Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was supposed to be Rocksteady's next blockbuster after the legendary Batman: Arkham series. Instead, it became one of the biggest disappointments in recent gaming history.
In this video, I discuss new comments from developers who worked on the game, including one developer saying they felt like they were "following a spreadsheet" instead of making games. I break down what went wrong during development, why the live-service model never fit Rocksteady's strengths, and how the game's design choices ultimately alienated longtime fans.
I also go beyond the article by discussing many of the game's biggest problems, including:
* The always-online requirement
* The repetitive mission structure
* Generic loot systems
* Battle passes and live-service mechanics
* The controversial handling of the Justice League
* Why Rocksteady abandoned what made the Arkham games great
Finally, I explain exactly how I would have designed Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League from the ground up while still keeping the Suicide Squad concept intact.
Do you think the game could have been saved with a different direction, or was it doomed from the beginning? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
👍 If you enjoyed this video, please leave a Like, Subscribe, and ring the notification bell so you don't miss future gaming news, retrospectives, reviews, and industry discussions.
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https://www.twitch.tv/rapperjjj
#SuicideSquad #KillTheJusticeLeague #Rocksteady #BatmanArkham #GamingNews #WarnerBros #DCGames #LiveService #Gaming
In this video, I discuss new comments from developers who worked on the game, including one developer saying they felt like they were "following a spreadsheet" instead of making games. I break down what went wrong during development, why the live-service model never fit Rocksteady's strengths, and how the game's design choices ultimately alienated longtime fans.
I also go beyond the article by discussing many of the game's biggest problems, including:
* The always-online requirement
* The repetitive mission structure
* Generic loot systems
* Battle passes and live-service mechanics
* The controversial handling of the Justice League
* Why Rocksteady abandoned what made the Arkham games great
Finally, I explain exactly how I would have designed Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League from the ground up while still keeping the Suicide Squad concept intact.
Do you think the game could have been saved with a different direction, or was it doomed from the beginning? Let me know your thoughts in the comments!
👍 If you enjoyed this video, please leave a Like, Subscribe, and ring the notification bell so you don't miss future gaming news, retrospectives, reviews, and industry discussions.
🎮 Follow me on Twitch for live gaming discussions and streams:
https://www.twitch.tv/rapperjjj
#SuicideSquad #KillTheJusticeLeague #Rocksteady #BatmanArkham #GamingNews #WarnerBros #DCGames #LiveService #Gaming
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GamingTranscript
00:00Suicide Squad developers reflect on the game's difficult development.
00:04I started feeling like I wasn't making games anymore.
00:07I was following a spreadsheet.
00:10When I read the headline, I almost started laughing.
00:15Because when he said I felt like I was following a spreadsheet,
00:20well, gee, every gamer felt the developers were checking off a checklist.
00:24So, the feeling between developers and gamers, or developers and what gamers thought developers were doing,
00:32was pretty close, actually.
00:36More than a year after the launch of Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League,
00:40developers who worked on the project are beginning to speak candidly about the challenges they faced during production.
00:46Their comments paint the picture of a studio caught between its own creative identity
00:50and the realities of developing a modern live service game.
00:53One developer summed up the experience with a remark that has resonated throughout the industry.
00:59I started feeling like I wasn't making games anymore.
01:02I was following a spreadsheet.
01:04The statement captures what many believe became one of the central issues surrounding the project.
01:09A development process increasingly driven by metrics, monetization, and long-term engagement targets,
01:15rather than the creativity that had defined Rocksteady Studios for years.
01:23When Rocksteady released Batman Arkham Asylum in 2009, the studio quickly established itself as one of the industry's premier developers.
01:31The game's atmospheric world, satisfying combat system, and faithful interpretation of Batman
01:37earned widespread praise from critics and players alike.
01:41The success continued with Batman Arkham City and Batman Arkham Knight,
01:46each expanding upon the formula while maintaining a strong emphasis on cinematic storytelling,
01:51carefully crafted single-player gameplay, and memorable boss encounters.
01:55For many fans, Rocksteady became synonymous with narrative-driven superhero games
02:00that prioritized player immersion above all else.
02:04That reputation made the announcement of Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League particularly surprising.
