutton for punishment, the Hogwarts Legacy publisher is back for more, now appearing to hire for a new live service title, or titles.

The associated job listing seems deliberately vague. Otherwise, it's standard stuff: the executive producer position requires someone to "lead the development of a high-quality AAA game based on one of the iconic IPs from the vast Warner Bros. and DC Comics catalog," but it interestingly also specifically requires guiding "post-launch content and live service strategy, ensuring ongoing player engagement."

"You will oversee the entire production lifecycle – from concept to launch and beyond – ensuring the game meets the highest standards of quality, innovation, and player engagement," the Warner Bros. listing says. "You will work closely with the Creative Director and studio leadership to [...] ensure the project delivers on time, on budget, and to critical and commercial success."

That last part seems crucial – "critical and commercial success." This spring, Warner Bros. revealed in a financial report that its gaming revenue was down 48%, and that its spending on games had dipped by 66%. The company collected itself and stood back up in the summer, announcing a grand restructuring plan that revolves around only the "Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat and DC" franchises. But filtering any of those IPs – in this case, it seems like Warner Bros. could be hiring for DC – through live service seems like a death sentence.

PlayStation is still "continuing to invest in new live services," and has "reviewed our processes" following Concord's failure.

The EU Stop Killing Games initiative recently surpassed its goal of one million signatures, so it seems like everyone in Europe is ready to defend fragile online games to the death… except for those doing the killing.

In response to the Stop Killing Games movement's growing avalanche of support, Video Games Europe – a lobbying group whose board includes executives and legal representation from publishers like Warner Bros. and Microsoft – was dismissive in a new statement. Published both as a blurb on its website and as a full position paper, the statement dismisses Stop Killing Games as "disproportionate."

"It is not clear what the initiators of the stop killing games petition seek to achieve as a legal change," Video Games Europe says in its position paper.

To the group's point, the Stop Killing Games petition page can, at points, read more like a manifesto than a policy proposal; "An increasing number of video games are sold effectively as goods – with no stated expiration date – but designed to be completely unplayable as soon as support from the publisher ends," it says. "This practice is a form of planned obsolescence."

The movement explains its vagueness on its FAQ page by saying that "it is best to keep the demand as simple as possible to minimize any chance of misinterpretation."

But Video Games Europe thinks it's half-hearted. The movement's ask "appears to be a combination of a requirement to provide online services for as long as a consumer wants them," says the group, "regardless of price paid, and/or a requirement to provide a very specific form of end-of-life plan where the game is altered to enable private servers to operate. We do not believe these are proportionate demands."

Among risking security, IP rights, and reputational damage, Video Games Europe says requiring companies to sustain online games past the point where they are "commercially viable" would generally "have a chilling effect on game design, and act as a disincentive to making such games available in Europe."

More specifically, as the lobbying group writes in a summary on its website, "the decision to discontinue online services is multi-faceted, never taken lightly and must be an option" in order not to "curtail developer choice by making these video games prohibitively expensive to create."

"Fuck you," say many responses on Twitter.

Stop Killing Games reaches its 1 million signature goal after a desperate month where it seemed doomed to fail, but it's looking for more because "there's a chance a significant number of them aren't real."

Warner Bros. Games has just announced it will reshuffle its organization around the Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat, and DC franchises.

This news comes a month after Warner Bros.' first quarter financial report revealed the publisher's games revenue "decreased 48% ex-FX," or excluding foreign exchange. The company also pinned its 66% dip in gaming expenses compared to the same quarter last year on "impairment related to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and lower games revenue in the current quarter."

Earlier this year, Warner Bros. canceled its Wonder Woman game and closed Shadow of Mordor studio Monolith after reportedly losing $200 million on Suicide Squad, and then another $100 million on the disappointing MultiVersus and Quidditch Champions.

In a press release, Warner Bros. says that Warner Bros. Games Montréal studio head Yves Lachance will now serve as senior vice president of development and tend to teams involved in Harry Potter and Game of Thrones projects.

Mortal Kombat will continue to remain under the purview of NetherRealm studio head Shaun Himmerick, who has also been promoted to senior vice president of development, in which capacity he will also look after DC games.

"All Warner Bros. Games development studios and production publishing teams will report to Lachance and Himmerick aligned to the franchises for which they are creating games," Warner Bros. says in its press release. It does not share if layoffs are part of its new "franchise focused structure"; GamesRadar+ has reached out for comment.

"Our company is home to some of the biggest franchises in the world, and we are optimizing our team structure to develop long-term franchise roadmaps to delight players and fans of Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, Mortal Kombat and DC games," says Warner Bros. CEO of global streaming and games JB Perrette. "We are very fortunate to have a strong stable of development and technology talent."

More layoffs reportedly hit Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League dev Rocksteady, including another cut to QA.

Immediately after Warner Bros. shut down Shadow of Mordor studio Monolith this year, amid condolences and anxiety for the future of the video game industry, people worried about losing the developer's patented Nemesis System for good. Excitingly, it seems that Black Panther developer Cliffhanger Games – formed in 2021 by a team of Monolith leads – has been toiling on a workaround to the System's patent rules… the only problem is, EA just closed Cliffhanger and canceled its game, too.

Bloomberg journalist Jason Schreier shares in a new report that those familiar say Black Panther would have pit the Marvel heroes against each other in a bid to become the supernaturally powerful Black Panther; the player would control one of these characters, and the rest would become their adversaries.

This rivalry infrastructure indeed sounds similar to what's found in 2014 Lord of the Rings game Shadow of Mordor, in which Uruks battle with both each other and the playable ranger character to attain hierarchical status and make longterm enemies.

Schreier says that Black Panther would have elaborated on this original Nemesis System, too; Strange Scaffold studio lead Xalavier Nelson Jr. predicted studios would get creative like this while the Nemesis System waits out the remaining 11 years on its patent in a recent issue of Edge magazine.

In addition to squabbling with each other, Black Panther's protagonists would have had to take on the humanoid Skrulls, a fleet of shapeshifting aliens, who could have cunningly presented themselves as friends, or held grudges against the player like the Uruks in Shadows of Mordor.

Overall, it sounds like Black Panther could have presented a fascinating reincarnation of the Nemesis System – if only publishers had let any version of it live.

EA's canceled Black Panther game was "amazing and stunning," and its devs are "so sad" it'll never be released.

Warner Bros. Games has been going through a massive rough patch lately, with three of its studios – including Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and open-world Wonder Woman game developer Monolith Productions – all recently shut down. Now, in a new financial report, it's revealed that its revenue and spending is down compared to this time last year, which isn't a shock when it has "no releases" to speak of.

Spotted by PC Gamer, in Warner Bros. Discovery's results for the first quarter of the 2025 fiscal year (which cover the three months ending on March 31), the company notes that games revenue has "decreased 48% ex-FX" (excluding foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations). This, it says, is "due to the prior year release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League compared to no releases in the current year quarter, as well as higher carryover from Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat 1 in the prior year."

Unsurprisingly, no releases means no big spikes of revenue, with continued sales of Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat 1 doing a bit more heavy lifting this time last year, alongside sales of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League when it released out of early access last February.

The game really didn't go down well with fans or critics – we gave it two and a half stars out of five in our Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League review – and it's been no secret that it didn't perform as well as Warner Bros. would have liked. In fact, it was previously stated by Bloomberg's Jason Schreier that the company "wrote off $200 million" because of it. Even so, it was obviously still able to offer more revenue than the company's blank slate of releases at the start of this year.

