MultiVersus Dev Calls Out ‘Threats to Harm’ Following Shutdown Announcement: ‘I Am in Deep Mourning for the Game’

The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has revealed that developers have received threats of harm following the announcement of the game's closure. Last week, Player First Games announced that Season 5 would be MultiVersus's last, with servers shutting down this May, just a year after its relaunch. Offline access to purchased and earned content will remain available via local and training modes. While real-money transactions have ceased, Gleamium and character tokens can still be used until support ends on May 30th. The game will also be delisted from major digital stores.

Following the announcement, and the lack of a refund policy, many players who purchased the premium Founder's Pack expressed anger, feeling scammed, particularly those with unused character tokens after unlocking all playable characters. The game is also experiencing review bombing on Steam.

Huynh addressed player concerns and condemned the threats of violence in a tweet:

Hey all, I wanted to say a few words reflecting on the recent MultiVersus news. While saddened by the outcome, I'm grateful for the opportunity from Warner Bros. Games and to every developer at Player First Games and WB Games, and to every IP holder for trusting us. I couldn’t be prouder of the PFG team; their creativity and passion were inspiring. Thank you to every player who played or supported MultiVersus. Player First Games' objective is delighting and serving players.

I apologize for the delayed response; much has been happening, and my focus has been on the team.

Thank you for the fan art, character ideas, and stories. They were daily highlights.

I'm sorry we couldn't include every favorite character. Character selection involves development time, community feedback, IP holder approvals, cross-marketing opportunities, and team inspiration. BananaGuard, for example, arose from team enthusiasm and wasn't at the expense of other characters.

I don't have the power some assume. PFG is highly collaborative, encouraging ideas from everyone and prioritizing player value.

We try to listen and act, but time and resources are limited.

This is painful for everyone at PFG, but threats of harm are unacceptable. You're entitled to your opinions, but threats cross a line. This is an extremely sad time for the team. Nobody wanted this outcome.

I hope Season 5 is enjoyed and that you'll continue supporting platform fighters. I've made many friends and memories through these games, and we at PFG worked hard to share that. I hope MultiVersus brought you joy and friendships.

Thank you for making this dream a reality. I don't know what the future holds, but thank you for the honor of working with the PFG team.

Player First Games' Angelo Rodriguez Jr. defended Huynh on X/Twitter, stating that threats of harm are unacceptable and highlighting Huynh's dedication and efforts.

MultiVersus's failure is another high-profile setback for Warner Bros. Games, following Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's disastrous launch. Warner Bros. Discovery cited these two games as contributing to a $300 million loss. Their only other Q3 2024 release, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, failed to make a significant impact.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav acknowledged the games business' underperformance and announced a focus on four core franchises: Hogwarts Legacy (a sequel is in development), Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman (Batman: Arkham Shadow VR recently released, and a Wonder Woman game is in development).

While Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's post-launch content has ended, NetherRealm's Ed Boon reported over five million sales for Mortal Kombat 1 and teased future DLC. Questions remain about Mortal Kombat 1's overall financial performance.