Originally, Batman Arkham developer Rocksteady Studios aimed to release its newest game Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League at some point in 2022. But early that year, Rocksteady ended up delaying the game until May of this year. Considering the game received an extensive showcase during the PlayStation State of Play a few weeks ago, it seemed that Rocksteady felt more than ready to stick to that second release window. However, according to a recent Bloomberg report by Jason Schreier plans appear to have changed yet again. The report suggests that Warner Bros. has now delayed Suicide Squad , following criticism after the showcase, to an unspecified date later in 2023.
Notably, this apparent delay comes soon after the game received a less-than-positive reception from players after its recent showcase. Sony clearly intended Suicide Squad to serve as the centerpiece of February’s State of Play. However, numerous aspects of the game, such as its live-service elements and required online connectivity, left a sour taste in many players’ mouths. It did not help that the showcase aired when the live-service model reached a low point in terms of both success and player sentiments.
Was Suicide Squad delayed due to criticism?
Despite this, Schreier clarified that Warner Bros. did not necessarily choose to delay the game specifically because of its poor reception. Rather, these kinds of delays typically occur so that the developers can further polish the gameplay that they already have in place. If Rocksteady wanted to completely overhaul the live-service elements and other aspects to address fan complaints, then it would need to delay the game by much more than just a few months.
With Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League apparently delayed a second time, you may have to wait a bit longer to see if the game can manage to surpass some players’ low expectations. But even if players have fun with it at launch, its long-term success is far from guaranteed.
Image via WB Games