02:10Instead of another single-player action adventure,
02:12the studio shifted toward a cooperative live service shooter featuring four playable anti-heroes
02:18tasked with stopping Brainiac and the mind-controlled Justice League.
02:22The game incorporated online co-op, loot systems, seasonal updates, battle passes, and cosmetic purchases.
02:29Features that had become increasingly common across the gaming industry,
02:33but represented a dramatic departure from the style of games Rocksteady had built its reputation upon.
02:39According to several former developers, that shift fundamentally changed how the studio approached development.
02:45Rather than focusing primarily on level design, storytelling, or gameplay mechanics,
02:50teams reportedly spent increasing amounts of time evaluating player retention goals,
02:55progression systems, monetization strategies, and long-term engagement metrics.
03:00Developers have described meetings centered around spreadsheets, analytics, and key performance indicators
03:05that often influence design decisions.
03:08While data has long played a role in game development,
03:11some employees felt creative instincts were being overshadowed by business objectives
03:16intended to maximize player engagement over months or even years.
03:21The phrase about following a spreadsheet had become symbolic of a broader conversation taking place across the industry.
03:28Many modern live service games are designed to not simply just entertain players for a weekend,
03:34but to keep them returning daily through rotating events, battle passes, weekly objectives,
03:40limited time rewards, and seasonal content.
03:42This approach often requires extensive planning around progression systems and player behavior.
03:47While these mechanics can successfully maintain active communities,
03:52they can also create tension between creative design and commercial goals
03:56if developers feel gameplay decisions are increasingly dictated by engagement metrics instead of player enjoyment.
04:03Reports from former employees suggest that Rocksteady's transition was not always smooth.
04:08The studio had spent more than a decade perfecting cinematic single-player experiences,
04:13but creating a live service game introduced an entirely different set of design challenges.
04:18Balancing loot rarity, designing a repeatable end-game activities,
04:23planning post-launch content, maintaining online infrastructure,
04:26and supporting ongoing updates required expertise that differed significantly from the studio's previous projects.
04:33Developers had indicated that adapting to those new priorities proved difficult throughout the production.
04:39The game's lengthy development cycle also contributed to its challenges.
04:44Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League remained in development for many years,
04:49during which the gaming industry underwent dramatic changes.
05:03Live service games experienced explosive growth thanks to titles like Fortnite,
05:08Destiny 2, Apex Legends, and Genshin Impact.
05:12At the same time, many publishers began pursuing similar business models
05:15in hopes of establishing long-term revenue streams.
05:19However, by the time Suicide Squad finally launched,
05:22player sentiment toward live service games had begun shifting.
05:25No, no, no, no, no, no.
05:27That's wrong.
05:28Many consumers had grown increasingly selective about which games they were willing to invest hundreds of hours into,
05:35making it far more difficult for new live service titles to establish lasting audiences.
05:40That...
05:42Meh, kind of, kind of not.
05:45At launch, Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League received mixed...
05:49Mixed?
05:52Okay, uh, so we're stretching mixed to include people that wanted to trash the game, uh, during early release.
06:01Okay.
06:02At launch, Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League received mixed reviews from critics and players.
06:06While many praised the game's movement system, and I never saw one,
06:10voice acting and visual presentation,
06:12criticism frequently focused on repetitive mission design,
06:16loop mechanics, always-online requirements,
06:19and a gameplay loop that some felt became repetitive over time.
06:23From what I've heard from people that actually played this piece of crap,
06:26it didn't take that much time.
06:28Before it felt repetitive.
06:30Uh, many long-time Rocksteady fans had hoped for another story-driven superhero adventure
06:35similar to the Batman Arkham series,
06:37and struggled to embrace the studio's new direction.
06:41Commercially, the game reportedly failed to meet Warner Bros. expectations.
06:45The publisher later acknowledged that the title had significantly impacted
06:49its gaming division's financial performance.
06:51Sales underperformed compared to internal projections,
06:54and players' numbers declined following launch,
06:57despite the release of seasonal content and additional playable characters.
07:01Okay, so I think this article is going to leave out a lot of
07:06what I know to have, to, that also hurt player numbers,
07:13but I'll get into it afterwards.
07:16Uh, uh, the, and the disappointing reception added to growing concerns
07:22throughout the industry regarding the sustainability of expensive live service projects.
07:27The developers' reflections had also reignited discussions
07:31about the role of publisher influence in modern game development.