Warner Bros. Discovery also points to Suicide Squad when discussing its decreased "games content expense" compared to the same quarter last year, which is down by "66% ex-FX, primarily driven by the prior year quarter impairment related to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and lower games revenue in the current quarter."

This is telling of what an impact Suicide Squad had on the company's finances last year. It's worth noting that in a financial context, "impairment" is most likely referring to sudden large drop in an asset's value, a situation which requires companies to assess the difference between the value of something they'd previously accounted for versus its actual, current market value (thanks, Investopedia).

Basically, it sounds like Warner Bros. is referring to the fact that it lost a lot of money last year because of Suicide Squad not doing as well as expected, which it conversely isn't having to spend this year. In a way, that's a win, but obviously with the recent closures of Monolith Productions, MultiVersus developer Player First Games, and the mobile-focused WB San Diego, it doesn't seem like things are looking up for the company just yet.

Experts say Monolith's patented Nemesis System doesn't have to die with its Lord of the Rings games: "You can see some similar design language in the Mercenary system in Assassin's Creed Odyssey.

Like they were in a doomed romance, it seemed like players were fated to part with Monolith Productions' patented Nemesis System for 11 years after WB Games shut the studio down this winter. But industry experts say there's still hope for the genius combat structure to thrive in the meantime.

"The Nemesis patent still gives other designers significant space to operate around," Strange Scaffold studio lead Xalavier Nelson Jr. tells Edge in its new magazine issue 410.

"I think you can see some similar design language in the Mercenary system in Assassin's Creed: Odyssey and some other things Ubisoft has done since then."

Introduced by Lord of the Rings orc extravaganza Middle-Earth: Shadow of Mordor in 2014, the Nemesis System makes it so enemies exist in a bustling hierarchy; vulgar Uruk-hai remember you and seek constant revenge, vying for more power but sometimes losing it in a a perpetual battle up and down enemy ranks.

2018's Assassin's Creed: Odyssey doesn't use every intricacy of this system for its own Mercenary design – it can't, not with a patent in place – but it does borrow the Nemesis System's core concept with a tiered enemy list. Kill the ranked mercenaries, and gain notoriety.

For this reason, Nelson continues to say that "the language and specificity of the [Nemesis] patent is not so significant that, if I had a game concept that would benefit from similar ideas, I would be scared away from doing it, personally."

Patent attorney and partner at law firm Banner Witcoff Scott Kelly agrees with the sentiment, telling Edge that "our whole video game industry is built on the shoulders of what came before us."

"I think people can keep this in mind," he continues encouragingly, "and can find a way to use the parts that they like that will make a really good game, without infringing the specific technology that Warner Bros. patented here."

Hot on the heels of its open-world Wonder Woman game cancelation, Warner Bros. Games is apparently working on a "new unannounced IP" that's set to launch this year.

Hogwarts Legacy is getting "additional updates and features" later this year, though its developer has started setting expectations for fans. 

Earlier this year, the official Hogwarts Legacy Twitter account acknowledged the game's upcoming first anniversary and revealed that its PlayStation-exclusive content will be coming to other platforms later this year, "along with additional updates and features for the game." Nothing else was revealed beyond this until now, less than three months later.

Hogwarts Legacy's community manager, Chandler Wood, has set fans expectations for the upcoming new content. "We are thrilled that you are all excited for the free update to Hogwarts Legacy this summer," the developer shares on his own Twitter account. "We love seeing all the guesses and hopes for what will be part of this update, and while we are not ready to talk about it yet, I do want to set some expectations for what we are working on."

In a follow-up tweet, Wood continues: "Our original wording of 'additional updates and features for the game' was very intentional. This update is a small way of us showing appreciation to our players for the amazing reception to the game." 

It's difficult to know exactly what this tweet means, but the community manager's use of the words "small" and "additional" tells us that it's not a complete overhaul but likely just a few added extras.

The Warner Bros game had an impressive launch last year, despite the Hogwarts Legacy controversy. Not only did it end up becoming the best-selling game of 2023, alongside other big hitters like Baldur's Gate 3 and Starfield, but it also managed to join Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Super Mario Bros. Wonder to become the third-biggest Switch launch of the year. 

Despite all this success, Warner Bros recently said it wants to focus on free-to-play and live-service games even after Suicide Squad setbacks.

Take a look at our new games 2024 to find out what else we'll be playing this year. 

I have to admire Rocksteady Studios for committing so thoroughly to the bit. For the ruthless efficiency with which the developer has burned down a corner of the DC Comics universe that it had spent a decade building up. The Arkhamverse has been torn asunder, its greatest heroes are gone and its most memorable surviving villains have been locked inside the Hall of Justice as weapons vendors. A Crisis on Infinite Earths leaves surprisingly little room for the carnage to be undone in a Lazarus Pit as part of the ongoing live service story, or whatever new adventures may eventually lay beyond it. 

Honestly, it's captivating to see a prominent studio take such a wild swing with a licensed intellectual property. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League tasks you with completing an impossible mission: assassinate the Earth's mightiest heroes with little reflection or remorse, or die trying. It's the sort of meteoric setup that's rarely attempted outside of comic book crossover events, where the state of play can be easily reset in a handful of panels. But despite all of its promise and potential, Suicide Squad lacks the ambition or imagination to execute such a creative concept with any real confidence.

In brightest day, in blackest night

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League suffocates under the weight of its scope. Its core rhythms of play ultimately blighted by wider creative decisions; a stretched structural model which faintly echoes that of The Division, and a cooperative framework that forces a homogenized approach to action, progression, and character definition. Repeating enemy encounters are the only real point of interest across an otherwise empty, sprawling open-world Metropolis, with checklist challenges fuelling trips to a single instanced hub – a claustrophobic space where you're free to catalog mountains of looted items whilst static NPCs bark empty platitudes back in your direction. 

It's a far cry from the boundless ingenuity that Rocksteady used to define its Batman: Arkham trilogy. They're meticulously crafted action adventures that worked to leverage the strengths and weaknesses of one hero operating on home turf, with every combat system, level outlay, and scripted mission ultimately working in tandem to strengthen a single power fantasy. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League isn't able to grasp ahold of similar refinement or focus, surely a result of Rocksteady splitting its attention across four playable villains – Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, King Shark, and Harley Quinn; four wildly different characters who are ultimately born of the same basic mould here, their individual traits inherently weakened in the need to fit archetypal squad roles. 

It's a great shame that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League lacks definition in the areas that matter the most, because Rocksteady has done an otherwise fantastic job bringing the core cast to life once control is wrestled out of your hands. Task Force X are a fantastically written group in cutscenes; quick to quip, and even quicker to whine sardonically as they are pushed into increasingly outlandish positions. Character models are astoundingly detailed, matched with fluid animations and energetic performances. There's a playful exuberance present in the scripted scenes, and a momentum to their direction and execution which helps breathe real life into an otherwise catatonically-paced adventure. 

The problems surmount once the camera reconnects with the shoulder of your preferred character. As you're shoved out of the raucous cinematics and into the derelict City of Tomorrow, the soundscape swallowed by a brainwashed Batman chattering on a comms channel and a returning Edward Nygma spouting inane environmental riddles. As you haphazardly traverse dazzling horizons to bleed unintelligent enemies of colorful numbers, the exhaustive user interface struggles to communicate an overload of perfunctory information. You slowly come to understand that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is effectively quest and level design agnostic, casting the vast majority of its encounters across unidentifiable rooftops and a small set of monotonous objective types.

