After a significant two-year development period, MultiVersus has finally moved from beta to a full launch on Steam. This milestone, however, has been met with a less-than-stellar reception, indicating that both Warner Bros. Games and Player First Games have a challenging journey ahead.
Yet, the current situation poses a significant challenge. The long-term success of a game is heavily reliant on a thriving player base, and MultiVersus is currently experiencing a noticeable decline in its player count compared to its peak. This decline could potentially create substantial obstacles for the game’s future.
Multiversus’ Player Count Isn’t the Same as Its Once Glorious Heyday
Warner Bros. Games, in its unending pursuit of profitability, has made some controversial decisions regarding its platform fighter, a game that was once full of promise just before its final release.
These decisions, from previously earnable in-game items now behind a paywall to the introduction of progression barriers that essentially require players to spend money, have had a profound impact on the game’s player base. They echo the controversy surrounding 2017’s BattleFront 2, albeit on a smaller scale, and highlight the potential to alienate players.
Situations like these, though, are easy to recover from, and there’s no doubt that Player First Games has its ears to the ground for all feedback. However, the game’s player base isn’t relatively as healthy as it used to be, a far cry from its initial 153k player count, as keen-eyed players observed over on SteamDB.
For now, the game’s player count has settled in the 20 to 30k range, which, admittedly, is still an alright number for a platform fighter on Steam. However, MultiVersus‘ decision to take a one-year break has clearly affected the player count here. The worst part is how this problem could’ve easily been avoided, given how a few simple decisions could’ve preserved the count by quite a bit.
What’s in Store for Multiversus and Warner Bros. Games’ Future?
While it’s true that a game’s player base is bound to change over time, particularly for a live-service title, it’s important to remember that with a bit more planning, feedback, or a more strategic approach to the beta period, MultiVersus could have potentially been saved. This suggests that there is still hope for the game’s future.
Many within the community now believe that Player First Games should’ve extended the beta period all the way to the release date. This approach would’ve allowed for more comprehensive feedback on each change made to MultiVersus by a loyal fanbase that wants to stick around long enough to see the game succeed.
Considering Warner Bros. Games’ decisions and the potential impact on the game, it’s hard not to feel a sense of concern. They clearly haven’t learned any lessons from the failure of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and are most likely in for a very rude awakening.
Having said that, what are your thoughts on MultiVersus‘ final release? Has the one-year gap before the release negatively affected the game? Let us know in the comments below.