07:34Large publishers invest hundreds of millions of dollars into blockbuster titles
07:38and understandably seek reliable financial returns on those investments.
07:43As development budgets continue rising,
07:45executives often look toward recurring revenue models,
07:48including battle passes, cosmetic microtransactions,
07:52and live service content, to offset increasing production costs.
07:56While these strategies can be financially successful when executed well,
08:00they may also shape creative decisions
08:03in ways that conflict with the studio's traditional strengths.
08:07Rocksteady is far from the only developer to face these challenges.
08:11Over the past decade, numerous studios known for narrative-driven
08:14or single-player experiences have experimented with live service games,
08:18often with mixed results.
08:20Some projects have found long-term success.
08:23Yeah, name one that's not Fortnite, Apex Legends, Genshin Impact,
08:27or, um,
08:30Fortnite, Apex, or, uh, there was another one.
08:34While others have struggled to build sustainable player communities
08:37despite years of development and significant financial investment.
08:41These outcomes have led many industry observers to question
08:44whether every franchise or studio is well-suited for the live service model.
08:48I'll give you the answer, if they're not.
08:51The broader gaming industry has also experienced increasing pressure in recent years.
08:56Rising development costs, studio closures, project cancellations,
09:00and widespread layoffs have prompted publishers to re-evaluate their long-term strategies.
09:05Several companies have publicly stated that they intend to reduce risk
09:09by focusing on fewer high-quality releases rather than pursuing every emerging trend.
09:15In that context, the reflections from former Suicide Squad developers
09:19offer valuable insight into how shifting market demands
09:22can influence the creative process behind major AAA productions.
09:29Many fans have responded sympathetically to the developers' comments.
09:33Rather than blaming individual designers, artists, or programmers,
09:37community discussions have increasingly focused on the complex business realities
09:41that shape modern game development.
09:43Creating a blockbuster game requires balancing artistic vision,
09:47technical limitations, financial expectations,
09:50marketing strategies, and evolving player preferences.
09:53When those priorities become misaligned,
09:56even highly talented studios can struggle to deliver experiences
09:59that satisfy both players and publishers.
10:03For Rocksteady, the future remains uncertain but filled with opportunity.
10:07The studio's reputation for creating exceptional single-player superhero games
10:13remains strong despite the difficulties surrounding Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League.
10:18Many fans continue to hope the developer will return to the style
10:22of tightly-focused, narrative-driven experiences
10:24that made the Batman Arkham series one of gaming's most celebrated franchises.
10:29Whether that involves Batman, another DC hero, or an entirely original property,
10:34there is widespread belief that Rocksteady's greatest strengths
10:37lie in crafting immersive worlds and memorable stories
10:40rather than chasing trends within the live-service marketplace.
10:44Ultimately, the developer's reflections serve as more than just a retrospective
10:48on one game's troubled development.
10:50They highlight a larger debate about the future of AAA game design
10:54and the balance between creativity and commercial strategy.
10:58Data, analytics, and player metrics undoubtedly have an important role in modern development,
11:03but many developers argue they should inform great game design rather than replace it.
11:08The comment about following a spreadsheet resonates
11:11because it reflects a fear shared by many across the industry
11:14that in the pursuit of maximizing engagement and recurring revenue,
11:19the simple joy of creating memorable games can sometimes become secondary.
11:23As publishers continue evaluating their strategies
11:26and an increasingly competitive market,
11:28the lessons learned from Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League
11:31may influence how future blockbuster games are conceived,
11:35developed, and ultimately brought to players.
11:41So, um, where do I, where do I start with this?
11:45Uh, because there's two big points that this article did not bring up.
11:54Um, one.
11:56Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League
11:59that, uh, first off, they couldn't even get the game to work correctly.
12:04Uh, there were, I, I forget who it was.
12:07It might have been some Ordinary Gamers on YouTube.
12:10It might have been, uh, different, or it might have been someone else.
12:12I forget, because it's been a few years.
12:17But, someone was playing it,
12:18and they couldn't get the game to work for two minutes consistently.
12:22They played the game, had, like, a little timer,
12:25and, like, by the time they,
12:26if they were hit 90 seconds without the game kicking them back to the main menu,
12:31that was, that was, uh, luck.
