Summary
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguejust launched, but it already appears to be in a precarious position based on initial physical sales. Developer Rocksteady’s follow-up to itsBatman: Arkhamseries is taking DC Universe adventures in a new direction by putting players in control of some classic Arkham inmates this time around.Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueallows gamers to take control of the titular team of antiheroes and face off against the super-powered protagonists of the DCU. Of course, the new game has quite a legacy to live up to and some tough competition at the moment.
As the next chapter in the venerableArkhamseries, the new title has some big shoes to fill. It’s also facing comparisons to other recently released comic-book games. Some observers, for example, are arguing thatSuicide Squad’straversal system doesn’t compare toSpider-Man 2. With high expectations and a competitive market, fans of Rocksteady’s new entry were likely hoping to see a strong release. It seems, however, that the new game isn’t delivering.
As reported on Twitter by GamesIndustry.biz head Christopher Dring,Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueis currently seeing sales in its first week that are roughly half of whatGuardians of the Galaxyexperienced during its release. Given that the Marvel game, which also featured third-person combat and a wisecracking team of unlikely heroes, was seen as underperforming itself, this doesn’t bode well forSuicide Squad. Further, with some fearing thatGuardians of the Galaxy’sperformance could set the wrong precedentfor similar titles,Suicide Squaddoing even worse could have fans of the genre worried going forward.
As Dring pointed out,Suicide Squaddid lead other titles in physical sales this week, beating outPersona 3 Reload. However, it seems that this is more the result of slow physical sales in general at the moment, rather than a strong showing by the new game. WithSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguehaving a rough start on Steamas well, it appears that Harley Quinn and her team are getting a poor reception in general during their debut.
It’s not clear whySuicide Squadis performing so poorly. It’s received mixed reviews but has gotten plenty of praise for entertaining gameplay and an original story. Some argue thatthe title ofSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leagueput the game in a difficult position, forcing the writers to either kill off some beloved characters or fail to deliver on its promise. Others may argue it’s a bad time of year for video game sales in general.
Whatever the cause,Suicide Squad’sinitial performance in terms of physical sales should be a cause for concern among fans and at Rocksteady. Whether things will turn around in the coming weeks or if future DLC will win gamers over remains to be seen. For now, players rooting for more third-person action in comic worlds will be holding their breath as they wait for updates.
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League
WHERE TO PLAY
Play as the Suicide Squad to take down the World’s Greatest DC Super Heroes, The Justice League. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, is a genre-defying, action-adventure third-person shooter from Rocksteady Studios, creators of the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham series.