No evil shall escape my sight

Unique traversal and melee attacks do help lend each of the four characters a sliver of individualism, although the core cadence doesn't change all that much regardless of whether you are zipping around shielded encampments as Captain Boomerang, or struggling to maneuver King Shark and Harley Quinn with any accuracy between skyscrapers. Battles are always a hailstorm of gunfire and critical reloads – a cumbersome system in such a speedy, busy shooter, and far better suited to the more methodical pace of the Gears of War series. Shotguns and sniper rifles are snappy, and the assortment of full-auto weapons have a nice weight to them. All told, Rocksteady has delivered a dependable, if unspectacular third-person shooter.  

Combat undoubtedly improves over time, as you glacially level individual characters and move down needlessly restrictive progression trees. Part of the problem here is that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is overwrought with intertwining systems. The combo and counter systems from the Batman: Arkham trilogy return in a refreshed format, messily connected to contextual-melee attacks, special abilities, squad attacks, and shield regeneration – all of this working alongside elemental afflictions, grenades, and weapon modifications. The UX and controls feel overextended to accommodate, making it tricky to cleanly chain assaults and track small groups of constantly respawning enemies. 

Like Warner Bros. Games' Gotham Knights before it, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League can be fun with friends or in short bursts of solo play. Rocksteady has delivered a premium, luxurious-looking game that could eventually settle into its live service framing as the conclusion of the story drags out across a dozen chapters. But it's difficult to ignore the fact that the studio has stumbled with the basics, failing to capitalize on its characters, drive any energy into objective or level designs, or suitably strengthen its combat systems. As a result, Suicide Squad ultimately lacks the focus and refinement that have defined so many of the best superhero games in the years since the Batman: Arkham trilogy reigned supreme. 

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was reviewed on Xbox Series X, with a code provided by the publisher.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is almost here, and its devs are saying it's one of "the most well-optimized games" they've ever worked on.

We're just days away from playing as Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, and King Shark in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League - after it was delayed multiple times last year. Over the weekend, the upcoming game's file size was revealed, and it comes in at 45GB, leading some of its devs to reveal what's gone into it. 

"This was one of the most well-optimized games I've ever worked on," says Del Walker, a character artist on the game. "Running at 60fps with 4 playable characters in an open world city is not easy," the tweet continues. "We had to be careful with every texture size, every polygon, every material draw call. Hope you all enjoy." To help put that into perspective, Walker has also worked on other well-known games such as Star Wars Jedi: Survivor and The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered. 

The developer then gave examples of the kind of work that went into optimizing one of Suicide Squad's lead characters, Deadshot. Referring to an image of the character, Walker writes: "These buckles once had unique scratches on them, which I ended up removing so I could use the same buckle for both sides, increasing the UV resolution by a few dozen pixels before downsizing the texture page." The artist continues: "A LOT of care went into optimization."

Another Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League dev who responded to the file size news is Jeryce Dianingana, a 3D environment artist who previously worked on the project at Rocksteady. "45GB for the game," the developer tweets, "Y'all better enjoy that optimization because [the Environment team] and I suffered a lot." 

In the replies to Dianingana's tweet, several fans have thanked the team at Rocksteady for managing to get Suicide Squad down to just 45GB as many say they're "sick" of 100GB+ game downloads. 

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is set to release on February 2, 2024 and will be available on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. 

Find out what we've got to look forward to with our Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League hands-on preview. 

Hogwarts Legacy and The Last of Us were the top-searched games of 2023, with Starfield, Baldur's Gate 3, and Diablo 4 following shortly after. 

Google has shared its trending searches for the year and we're not that surprised which games made its top 10 list. Alongside topics like people, actors, movies, TV shows, musicians, songs, and more, Google has shared the top game terms people searched for in 2023. Unsurprisingly, magical RPG Hogwarts Legacy took the top spot, shortly followed by The Last of Us, and other big hitters of the year. 

If you look at the trends provided by Google, we can see that interest around Hogwarts Legacy peaked in early February - which makes a lot of sense since the game was initially released for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X on February 10, 2023. Other versions of the game, PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, were also released throughout the year, which could've also driven searches well beyond February. Hogwarts Legacy's successful launch as well as the Hogwarts Legacy controversy could have also driven interest.

The second-highest game to land on the top-searched games list is The Last of Us. Since the highest topic in the TV category is The Last of Us TV series, I'm not surprised by the game's new-found popularity at all. Plus, in case you forgot, we also found out about the The Last of Us Part 2 remastered - which was announced last month and is set to release in January 2024. All in all, it's been a busy year for Naughty Dog and its fans. 

Other noticeable games in the top 10 include Bethesda's highly anticipated release, Starfield (number five), Baldur's Gate 3 (number six) - which is the least surprising of all considering it won not only Ultimate Game of the Year at The Golden Joystick Awards but also GOTY at The Game Awards 2023 - Suika Game (number seven) which took Vtubers by storm in October, and Diablo 4 (number eight), and Sons of the Forest (number 10).  

Surprisingly, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom didn't manage to make the list at all.

It's certainly been a big year for games, find out what the future holds with our new games 2023 list. 

Sony is reconsidering the live service plans it made earlier this year, while Gotham Knights' publisher says it wants to go all in. 

During Sony's FY2023 Q2 earnings call, company president Hiroki Totoki discussed Sony's live service plans and revealed the company was reviewing the 12 live service games it currently has in development. In May of this year, Sony was in the midst of a live service push as it aimed to "increase the number of active users on PC." Now, Totoki has said the company only plans to release six of the games by the end of the financial year 2025.

As transcribed by Twitter user @Genki_JPN, the Sony CFO said: "It's not that we stick to certain titles, but for the gamers, quality should be the most important." Last year, Sony acquired Halo creator and Destiny 2 developer Bungie for $3.6 billion - with plans to use the studio's live service experience to bolster its own online games. We already know that PlayStation studio Guerrilla is planning a Horizon Zero Dawn multiplayer game. 

In contrast to this, Gotham Knights and Hogwarts Legacy publisher Warner Bros. Games also held an earnings call yesterday and revealed its plans to go all in with live service games. As reported by Eurogamer, the company's CEO David Zaslav said: "Our focus is on transforming our biggest franchises from largely console and PC based with three-four year release schedules to include more always on gameplay through live services, multiplatform, and free-to-play extensions." 

This is somewhat surprising considering Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was reportedly delayed following live service backlash from fans. In the same earnings call, Zaslav added: "Ultimately, we want to drive engagement and monetization of longer cycles and at higher levels. We are currently under scale and see significant opportunity to generate greater post-purchase revenue." The company currently holds the rights to several big lPs, including Batman, Harry Potter, Mortal Combat, and more. 

While we wait for all of these live service games, find out what else we'll be playing soon with our new games 2023 list. 

Gameplay footage said to be from Quidditch Champions has recently appeared on Reddit before being hastily pulled from the site for legal reasons.

Announced just last month, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is a multiplayer game centred around the popular broom-based sport from the books. Play-tests began just days after the game's unveiling, and now footage from those pre-release play sessions has seemingly made its way online.

Several videos were posted on the Quidditch Champions subreddit over the weekend, which appeared to show character customisation and practice flying from the upcoming game as well as footage from an actual Quidditch game. Of course, we don't know if they are legitimate, but the fact that they've been "removed by Reddit's Legal Operations team", likely at the request of Warner Bros, suggests that they could be the real deal.