12:36So, I don't want to hear about publishers,
12:40I don't want to hear about, um, what the publishers did,
12:45because you still have to get the game to work correctly.
12:48No one's gonna play a game that's a buggy piece of shit.
12:50And I know publishers probably rushed it out the door,
12:53saying, we gotta meet deadlines.
12:54So, publishers do deserve a little bit of the blame.
12:58But, come on.
12:59If you're working at a game development company,
13:01you gotta get the game to work.
13:04No one's gonna buy a piece of crap that can't work,
13:07and, uh, still,
13:09and you're gonna be successful.
13:16Now, the more, um, interesting topic
13:21is going to be the, uh,
13:25political messaging in there.
13:27Now, what do I mean by that,
13:29for people who never experienced this game?
13:32Uh, well, every male superhero
13:36died an embarrassing death.
13:38The only one who had a death
13:40that was, uh, worthy of
13:43seeing the light of day
13:44was Wonder Woman.
13:46Gee, I wonder why.
13:51So, the political,
13:53if you're gonna make a game based,
13:55and have put a whole lot of political messaging into it,
13:58just put it in that,
14:00just put that game in the nearest trash can.
14:02It's, uh, I mean,
14:05and the thing is,
14:06me and Dr. Games 101 talked about
14:08this, like, uh,
14:09when they first announced
14:10that Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League
14:12was gonna be a live service game.
14:16We, and we said it right there,
14:18I think it was podcast episode 83,
14:20where we were like,
14:21it's gonna fail.
14:22It's, it, I have no interest in it now.
14:26So,
14:28that's, that's part of it.
14:29Just like when they, uh,
14:31brought in, um,
14:33well, to do,
14:34to deal with Poison Ivy's death,
14:35they brought in
14:36Poison Ivy's child,
14:39or Poison Ivy as a child,
14:42and I'm saying,
14:43if you wanted to do this,
14:44why not just name her Poison Oak,
14:46or something?
14:48But,
14:49the sick minds that were,
14:51that were putting the political messaging
14:53in this game to begin with,
14:55aren't, aren't playing with rational set,
14:58um,
14:58mentally.
15:02Also,
15:02um,
15:03the thing is,
15:04what they should have done,
15:06there was no story,
15:07the story in this game,
15:09was kinda,
15:10I,
15:11I remember also saying,
15:12what I would have done,
15:13if I was in charge,
15:14was,
15:15I would be like,
15:15okay,
15:16so we'll make this game,
15:18and,
15:19but like,
15:19the superheroes that,
15:21uh,
15:21the Suicide Squad is taking on,
15:23are gonna be,
15:24like,
15:25the evil superheroes from the Injustice,
15:27uh,
15:28franchise,
15:29like,
15:29remember,
15:30if you played Injustice Gods Among Us,
15:32the first one,
15:34you remember how Superman turned evil,
15:36Wonder Woman turned evil,
15:37and basically,
15:38only Batman was left,
15:41um,
15:42and I,
15:43Batman had to get,
15:44uh,
15:44superheroes from a different dimension to help him,
15:47because,
15:47Batman said the Flash was dead,
15:49in his universe,
15:50and everyone else had turned evil,
15:53that's what,
15:54that's what they should have done with this game,
15:56had super,
15:57had the superheroes being,
15:59not controlled by Brainiac,
16:02say,
16:02but,
16:03just be like their Injustice evil selves,
16:06like,
16:07even in,
16:07um,
16:08even,
16:09uh,
16:09what was it,
16:10in,
16:10I think Injustice 2,
16:11there was an ending you could get,
16:13where Batman turned evil,
16:16and he had a much cooler suit,
16:17by the way,
16:18um,
16:18when,
16:18if he,
16:19if he did choose that,
16:21that's,
16:22they should have had those superheroes be the ones,
16:25that the Suicide Squad was taking on,
16:27because,
16:27yes,
16:28the Suicide Squad is evil,
16:30but these superheroes aren't exactly super,
16:33or,
16:33well,
16:34they're super,
16:34but they're not heroes anymore,
16:36so are you really the bad guy,
16:38when Harley Quinn and her crew would normally be bad guys,
16:41but they're taking on other bad,
16:42so,
16:43you know,
16:43you,
16:43and you get to play,
