Two former developers from Rocksteady Studios have given candid accounts of their experience working on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, describing significant professional and personal challenges during its extended production. Their reflections highlight tensions around the game’s live-service design and the creative pressures imposed by Warner Bros., the publisher behind the project.
Designer Johnny Armstrong explained that the transition to Suicide Squad represented a departure from Rocksteady’s previous work on the Batman Arkham series, with the studio shifting focus to a live-service model. However, Warner Bros. reportedly pushed for more replayability and prolonged player engagement, a demand that Armstrong and others found difficult to reconcile with creative ambitions.
Live-Service Focus Increased Pressure Over Seven-Year Development
Axel Rydby, who stepped into the role of game director in 2022, revealed that the unusually long development cycle—lasting seven years—intensified the focus on the game’s live-service elements. He described a feeling of being reduced to following marketing-driven spreadsheets rather than making games from a creative standpoint. Rydby stated, “That’s when I started feeling like I wasn’t making games anymore,” and expressed disillusionment with the industry’s approach during production.
Armstrong echoed these sentiments, admitting that working on Suicide Squad drained his enthusiasm and left him questioning his future in the industry. He described a sense of personal and professional burnout, explaining, “I said, ‘I can’t do this again. I don’t know if I’m done with the industry, but I’m done.’” Both Armstrong and Rydby have since left Rocksteady to pursue new projects.
Post-Suicide Squad Endeavours and Rocksteady’s Future
Following their departure, Armstrong and Rydby launched a Kickstarter campaign for an independent RPG deckbuilder titled Secret of Circadia, seeking to regain creative control through a smaller-scale project backed directly by fans. This shift underlines a departure from the constraints they faced on Suicide Squad.
Rocksteady’s reputation took a hit after Suicide Squad’s release, especially following the critical acclaim of their Arkham series. Industry observers note the challenge Rocksteady faces in redefining its identity amid this transition. Rumours suggest the studio might be returning to Batman-inspired content, but many original Arkham creatives have moved on, signalling potential changes in tone and design for forthcoming releases.
Significance for Console Players and the Industry
The experiences of these developers underscore the difficulties studios encounter when balancing publisher expectations, particularly around live-service models, with creative ambitions. For Xbox, PlayStation, and Nintendo players, this signals the complex behind-the-scenes dynamics that can shape game quality and direction, especially for high-profile exclusive or timed-console content.