Those that did see the footage before it was scrubbed from the site have been having their say, and some, like user rschiff012852 are impressed with how the game's shaping up so far: "Hoping a Hogwarts Legacy DLC / sequel has quidditch like this, looks pretty good," they said in the comments.

Many others have drawn similarities between Quidditch Champions and Rocket League, Psyonix's insanely popular sports game that mixes soccer with tiny rocket-powered cars. "This is Rocket League!" wrote one user. "Kinda looks like Rocket League in the sky," replied another.

While Warner Bros is likely hoping that Quidditch Champions fills that Golden Snitch-shaped hole in fans' hearts after the flying sport was notably absent from Hogwarts Legacy, some fans are decidedly miffed and see the game as merely cut content.

The release of Hogwarts Legacy has been the subject of criticism and debate due to J.K. Rowling's public stance on gender identity, which continues to challenge the inclusivity at the heart of the Harry Potter community. Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions is in a similar situation and may spark similar discussion. That being said, here is our explainer on the Hogwarts Legacy controversy.

The future of the Fantastic Beasts series might still be up in the air, but Warner Bros. Discovery has assured Harry Potter fans that the expansion of the franchise is "only just starting" – and that more content is undoubtedly on the way.

During the studio's panel at Morgan Stanley's investor conference recently, the studio's CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels drew attention to the success of new game Hogwarts Legacy, and suggested that it "shows there is so much opportunity" when it comes to creating more Wizarding World content.

"We've got the new Harry Potter tour coming up in Tokyo in the middle of the year," Wiedenfels continued (per Variety). "Long story short, I think this one-company approach, great leadership in the individual business units, but coordinated franchise management is probably one of the biggest opportunities the company has."

Shortly after Hogwarts Legacy was released, Warner Bros. Games president David Haddad opened up about their hopes to turn it into a "long-term franchise" in an interview with Variety. "Our goal is to continue to utilize our amazing library of Warner Bros. Discovery franchises as we develop our future slate of games," he added.

It's no surprise that the developer is keen to capitalize on Hogwarts Legacy's popularity, given that the same article pointed out that it was racking up around 23 million hours of gameplay a day at the time of publication, just three weeks after it came out on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

For more, check out our ranking of the best Harry Potter movies so far, spanning from lackluster to wand-erful.

The release of Hogwarts Legacy has been the subject of criticism and debate due to J.K. Rowling's public stance on gender identity, which continues to challenge the inclusivity at the heart of the Harry Potter community. Here is our explainer on the Hogwarts Legacy controversy. 

Hogwarts Legacy is Warner Bros. Games' biggest global launch ever, surpassing $12 million units sold and earning $850 million in sales in its first two weeks across PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

The open-world RPG's soaring success at launch is particularly noteworthy considering it still hasn't released on PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch - when it does, its player base will no-doubt expand substantially. Hogwarts Legacy is scheduled to hit PS4 and Xbox One on April 4, and Switch a few months later on July 25.

"We are so thrilled and proud to see the player response to Hogwarts Legacy from gamers, fans who are new to gaming and reviewers around the world," said Warner Bros. Games president David Haddad. "Our development team at Avalanche delivered an amazing, high-quality Wizarding World experience that truly fulfills the fan fantasy of life at Hogwarts and our publishing teams have executed a globally impactful launch campaign."

Looking at Hogwarts Legacy's first two weeks, it's actually not entirely surprising to see it top the list of Warner Bros. Games' best launch. Shortly after release, it cracked Steam's top 10 all-time player record, passing up Apex Legends and Warzone 2. Shortly after, it hit 800,000 players and stole all four Top Seller spots on Steam.

As Warner Bros. notes in a press release, Hogwarts Legacy also broke streaming records when it became the biggest single-player game ever on Twitch with 1.28 million peak concurrent viewers at launch.

These stats are all the more striking with the context of the ongoing culture war stemming from comments made by Harry Potter author and the Wizarding World's creator, J.K. Rowling.

The release of Hogwarts Legacy has been the subject of criticism and debate due to J.K. Rowling's public stance on gender identity, which continues to challenge the inclusivity at the heart of the Harry Potter community. Here is our explainer on the Hogwarts Legacy controversy.

Hogwarts Legacy publisher Warner Bros. Games sees the magical RPG as a "long-term franchise," meaning we could see more related projects in the future.  

As revealed by Variety, Warner Bros. Games president David Haddad has said that the company sees Hogwarts Legacy as a "long-term franchise" following its success so far. What this means exactly remains unknown, but it's probably safe to assume that this isn't the only Hogwarts Legacy-related release on the cards for the publisher right now, as fans are already desperate for some Hogwarts Legacy DLC.

It's not too much of a surprise that Warner Bros. Games wants to capitalize on the game's success, especially since it was revealed in the same article that the Hogwarts Legacy community is collectively playing 23 million hours a day. This is an awful lot of hours considering the game is currently only available to play on PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, and has only been out in the world for three weeks now. 

It's possible that this number could increase even further once the PS4 and Xbox One versions of the game release in April, shortly followed by the Nintendo Switch version in July 2023. On the topic of Hogwarts Legacy's success, Haddad has explained that Warner Bros. Games is "very pleased" with the game's initial launch and that the company sees "a bright future for our other platform launches."

Warner Bros. Games isn't only interested in expanding its Harry Potter license either. Haddad also told Variety: "Our goal is to continue to utilize our amazing library of Warner Bros. Discovery franchises as we develop our future slate of games." We've already seen this plan in action with the numerous recent DC-related games released and the ones on the horizon - including Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. 

The release of Hogwarts Legacy has been the subject of criticism and debate due to J.K. Rowling's public stance on gender identity, which continues to challenge the inclusivity at the heart of the Harry Potter community. Here is our explainer on the Hogwarts Legacy controversy. 

What are Hogwarts Legacy Twitch drops and how do you get in on the action? The developer team at Avalanche Software is giving out unique gear looks via Twitch streams; all you have to do is link your Twitch and Warner Brothers accounts to earn items simply by watching livestreams. 

When you tune in to watch Avalanche's Hogwarts content for at least 20 minutes, you'll automatically be rewarded with claimable items to use in-game. They are truly exclusive goods, since they can't be found in any Hogwarts Legacy store, vendor, or lootable chest. If you're a true collector and can't wait to swish around the castle in all your finery, here's how to access those Hogwarts Legacy Twitch drops so you never miss out on limited-edition goodies.

How to link your Twitch and Warner Bros accounts 

If you don't already have a Warner Brothers Games account then you'll need to create one. You'll have to supply your age, email address, and a unique screen name to set all that up. Once you've done that you can link it to your Twitch account. Once that's all done it's just a case of waiting for the next Hogwarts Legacy Twitch livestream from developer Avalanche Software. We had some during the PS5 and Xbox Series X launch, so there will be more when Hogwarts Legacy is on PS4.

If you claim and drops  they'll go to your Twitch Inventory, being sure to click and claim each one of the rewards as they unlock. Next time you load into Hogwarts Legacy, your Gear and appearances should be waiting for you. Just be sure you clear out some space in your Hogwarts Legacy gear slots to accommodate for them, since new items means less space in your inventory. 

The release of Hogwarts Legacy has been the subject of criticism and debate due to J.K. Rowling's public stance on gender identity, which continues to challenge the inclusivity at the heart of the Harry Potter community. Here is our explainer on the Hogwarts Legacy controversy. 

