Highlights

  • DC's video game reputation took a hit with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, resulting in a major loss for the company.
  • DC needs to focus on delivering strong game releases in 2025 to repair its damaged public perception and regain fan trust.
  • The disappointing reception of recent DC games like Suicide Squad and Gotham Knights calls for a reinvigorated lineup in 2025 to turn things around.

Though it struck gold with the Batman: Arkham franchise, DC's video game output has rarely managed to maintain that same level of success. While NetherRealm's Injustice fighting game series has had two successful entries, they seem to be the outliers in DC's gaming catalog, with the last few AAA DC games stumbling into countless roadblocks both in the lead-up to release and following it. And of course, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is the biggest and best example of that unfortunate trend.

Released back in February, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been a bit of a disaster for Warner Bros. and DC, with the former's CEO David Zaslav citing the game as "disappointing," and a $200 million loss for the company. With Suicide Squad coming hot off the heels of Gotham Knights - another disappointing release for DC - the future isn't looking too bright for the company. But DC can still turn things around by next year.

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Batman Arkham x Spider-Man 2
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DC Games Needs to Go Big or Go Home in 2025

2024 Is Already A Loss for DC Games

While 2024 isn't even halfway done yet, it feels like DC might have to call it quits for the year already. Not just an average video game flop, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was meant to be Rocksteady's big comeback, and the next major step for DC's video game universe, designed to last for at least the next few years with its live-service approach. There's no doubt that Suicide Squad's dismal reception has severely harmed the DC brand and Rocksteady's reputation, and DC needs to go above and beyond to make things right.

Unfortunately, that process might take DC longer than it'd probably like. Batman: Arkham Shadow is another DC game set to release this year, and while it could act as damage control for Suicide Squad, it being a Meta Quest 3 exclusive alienates a vast portion of the fanbase. The long-awaited Wolf Among Us 2 is also set to release at some point this year, but fans are trying to keep their expectations in check following DC's last few offerings. A mobile game titled DC Dark Legion is also slated for a 2024 launch, but that probably won't push the needle too much.

2025 Needs to be a Better Year for DC Games

To really fix its public perception, DC needs to go big, and that means ensuring it has a strong line-up ready ahead of 2025. Having been announced all the way back in December 2021, it's been well over two years since fans last saw Monolith's Wonder Woman game, and it's about time DC pulled back the curtain. The ideal scenario is for Monolith's Wonder Woman to be fully unveiled later this year and for it to be released in 2025, being DC's flagship game for the year.

But even a AAA Monolith-made Wonder Woman game might not be enough to repair the damage done by the powerful one-two punch of Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad. DC might need to bolster its 2025 line-up with at least another big game release, or at the bare minimum, a few big announcements. Injustice 3 would be a great pick, though NetherRealm may be too busy working on an expansion for Mortal Kombat 1. It's also been stated that DC is going to start producing games that tie in with James Gunn's new cinematic universe, and with Superman kicking that off in July next year, some new canon games would be a great addition to the company's 2025 line-up.