Last week's Sony State of Play presentation gave players their best look yet at one of this year's most highly-anticipated titles, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. In various segments, led by Rocksteady Studios, players were given more significant details surrounding the title's core gameplay, story, and post-launch plans. One of the most important details shared by the team was its confirmation of a cosmetics-only battle pass. This approach is a good sign for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's post-launch support, as it addresses players' fears of a pay-to-win system and implies that other content may arrive free of charge.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League tells the story of the titular team of supervillains tasked with killing the Justice League after the heroes are corrupted by Brainiac. However, all may not be as it seems, as the newest trailer presents an un-corrupted Wonder Woman towards the end of its gameplay footage, implying that not all heroes were affected. Up to four players can take on the game's campaign, which features a loot and customization system.
Suicide Squad's Battle Pass Could Break a Trend For Action-Brawlers
When the inclusion of a battle pass for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League leaked, some players prepared for the worst. Other action-adventures, such as Marvel's Avengers, included a battle pass that gave players a direct advantage. Gear level and attributes were directly tied to players' progression in Marvel's Avengers. When Rocksteady confirmed a battle pass, it could have tipped the scales. However, Rocksteady made a point of acknowledging this trend, before announcing that its battle pass will be cosmetics-only and offer players new customization options unrelated to gameplay.
Rocksteady confirmed that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League will receive lengthy post-launch support, including seasonal pass DLC, new playable characters, and unique equipment. Given the nature of its battle pass, and commitment to avoiding play-to-win scenarios, Rocksteady Studios may be planning to provide post-launch content for free. If so, it could be a great live-service title in a category that is infamous for asking players to shell out their money for additional story DLC or equipment packs. In regard to post-launch weapon DLC, updates would need to be free to maintain a fair environment. It's unknown whether the release of new weapons will correspond with story updates, so players will need to wait and see.
Suicide Squad's Battle Pass is a Good Sign For Its Longevity
Though Suicide Squad's mechanics are built around loot-based leveling, it is intended to be playable as both a solo and multiplayer experience, with players given the option to play as a single villain or switch between all of them on the fly. Rocksteady shared that it wants players to choose whoever they think will be best suited for a particular mission, rather than worry about buying or grinding their particular favorite. By moving the focus of its systems away from paid competition and towards fun, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League can avoid the mistakes of 2022's Gotham Knights.
Gotham Knights' release was plagued by technical issues, and its loot system significantly impacted its reception among players. The game's time in the spotlight did not last long, nor was it particularly flattering. Suicide Squad appears to have tackled both of these issues already, as its cosmetic, loot, and leveling systems deliberately address and avoid the approach of Gotham Knights, and its preview gameplay seems polished.
Some players have shared concerns about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's progression system, though Sony's State of Play points to a much more polished title than many were expecting. Players will have to wait and see what additional information is shared about Suicide Squad prior to launch, but, if recent footage is any indication, the title may actually deliver the experience fans have been hoping for.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League launches on May 26, 2023, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