Hogwarts Legacy may be one of the most anticipated new games of 2023, but it's arriving under a cloud of controversy. Developer Avalanche Software is creating the new open-world RPG in collaboration with Warner Bros. Games, with franchise creator J.K. Rowling confirmed to not be "involved in the creation of the game." That piece of information is key, as the author has sowed division within the Harry Potter fan base by using her platform to amplify dangerous transphobic statements and attack the wider LGBTQ+ community. 

Both the Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts franchises have been criticized in the past for their lack of diversity, and Rowling's continued efforts to dismiss the trans community (particularly trans women) have only fuelled calls from some corners of the franchise's massive fanbase for a boycott of the author and any of her associated works. With Hogwarts Legacy set to release on February 10 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X, it's no surprise to see the game being closely scrutinized. 

J.K. Rowling and Hogwarts Legacy

Warner Bros. Games announced Hogwarts Legacy shortly after J.K. Rowling began amplifying transphobic views to her 14 million followers on Twitter. In the months and years since, the author has continued to double and triple down on the dangerous rhetoric against trans rights in public, which has left millions of Harry Potter fans reconsidering their relationship with the world of Witchcraft and Wizardry. 

Several cast members of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts have distanced themselves from J.K. Rowling, including Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, and Eddie Redmayne. Grint issued a statement in June 2020 to US Weekly that clarified his position in a succinct fashion: "I firmly stand with the trans community. Trans women are women. Trans men are men. We should all be entitled to live with love and without judgment."

This backlash against Rowling's views also extends to the Hogwarts Legacy cast. Sebastian Croft, who provides one of the two available voices for the game's main character, recently spoke out against their own participation in the project. "I was cast in this project over three years ago, back when all Harry Potter was to me, was the magical world I grew up with. This was long before I was aware of JK Rowling's views. I believe whole heartedly that trans women are women and trans men are men," says Croft. "I know far more now than I did three years ago, and hope to learn far more in the next three. I'm really sorry to anyone hurt by this announcement. There is no LGB without the T."

Despite years of backlash against her dangerous rhetoric, Rowling has continued to expose her anti-trans views on social media and in interviews, and went so far as to compile an essay on her unfounded fears surrounding gender recognition and trans-activism. This has left Hogwarts Legacy in a somewhat precarious position; while Rowling has no involvement with the project, she will ultimately profit from the game's connection with the Harry Potter universe – both financially and with respect to her enduring profile and legacy.   

Will J.K Rowling make money from the game?

J.K Rowling isn't directly involved with production of Hogwarts Legacy, although she will indirectly profit from its success. The author retains the IP rights to the wider Harry Potter franchise, which means that she will receive revenue for the sale of all Harry Potter related creations – be it the sale of theater tickets, Blu-rays, merchandise, or video games.  

While Rowling is yet to comment on Hogwarts Legacy directly, the author did go after Jessie Earl, a YouTuber who supports (and belongs to) the transgender community, after they commented that supporting "Hogwarts Legacy is harmful." Rowling responded by claiming that not supporting anything "connected with her" because of her controversial views wouldn't be akin to burning their Harry Potter books or movies  – but rather burning down "the local library, anything with an owl on it, and their own pet dog."  

Ultimately, while WB Games has done its best to make it clear that Rowling has not been involved in the creation of Hogwarts Legacy, the nature of IP rights and royalties mean that the author will ultimately profit from its release, sales, and success. 

Hogwarts Legacy controversy

J.K Rowling's dangerous statements against the trans community aren't the only controversies surrounding Hogwarts Legacy. In 2021, the game's lead designer Troy Leavitt, left the project after criticism online following the uncovering of YouTube videos from 2016-2018 where Leavitt was seen to dismiss sexual misconduct complaints against corporate executives and defended elements of the broader Gamergate harassment campaign. Leavitt says he "made the decision to part ways with Avalanche Software" in 2021, shortly after the backlash. 

The Hogwarts Legacy story has also faced criticism. Historically, the goblins in Harry Potter have been accused of perpetuating anti-Semitic imagery, with some fans drawing comparisons between their portrayal and position in the Harry Potter books and films as being similar to the ways Jewish characters have been portrayed in Nazi propaganda. The Hogwarts Legacy story has renewed this criticism, with a central plot point seeing the player work to stop a 'goblin rebellion' – although promotional material suggests that this group is simply rebelling against their lack of rights in the wizarding world, as they are unable to wield wands or have access to the same educational opportunities as others in the universe. As we're yet to play through the game, it isn't yet clear how Hogwarts Legacy will frame this fight for greater rights. 

Should you buy Hogwarts Legacy?

The question of whether you should buy or otherwise support Hogwarts Legacy is something that we can not answer for you. GamesRadar+ will be covering Hogwarts Legacy at launch as we would any other AAA video game, although you will ultimately need to decide whether you are comfortable supporting the project for yourself – by reading up on all available information, by speaking with friends and family members who are a part of the trans community, and then making the necessary judgment call for yourself. 

That isn't necessarily an easy action to perform. The question of whether art can be separated from artist is a debate being had all throughout society, particularly as we continue to reevaluate the media, entertainment, and culture from our past. It's a complex topic that deserves real consideration. Jessie Earl perhaps put it best in this excellent article for Gamespot – which explores JK Rowling's anti-transgender stance and how it relates to Hogwarts Legacy in great detail – where the journalist opines: "You're not a bad person if you want to play Hogwarts Legacy. Many trans people themselves are planning to buy the game despite their justified anger towards Rowling. Yet, the important thing is not to condemn the game or renounce your love of Harry Potter; it's to wrestle with the complexity of it and decide for yourself.”

Similar debates are being had all throughout the Internet as the February 10 release date approaches. Recently, gaming forum ResetEra issued a total ban on Hogwarts Legacy discussion. The site's staff says of its decision: "We began outlining the issues put forth by Rowling and the game in question [...] each time we kept coming back to the simple fact that Rowling [...] is actively pushing, in her position as a wealthy and famous individual, for legislation that will hurt trans people."

So while J.K. Rowling is not involved in the development of Hogwarts Legacy, GamesRadar+ does acknowledge the author's role in the creation of the Wizarding World, as well as her publicly stated, harmful views regarding the rights of transgender people. If you'd like to offer your support to the communities affected by Rowling's rhetoric, consider donating to the National Center for Transgender Equality in the US, or Mermaids in the UK. 

Warner Bros.'s James Gunn has said that future DC games will likely be based around the DC Cinematic Universe. 

The director and new co-head of DC Studios was not coy about the development, either. In a tweet responding to a fan asking if future games will take place in the cinematic universe, Gunn answered firmly:

It was announced in October that James Gunn, alongside The Suicide Squad producer Peter Safran, would be taking over the DCEU at Warner Bros. to steer the ongoing project. 

While it’s not clear if he has any direct influence in Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Gunn potentially has a huge gaming division within reach. Recently, WB Games Montreal put out Gotham Knights, and Rocksteady’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is set for next year. On top of that, there's NetherRealm Studios which has the Injustice franchise, and there are other developers under the umbrella too. If corralled and planned properly, games based in the DCEU could help expand the scope of the world. 

Gunn is no stranger to video games either. While he has made references to things like Pac-Man in Guardians of the Galaxy, he's worked directly on them in the past too. He partnered with developer Suda51 on Lollipop Chainsaw back in 2012, which became something of a cult favorite.