16:44and you get to play with that,
16:46and that would have been a whole lot more fun,
16:49but,
16:50no,
16:50what really ruined this game,
16:51was the political bullshit that they put in,
16:53because it was like political bullshit first,
16:57uh,
16:57the rest will come when it's convenient,
17:00and you can't do that with a game,
17:01and expect it to succeed,
17:04I also,
17:05what said,
17:05uh,
17:06what they should have done,
17:07was they should have given,
17:08uh,
17:09every superhero,
17:10or not superhero,
17:11but every,
17:12uh,
17:12member of the Suicide Squad a different attack,
17:14have Harley Quinn use her bat,
17:16for people who want to use melee,
17:18have,
17:19um,
17:19that whale guy,
17:21I'm sorry,
17:21I don't remember,
17:22I don't know the names of the Suicide Squad that well,
17:25um,
17:25but like the whale guy,
17:27that was huge,
17:28the hugest member of the group,
17:29he should have been using brute strength,
17:31and just like ripping enemies apart,
17:34um,
17:35then,
17:36like one of them could have used guns,
17:38and then he could have come up with a fourth,
17:40and still like allow,
17:41Harley Quinn and the others to use guns,
17:44so like,
17:45you,
17:45you know,
17:45it's like,
17:46they all start off with their own basic,
17:48uh,
17:48um,
17:49attacking style,
17:50for attacking henchmen,
17:52you could even use cops if you wanted,
17:54not purple blobs,
17:56um,
17:57you could have used that,
17:58um,
18:00and,
18:01you know,
18:02so like,
18:02if you want to play as Harley Quinn,
18:04but you'd rather use a gun,
18:05you can,
18:06but she's just not set up to do that,
18:08from default,
18:09you have to find her gun,
18:11and,
18:13but,
18:14all that means absolutely nothing,
18:16if the game doesn't work,
18:17and it didn't work at early access,
18:20early launch,
18:21I should say,
18:22when three,
18:22uh,
18:22three days,
18:23when you play,
18:24when you paid,
18:25uh,
18:25premium,
18:26so you could play the game three days before everyone else,
18:29that didn't,
18:31uh,
18:33that game,
18:33that was not,
18:35um,
18:39when you couldn't get the game to work,
18:41it's like,
18:41or,
18:42these people who,
18:43uh,
18:43paid a premium above everyone else,
18:46to get early access is,
18:48are they going to get more time,
18:49when the game actually works,
18:51and runs like it's supposed to,
18:53and it's not crashing,
18:54every two minutes,
18:57so,
18:59yeah,
18:59this,
19:00uh,
19:00so,
19:01I mean,
19:01that was,
19:02that was some of the problem,
19:03also,
19:04um,
19:05I have to add something else,
19:07that this article did not mention,
19:10this,
19:11uh,
19:11they mentioned Batman Arkham Asylum,
19:14at,
19:142009,
19:152011,
19:17I think Arkham Knight came out 2015,
19:20Arkham Origins was created by a different studio,
19:26um,
19:28the,
19:28uh,
19:28so,
19:29the people that created Arkham,
19:31the Arkham series,
19:33are not the same employees,
19:34that are Rocksteady now,
19:37that was a,
19:38that's another problem,
19:41so,
19:42I mean,
19:43you know,
19:43I,
19:44I feel bad for this developer,
19:45when he said he had to,
19:47basically,
19:48he was,
19:48creating a,
19:49um,
19:50he was creating,
19:51um,
19:51things outlined on a spreadsheet,
19:53instead of an actual video game,
19:56and I get it,
19:57it was his job,
19:58he had to do it,
19:59but at the same time,
20:01it's like,
20:01it's not surprising,
20:03and to,
20:03be honest,
20:06uh,
20:06players who played it,
20:07felt like they were,
20:08felt like the developers,
20:10were basically checking off a checklist,
20:12of,
20:12of DEI crap,
20:16and nothing,
20:16and that was the main intention of the game,
20:20so,
20:21I'm not going to say the name of the,
20:22of the company that funded this,
20:25just because I don't want to give them any more publicity,
20:27than actually possible,
20:29everyone probably knows it anyway,
20:31maybe you don't work with them anymore,
20:33maybe no game developers work with them anymore,
20:39but,
20:41what do,
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