The game director of MultiVersus, Tony Huynh, has condemned the threats of violence directed at the development team following the announcement of the game's closure. Last week, Player First Games revealed that Season 5 would be MultiVersus' final season, 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 in-game purchases are discontinued, players can still utilize Gleamium and character tokens until support ends on May 30th. The game will also be delisted from major digital storefronts.

The announcement, coupled with the absence of a refund policy, sparked outrage among players, particularly those who purchased the $100 Founder's Pack, with many expressing feelings of being "scammed." Reports of disgruntled customers with unusable character tokens (having already unlocked all characters) and negative Steam reviews are widespread.

Huynh's statement addressed player concerns and strongly denounced the threats:

He expressed gratitude to Warner Bros. Games, the development teams, and IP holders. He highlighted the team's creativity and passion, thanked players for their support, and apologized for the delayed response. He explained the complexities of character selection, citing development time, community feedback, IP holder approvals, marketing opportunities, and team inspiration as key factors. He clarified that the addition of BananaGuard wasn't at the expense of other characters but stemmed from team enthusiasm. He acknowledged limitations in time and resources, emphasized the collaborative nature of Player First Games, and appealed for understanding, stating the team is deeply saddened by the game's closure. He urged players to refrain from threats of violence and to continue supporting other platform fighters.

Angelo Rodriguez Jr., community manager and developer, echoed Huynh's sentiments on X/Twitter, defending him against the threats and highlighting his dedication and efforts.

MultiVersus' failure adds to Warner Bros. Games' recent setbacks, following the poorly received launch of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Warner Bros. Discovery reported that these two game failures resulted in a combined $300 million loss. The company's third-quarter 2024 release, Harry Potter: Quidditch Champions, also underperformed.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav acknowledged the underperformance of their games division and announced a renewed focus on four core franchises: Hogwarts Legacy (with a sequel in development), Mortal Kombat, Game of Thrones, and DC, particularly Batman. This strategy includes focusing development efforts on proven studios to improve success rates. While Mortal Kombat 1's financial performance remains uncertain, NetherRealm Studios reported over five million sales and hinted at future DLC.

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