It seems unlikely Gunn would be as involved in any DCEU game directly, as he'll be quite busy overseeing the whole DCEU. However, utilizing Warner Bros.'s considerable gaming division would add a powerful tool to his arsenal for telling further stories in the universe. Hopefully, this all leads to the DCEU finding its place in the cinematic landscape, as while it has had successes, it has been floundering to keep it all cohesive.

Want to get into some costumed crime-fighting? Check out our list of the best Superhero games.

The newly revamped DCU is going to tell one big story over movies, TV shows, and video games, according to DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran, who oversees with James Gunn. "This was such a unique opportunity to tell one great overarching story," Safran said at a virtual town hall (H/T The Hollywood Reporter). "One beautiful big story across film, television gaming, live-action, and animation."

"The opportunity to make DC as great as it can be and as it should be – that is the reason why I'm doing this job because I know that Peter and I can do that," added Gunn. "We spent the past couple days with a group of some of the best thinkers in the industry, the best writers in the industry starting to map out that eight to 10 year plan of what it’s going to look like in theater, in TV, in animation, across the board for these characters."

The DCU so far has been much less connected than its MCU rival, especially with the likes of The Batman and Joker sitting outside of the established canon. A unified story across TV, video games, animation, and movies is also something that Marvel hasn't yet attempted, instead sticking to movies and Disney Plus shows. 

"But all our initial focus is on the story going forward, hammering out the new DCU, & telling the Biggest Story Ever Told across multiple films, television shows, & animated projects," Gunn has said of plans for the DCU, adding: "We invite all of the DC fandoms from across the multiverse – and everyone else as well – into this new universe. We can't wait to reveal more."

The next DC release is Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which arrives this March 17. In the meantime, check out our guide to all the upcoming superhero movies for everything else coming your way over the next few years. 

Bad news: The Wonder Woman game from Monolith and Warner Bros. Games is officially canceled, folks. Warner Bros announced that the upcoming superhero game, which was revealed at the Game Awards back in 2021, would be no more on February 25, 2025. Not only that, but Monolith Productions ( the developer behind some of the best action games ever made) would be shutting down as well.  

It's a tough pill to swallow that one of the most exciting new games is no longer on the table for a full release. You may be wondering what went wrong or what the game was expected to look like. Well, if you want to know more about The Wonder Woman game and its bumpy road, read on below.  

Is Wonder Woman canceled?

Yes, the Wonder Woman game is officially canceled as of February 25, 2025. This big update was announced by Warner Bros, who are currently restructuring its organization. Its statement regarding its decision to cancel the game (via Variety) reads:

"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."

Along with canceling the Wonder Woman game, it was revealed that three development studios, Monolith Productions, Player First Games, and Warner Bros. Games San Diego, would also be shut down. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav and CFO Gunnar Wiedenfels are reportedly focusing on a new games strategy that centers around "live-services titles and mobile offerings" instead of AAA games.

Wonder Woman game trailer

The Wonder Woman game trailer is more audio than video, but we can glean some clues from it. In the trailer, we hear Diana's mother Hippolyta say “my daughter, a new threat comes to our shores and I must call you home.”  Based on this we know that Wonder Woman has left her hidden home island Themyscira and lives in regular society without her Amazonian family.  It certainly seems as if Diana has been doing some superhero deeds in the regular world and her skills are needed to help her mother and her sisters back home.

Wonder Woman gameplay

The Wonder Woman game was in development at Monolith, the studio behind two of the best Lord of the Rings games. While we never got to see Wonder Woman in action before the title was canceled, it was expected to likely be an action-adventure title that leans on melee combat and world exploration. One thing we did know for certain is that it wouldn't have been a live-service or co-op-focused experience – which was probably for the best once you consider our Gotham Knights review and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League review, which Warner Bros. Games also published. 

In a comment to IGN in late 2023, a Warner Bros spokesperson said: "Wonder Woman is a single-player action-adventure game set in a dynamic open world. This third-person experience will allow players to become Diana of Themyscira and introduce an original story set in the DC Universe while also featuring the Nemesis System. Wonder Woman is not being designed as a live service."

What could have been, eh? Hopefully, we still get a Wonder Woman game in the future. But, for now, our whip-fighting, superpowered dreams have been put to bed.

Wonder Woman game story

Much like Middle-earth: Shadow of War and Shadow of Mordor, Monolith's Wonder Woman game would have been a "single-player open-world action game". The studio only teased details of the story out before news of its cancellation, although we did know that the game would have been an original story set in the DC Universe – rather than one that actively draws from the best Wonder Woman stories from the comics or a piece of the broader Arkham-Verse which many of Warner Bros. games are set in. 

We also know that the Wonder Woman game would have allowed "players to become Diana of Themyscira in the fight to unite her Amazon family and the humans from the modern world." 

Wonder Woman Nemesis system

As Wonder Woman was in development from Monolith, the studio behind Middle-earth: Shadow of War, fans were wondering if the game would use its widely popular Nemesis system. Well, to rub salt in the wound of the title's cancellation, yes, the Wonder Woman game would have used the Nemesis system - no doubt resulting in some interesting implications for gameplay.

The Nemesis system mechanic allows players to influence the game's narrative in unique ways. Enemies will evolve and develop based on your actions, which means even the gruntiest grunt can work its way up enemy ranks and become, well, your nemesis. In Middle-earth Shadow of War, orcs would get promoted if they killed you, and they'd challenge each other to fight to the death in order to try and climb the ranks higher. It's unclear how this system would have been used in Wonder Woman.

Despite Monolith's closure, Warner Bros still technically owns the Nemesis system. If it continues paying the associated fees for the patent, the company will have the system until 2036. So, it's still possible that we see the Nemesis system in some future games.

During a statement released by Warner Bros regarding Monolith's closure and the Wonder Woman game's cancelation (via Bloomberg), the company stated: "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."

So, who knows, we may get a Game of Thrones game with the Nemesis system. Or perhaps another Harry Potter game?

Check out some of the best superhero games to pick up while you morn Monolith's Wonder Woman, from Spider-Man to The Avengers.

This round of MultiVersus has gotten so intense I've just phoned the police on Bugs Bunny. To be clear: this is an alien move for me. I was born and raised in Glasgow, a city whose coat of arms, I'm pretty sure, features the phrase snitches get stitches, and I am not one to tell tales under normal circumstances. But, having just been on the receiving end of an exploding ACME rocket while filling the shoes of Scooby Doo's Velma, normal circumstances these ain't. I grew up idolising Bugs, but today the wise-cracking cartoon cottontail is going down. What's up now, doc? 

When I first got wind of MultiVersus, a fast-firing, free-to-play beat 'em up from Player First Games, featuring crossover characters from the Warner Bros Discovery catalogue, I thought to myself: why now? In an arena combat world ruled by Super Smash Bros, and deftly mirrored by the likes of Brawlhala, Rivals of Aether, and Gang Beasts, is there really space, or even the need, for another like this one? After showering Game of Thrones' Arya Stark with salt and pepper, and turning her into a cooked chicken at the hands of the incomprehensible, tail-spinning Tasmanian devil, Taz, however, I can't help but think: why has a collab like this one taken so long? 

"This is a long time coming for me," says Player First Games co-founder Tony Huynh, an ex-Riot, Sony, and Day 1 Studios combat design specialist. "I owe my career to platform fighters. I've met my wife through this. I understand where the pain points are in the genre, and it's taken a long time to gather up the skills and the talent level. This has been the dream."

