Images from a pre-release build of Rocksteady Studios’ upcoming superhero game have leaked online and it shows dropdown menus for options like a “Battle Pass” and a “Store” as well as multiple in-game currencies.
— Andrew Marmo (@the_marmolade) January 17, 2023 Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is Rocksteady’s first new full game after releasing Arkham Knight in 2015. All three of the Arkham games didn’t have microtransactions and actually had decent post-launch expansions or DLCs. So, most would expect Rocksteady to continue the trend with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Unfortunately, the leaks suggest this isn’t going to be the case. Even though Suicide Squad will support drop-in and drop-out co-op play, it’s not an online competitive title, so the need for microtransactions is bewildering if not greedy. Several fans took to various places on the internet to voice their displeasure, with some already comparing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League to Marvel’s Avengers. Much like Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, Crystal Dynamics’ ill-fated superhero title had a memorable single-player campaign but fell short in the live-service department. The game also had a battle pass despite being a $60 game in 2020, promising players enough post-launch content to sustain being an ongoing live service game. Three years later, Marvel’s Avengers has officially been labeled as a bust and will be put to pasture next year. We’re not saying Rocksteady isn’t capable of delivering a satisfactory live-service gaming experience, but if Suicide Squad is a campaign-based title, its post-game content should revolve around expansions and DLCS - not forced live service elements.
Also, why is a studio primarily known for premium-priced single-player games experimenting with “Game as a Service” in a AAA game? There are plenty of questions that won’t be answered until Rocksteady Studios comes forward with a statement or the game is launched, whichever comes first. For now, we can only hope for the best that the info from the leaked images isn’t accurate, or that Rocksteady is keeping a close eye on the current situation right now. Because if the studio pushes through with adding a Battle Pass for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, we can only imagine the backlash it will receive when it comes out on May 26, regardless of whether it’s good or not. Speaking of video games based on DC Comics, the past few years haven’t been so kind to the once-buzzing side of the DC Universe. With Injustice 3 nowhere to be found and Gotham Knights a failure, fans are hoping that James Gunn has a better plan going forward.
