Rocksteady Addresses Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's Live-Service Controversy

Introduction

A high-ranking member of Rocksteady recently spoke up about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s live service controversy and assured fans that the game will live up to expectations. Five years after Batman: Arkham Knight seemingly ended the story of Rocksteady’s take on the Dark Knight, the developer announced a new spin-off in the form of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. As its title implies, this upcoming follow-up to the beloved Batman: Arkham series will switch its focus toward the rag-tag quartet known as Task Force X for a dangerous mission against the brainwashed heroes of the DC Universe.

Suicide Squad Line Up

Such a drastic departure from the typical Arkhamverse formula was bound to divide players, and Suicide Squad has spawned numerous controversies since it was first announced back in 2020. One of the biggest has been Suicide Squad’s live service elements, such as its battle pass and gear system. With memories of ill-fated live service games like Marvel’s Avengers still fresh in gamers’ minds, these elements have generated a considerable backlash against Rocksteady’s latest superhero title, and this has only increased in the wake of several delays that possibly haven’t addressed the primary concerns players have with Suicide Squad in the run-up to its February release date.

Rocksteady's Response

Rocksteady studio product director Darius Sadeghian recently spoke to PLAY Magazine (via GamesRadar) and addressed Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s apparent live service elements. Despite the presence of these elements, Sadeghian says that his team doesn’t consider Suicide Squad as fitting the traditional live service label, instead stating that they focused on crafting a multiplayer co-op game that fostered “a sense of flow and trinity between all our gameplay systems.” He also assured concerned players that Suicide Squad is “still full of the DNA that infuses the Batman: Arkham series.”

Sadeghian went on to describe how his team at Rocksteady set out to build a community of dedicated players in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, one that will make said players feel like they are a part of the titular Task Force X on a global scale. To this end, he listed a plethora of “social features” like taunts, a social squad feature, and even competitions within online leaderboards. He also says Rocksteady wants to keep players engaged for the long haul with additional story missions, locations, gear, costumes, collectible trinkets, and even extra playable characters that will be unlocked for free upon release.

Suicide Squad faces an uphill battle amid its many controversies, especially after many potentially divisive story details were leaked back in December. Despite these challenges, Sadeghian believes that players will come to embrace Suicide Squad’s more online-focused format, just as they did Rocksteady’s acclaimed Batman: Arkham games. It won’t be long until this new format is put to the test, as Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will finally hit stores on February 2.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the controversy surrounding Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League’s live service elements has been addressed by a senior member of Rocksteady, Darius Sadeghian. His reassurances about the game's focus on multiplayer co-op and community-building, along with the promise of additional content and free playable characters, provide insight into Rocksteady’s approach to the game's live-service elements. As the release date approaches, the gaming community eagerly anticipates whether Suicide Squad will overcome its controversies and live up to the legacy of Rocksteady’s acclaimed Batman: Arkham series.