Warner Bros executives pine for Hogwarts legacy glory days as games revenues plummet 41% due to Suicide Squad’s poor performance

Rocksteady has produced some excellent games over the years, so I feel a little bad about Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League's performance. Warner Bros, the entertainment giant, just released its Q2 2024 earnings statement, and it's not good news for games revenue.

The revenue from games is down by a staggering 41% in Q2 2023 compared to Q2 2018. What is the reason? Rocksteady's ill-fated baby. Warner executives say that the downturns this year were "primarily due to the weak performance of Suicide Squad Kill The Justice League," adding that it is even more painful given "the strong performance Hogwarts: Legacy had in the previous year."

Rocksteady may have been a little surprised by Warner bosses comparing Suicide Squad with its Potterverse golden baby, but it's not a big surprise. Suicide Squad cost Warner $200 million in losses after a decade of development. This is $25 million more that the 2016 movie cost. A 41% drop may not seem so bad when you consider that. You know, relative.

Suicide Squad is not likely to survive. I don't say this with much enthusiasm: I know that Rocksteady has made some great games. I'd love to see Suicide Squad turn around and build on those "flashes" of greatness our own Morgan Park highlighted when he reviewed Suicide Squad: kill The Justice League. But the suits can only tolerate this kind of result for so long.

Warner has already committed to completing the "announced roadmap", which includes four seasons. Rocksteady's investment in the game may be justified if something happens in the next two seasons. But I wouldn't put money on it.