Pass a fist

With a closed alpha roster of seven maps – including the Bat Cave and Scooby's Haunted Mansion – and 15 characters from an array of WB-owned franchises, including but not limited to Looney Tunes, Game of Thrones, Adventure Time, the DC Universe, Scooby Doo, and Tom and Jerry, familiarity and nostalgia will inevitably play a huge role in drawing players in. Scratch the surface, though, and Player First is not only pulling from years of experience in the field of platform fighters, but is also deconstructing genre conventions. 

Scooby Doo's Velma is a prime example of this because, believe it or not, she doesn't actually physically attack opponents – instead spending her time zipping around the battle arena, gathering intel on her foes, being sassy, and, as outlined above, locking up the competition in paddy wagons. Tom and Jerry, on the other hand, combine to make what Huynh describes as a "collateral damage character", owed to the fact they only physically attack each other. 

"We asked ourselves: what is the essence of Tom and Jerry? They're characters who don't care about anybody else but themselves. Okay, so what if we made a collateral damage character, whereby all they're doing is fighting each other, but in the process they're hitting everybody else? Those are just types of inspiration that drive us to pick specific characters that we think will surprise and delight players," says Huynh.

How Player First maintains this level of sophistication in its research and development processes remains to be seen, but from a licensing perspective, I reckon if the studio can convince the powers that be that including characters who aren't primarily designed to fight in a fighting game makes sense, then they're in good shape moving forward. As a free-to-play, cross-platform game (in 1v1, 2v2, or 4-player free-for-all)  that incorporates a Battle Pass, Huynh and his team are determined to make MultiVersus as accessible and readily available to as many players as possible. To the former end, the beat 'em up boasts extensive accessibility options, including a fully-adjustable HUD, changeable visual and outline effects, a suite of colour options for colourblind players, and the ability to tweak the number of inputs necessary to actually play the game in the first place.

Through all of this, Huynh says he and his team are determined to keep an open dialogue with prospective MultiVersus players, as they aim to build the game and an inclusive community around it. Huynh adds: "I've worked on both live-service games and what I'd call premium box product games. From God of War 3 at Sony, I moved to Riot and worked on League of Legends. We call ourselves Player First Games for a reason, and we want to remove all barriers for those wanting to play our games. I think players will hold us to a higher standard because of the name, but we want to be upfront and genuine about what we're trying to do here – which is that we're trying to make the best live-service game that we can."

"But what does that actually mean? It means that every interaction with us should be really positive. It means that we're interacting with the community, we're addressing their feedback, we are actively, you know, putting stuff in the game that they want, and building the correct service title that they want too. When we first put up the trailer, some players mentioned that our Steven model for Steven Universe wasn't quite right, and not quite authentic enough everybody. And rightfully so, right? We dropped the ball there. And we just went back, we addressed that, we talked to the players, and got that immediate feedback that this is the right direction to go in. And then we put it out there again."

"That's the kind of turnaround time and expectation that I want from players to us. And that's what I'm holding our own team to. We're going to be listening to the players and making sure that they're getting the game that they want out of this. Ultimately, we want our players to have as much fun as they can."

Having sunk several hours into the MultiVersus closed alpha, I reckon Player First's idea of fun in this vein has already been realised. Like Super Smash Bros, or Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, or even PlayStation All-Stars Battle Royale, despite its lack of long-term support, the mere thought of 'Who Next?' will inevitably excite players here. When you add that to the thoughtful and considered approach the developer is taking to the vetting process of new additions, combined with its desire for community input and dev-to-player transparency, as well as the game's free-to-play model, and it'd seem the sky's the limit for MultiVersus. 

In the meantime, you might find Shaggy pulling Scooby Snacks from the ground, and hurling them at Adventure Time's Finn the Human. You might find Bugs Bunny conjuring ACME safes, and locking foes inside. You might see Taz the Tasmanian Devil stirring up a dust cloud, or Batman tossing batarangs, or Wonder Woman slicing up the competition, or Harley Quinn planting bombs, or Jake the Dogg getting lost in the melee while Tom and Jerry batter lumps out of each other, totally oblivious to the carnage unfolding around them. You might even see me playing as Velma, breaking protocol and calling the cops on whoever crosses my path. "Surprise and delight players," says Huynh. And I think I'm already there.

MultiVersus will run an invite-only closed alpha from May 19-27, and is targeting a July, 2022 release on PC, PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X and Xbox One. 

Can't wait for MultiVersus? Check out the best fighting games kicking up a fuss right now.

The Warner Bros. fighting game roster has seemingly leaked via a partial screen capture, revealing a spread of Multiversus characters from across fictional universes.

The image was shared on Twitter by Super Smash Bros Melee world champion Juan 'Hungrybox' DeBiedma, who previously said he received "secret info" about the project, teasing that it would be free-to-play and include Batman and Rick Sanchez from Rick & Morty as playable characters.

That second part is born out in this new image shared by DeBiedma, which shows portraits for 13 characters. Here's the full list of fighters pictured in the leak:

• Steven Universe
• Batman
• Harley Quinn
• Finn from Adventure Time
• Jake from Adventure Time
• Shaggy from Scooby-Doo
• Superman
• Wonder Woman
• Gandalf
• Rick Sanchez
• Bugs Bunny
• Tom & Jerry (seemingly as one character)
• And a jolly-looking green creature who seems to be an original character

Each character portrait has an icon in the corner - they're a little hard to make out from the capture, but characters such as Batman and Jake seem to have a sword, Shaggy and Superman have a fist, and Wonder Woman is the only one with a shield. While the video DeBiedma posted - which went more in-depth into the image - has been pulled offline via a copyright claim from Warner Bros. (with DeBiedma observing that's a "hard confirm"), these icons likely denote each character's overall approach to combat.

Did you ever think you'd live in a world where Shaggy was a brawler and Gandalf was a launcher? Well, we're not there quite yet. WB still has to officially announce the game - allegedly called Multiversus - but with all these leaks already out there, we may not have to wait too much longer for the other shoe to drop.

See what else we're looking forward to with our big list of new games 2021 and beyond.

With Gotham Knights, Warner Bros. Games Montreal wants to make you feel like a superhero. In this upcoming 2021 release, you'll assume the mantle of Gotham City's protector – stalking its streets and rooftops as Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood, and Robin in the wake of Bruce Wayne's untimely demise. To save the city from further descent into chaos, you'll need to embrace the spirit of Batman's legacy and bring one of the darkest chapters in Gotham's long history to a close. 

While Gotham Knights shares some DNA with the Arkham games – WB Games Montreal was behind 2013's Batman: Arkham Origins – you should expect more variety and challenge from this all-new experience. "We have entirely redesigned the combat system in order for it to work well in co-op," says Fleur Marty, executive producer of Gotham Knights. "Of course, we're still a brawler, and some of the mechanics won't feel totally alien for people who played and enjoyed the Arkham series, but it is in many ways very different." 

A light in the dark

WB Games Montreal is creating an original story in the DC Universe, one separated from the Arkham lore, comic books, and movies. Patrick Redding, the creative director of Gotham Knights, says that "it's been a dream" for the studio to be given the freedom to leave its mark on Gotham. "This is a universe many of us on the team have been invested in since we were old enough to read. The real test of that was when we actually started working with DC and began talking about what we wanted for characters and storylines, and our specific interpretations. They encouraged us to double-down on our unique take." 

