Rocksteady Studios, the developer behind the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham series, has announced that its upcoming online co-op action shooter, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, has been delayed until February 2024. The game was originally scheduled for a May 2022 release, which was pushed back to Spring 2023 earlier this year. Fans were eagerly anticipating the release of the game, which features popular DC villains like Harley Quinn and Captain Boomerang and is based on a long-running series of comics.
The delay comes after the release of new gameplay footage in February that received negative reactions from both fans and critics. In addition, there were reports of a possible delay in March, which have now been confirmed by WB Games and Rocksteady.
In a statement, the developers said that they had “made the tough but necessary decision to take the time needed to work on getting the game to be the best quality experience for players”. They thanked the community for their continued support and patience and promised to share more about the game in the months ahead.
While it’s unclear what changes will be made to the game during the delay, it’s possible that the developers will use the extra time to address some of the live-service aspects that fans were not happy with. However, it’s unlikely that all of these elements will be removed as that would require a much longer and more expensive delay.
This is not the first time that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been delayed as it was originally scheduled for release in 2021. The game is also connected to the Arkham games, which have been praised for their immersive gameplay and engaging storytelling.
While delays can be frustrating for fans, they are often necessary to ensure that a game is of the highest quality possible. It’s clear that the developers at Rocksteady are committed to delivering a great game, and fans will have to wait a little longer to see the result. Let’s hope that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is worth the wait.
Furthermore, the Suicide Squad delay is just one of many recent setbacks for the games industry, which has been hit hard by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has caused massive disruptions in the production process, with many developers forced to work from home and deal with a host of new challenges.
However, it’s not just the pandemic that’s causing delays and problems for the industry. Many games, particularly those with online components, are now expected to be live services, constantly updated with new content and features. This means that developers need to maintain and support these games long after they are released, which can be a massive undertaking.
This focus on live services has also led to a trend of releasing games before they are truly ready, with developers relying on post-launch updates to fix bugs and add missing features. This can lead to a lot of frustration for players who have paid full price for a game that is essentially unfinished.
The delays and problems facing the games industry are indicative of a larger shift in the way games are developed and released. As the industry continues to evolve, it will be important for developers to find new and better ways to meet the demands of their audience while still maintaining a high level of quality. In the case of Suicide Squad, fans will have to wait a little longer to see if Rocksteady can deliver on their promise of an exciting and engaging co-op shooter set in the DC Universe.