That unique take depicts a Gotham 15 years into Bruce Wayne's tenure as its protector. The Rogues Gallery is already well established. Low-level criminals fear Batman's presence, his intervention anticipated by the underworld's rising forces, and loathed by large swaths of the Gotham City Police Department following the murder of Commissioner Gordon. It'll be our responsibility to restore order with a little vigilante justice, although that'll be easier said than done. 

"The toughest part is the embarrassment of riches," Redding asserts, speaking to the decades of storylines that the studio could draw from for inspiration. "We can't try to shoe-horn in every last piece of interconnected lore or it won't be coherent. It's the essential difference between a medium like comics – where you can read inner thoughts and study each panel for clues – and gaming, where the player experiences the fantasy of these characters by making choices and taking action." 

And so that action will unfold in an open-world Gotham City, in what we believe could be the most interactive and dynamic rendition of the space ever committed to a video game. Five distinct boroughs make up Gotham, and you'll need to wrangle back control of each while iconic villains, such as Mr Freeze, and powerful new threats, like the mysterious Court of Owls, emerge from the shadows following the fall of the Dark Knight. You'll be tasked with clearing up escalating threats to the city, protecting the citizens of Gotham from street crime, and with figuring out what happened to Bruce. It's this balance between investigation and insurrection that has shaped Gotham Knights' direction. 

"Even when we had the outline of our central mystery, we forced ourselves to focus on characterisation first, and how that should shape not only narrative and performances, but the action-set of each of the four heroes," says Redding. "We looked at the overall tone of our Gotham City and used that to decide which supporting cast and villains we should build the game around. That became the foundation, it shaped the game systems, and then we built the game's story and found our cast of characters to work on top of that."

That cast of characters is vital. With Batman's most iconic villains flooding the city, this isn't a mission you can accomplish on your own – you'll need a little help from your friends. While Gotham Knights has four playable heroes, it has been designed around two-player co-op to deliver on a rather specific superhero fantasy. "The two-player dynamic fits the fantasy and the Gotham City setting. The 'duo' or team-up is such a central feature of the universe that there's a literal shorthand for it in the comics, animation, film, and TV versions," says Redding, who notes that this was also a way of ensuring that the city's narrow streets and ancient architecture doesn't feel claustrophobic as you're fighting alongside a friend. "Gotham is a city of alleyways and rooftops, so the footprint for gameplay needs to be compatible with that."

Fight for the future

Gotham Knights is an action-RPG with a rotating cast of heroes, each of which you'll be able to improve over time, investing in new abilities, combat gear, and costumes as you progress. While Gotham Knights can be played solo, it also features seamless drop-in, drop-out co-op so that you and a friend can take on Gotham as you so choose. Marty tells me that it was important to WB Games Montreal that you never feel as if you are locked into playing as just one character and, as a result, there is a fluidity and freedom to Gotham Knights' core design. 

"The game allows you to switch to a different character pretty much any time you want, as long as you go back to The Belfry to do so." With the Batcave destroyed the moment Code Black was initiated, The Belfry is the new base of operations for the Gotham Knights. This is where you'll go in the daytime to regroup and rest, push the narrative forward as you accept new challenges and missions, and tinker with your heroes' suits, weapons, gear, and playstyle build. When night falls, and you're ready to get back out on patrol, you'll be able to head back out into Gotham as any one of the characters, and without any fear of being under-levelled or prepared. 

"Since the story progression is shared between all the characters, it also makes sense that you don't have to level them up from scratch every time you want to switch. It also stays very coherent in terms of our narrative," Marty continues. "Since the other members of the Batman family are always present in some way in the background, while you're out in the world fighting crime or unravelling the mystery, they don't stay inactive. So it makes sense that they are also progressing and getting stronger."

This design decision serves two purposes. First, it ensures we won't be spending all of our time stuck in The Belfry arguing with a friend over who will get to play as Barbara Gordon. Secondly, there won't be any need to grind through experience for character unlocks and levels. Enemies will scale to your progression level too, ensuring that we'll always feel free to experiment with different heroes and their unique playstyles, weapons, and abilities. Gotham Knights is going to present us with the most challenging mission the Bat-Family has ever faced, and you'll be able to tackle it on your own terms. 

Big in 2021 is GamesRadar's month-long exploration of the most anticipated games on the near horizon. Check back in every day throughout January for brand new previews, hands-on impressions, and exclusive developer interviews of the games that will define 2021.

E3 2020 has officially been cancelled, and the reveals and presentations that were meant to wow us this June cancelled along with it - including a newcomer to the E3 scene, Warner Bros. Games.

According to Kotaku, WB Games planned to host its first-ever E3 press conference this year, likely to discuss the new Batman title, a previously leaked Harry Potter game, and the next game in production by Rocksteady Studios, the team behind the Arkham games. 

As GamesRadar+ previously reported, the next Batman game is meant to be a "soft reboot" of Rocksteady's Batman Arkham franchise due out later in 2020. The alleged plan was for the title to kick off a cohesive DC Game Universe, with Rocksteady's own next-gen game eventually taking over for WB Montreal. The next Batman game has been teased by WB Montreal since September 2019, with the studio tweeting "Capture the Knight / Cape sur la nuit" along with cryptic images. This January, the studio sent out a handful of images that, when compiled together, appeared to form some sort of sigil.

As for WB Games' Harry Potter title, it appears to be an open-world RPG that leaked back in October 2018. The footage has since been removed from YouTube, but according to a Reddit user, the game included Unforgivable spells and was set in the 1800s. 

There's no word yet on whether Warner Bros. will hold a digital event, as Xbox and Ubisoft have already committed to hosting. We'll keep you updated.

There's still a lot to look forward to - here's the best upcoming games of 2020. 

There are more rumours about the next instalment(s) in the Batman: Arkham universe than there are Riddler Trophies, with several DC projects apparently in the works at both Rocksteady and WB Montreal, but the latest "leak" – regardless of its validity – is sure to get people talking. 

Supposed internal Warner Bros. marketing materials have surfaced on 4Chan, suggesting that the publisher is about to reveal its big new title on June 4 this year, just before E3 2019 rolls around. According to this document (which, as it happens, is exactly how another WB game – Mortal Kombat 11 – was accurately leaked), the untitled game's reveal will feature a CG trailer focusing on iconic Batman foe R'as al Ghul alongside "all the other villains."

Ghul, says the report, is "the exclusive timed raid mission that will be available to pre-order", but that's not all. Following on from this CG reveal, Warner Bros. apparently intends to release a "Gotham trailer", showing the metropolis as "one of the playable areas in game", and a "Star City trailer" debuting the "latest iteration of Arrow."

The document goes on to describe a game featuring online multiplayer, loot, team-focused gameplay, branching storylines, and a release date of early 2020. If that doesn't sound like a live-service Suicide Squad  in the style of Destiny 2, I don't know what does, and early fan speculation seems to agree. 

Jason Schreier, a Kotaku reporter with a track record of leaking accurate information about upcoming games, chimed in on the subject when someone asked him about the veracity of this leak on Twitter. "I wouldn't want to spoil it", said Schreier, before signing off with a winking face emoji. Hmmm....

I guess we'll find out soon enough whether this supposed leak is real or not, as June 4 is not too far away at all. It'll be interesting to see how people take the idea of a live-service DC game, however, especially as excitement for the emerging genre is declining in the wake of Anthem and Fallout 76's dismal launches. If anyone can save us from live-service fatigue, surely it's Batman. 

Discover more of the E3 2019 games that have been confirmed to make an appearance this year, or watch the video below for an extended look at the year in gaming ahead.