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Rocksteady’s Identity Crisis: From Arkham Legacy to Performative PRIDE

BBG News

For a decade now, Batman: Arkham Knight, a game that was met with universal praise and marked the end of an iconic series, has been released – one that solidified Rocksteady’s reputation as a highly respected studio within the industry. Now, in 2025, Rocksteady is proudly rekindling that legacy on various social media platforms.

However, it’s important to note that the studio commemorating Arkham Knight today isn’t the exact same Rocksteady that originally developed it.

The visionary duo, Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker, who were instrumental in creating that masterpiece, left the company in late 2022, a full 14 months before “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” was released. Since then, they’ve established a new studio called Hundred Star, comprising around 100 seasoned gaming professionals. The team that remains under the Rocksteady name is a diminished group holding onto past achievements as the company struggles and begins to unravel.

Although some gaming enthusiasts are grieving over the decline of one of the industry’s top developers, Rocksteady’s official profile is displaying a colorful PRIDE flag – a symbol often associated with identity politics that seems to divert attention from genuine expressions rather than being a heartfelt gesture.

The phrase you’re looking for is “performative.” This term was instrumental in causing the downfall of a once esteemed production studio, as it reflected a mindset focused on actions rather than results.

“Suicide Squad” Was the Breaking Point

To put it straight-forwardly, “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” didn’t merely miss its mark – it was a spectacular failure in the public eye.

The game, which finally saw its release in February 2024 following numerous setbacks and challenging production phases, received criticism for:

  • A tone-deaf, live-service model that clashed with Rocksteady’s legacy of narrative-driven gameplay.
  • A shocking plot twist that saw a brainwashed Batman (voiced by the late Kevin Conroy in one of his final performances) unceremoniously eliminated off-screen by Harley Quinn.
  • A controversial partnership with Sweet Baby Inc, the consulting firm known for injecting identity-driven narratives into video games, often at the expense of established lore and fan expectations.

Almost right away, the game’s player count significantly decreased. On Steam, there were fewer than 600 players playing concurrently at a time. The release of new downloadable content worsened the situation, especially Season 2’s character, Mrs. Freeze, who was a gender-swapped and PRIDE-themed reimagining of the original villain. This new interpretation received criticism from both fans and critics alike.

The design, dialogue, and storytelling were panned as hollow, corporate inclusivity with no heart.

The Creatives Left the Building

With growing criticism, supporters started highlighting a more substantial concern: it’s no longer the same Rocksteady we used to know.

When Hill and Walker departed in 2022, it wasn’t a simple resignation; they essentially carried away the essence of the studio with them. From the very beginning, they molded the Arkham trilogy, influencing aspects like storyline, gameplay mechanics, and overall mood. Their departure, happening only 14 months prior to the Squad’s problematic launch, strongly implied that the project was facing significant issues behind the scenes.

The remnants were merely a name-based entity – an instance similar to the Ship of Theseus where every piece has been swapped out, yet it continues under the familiar banner. However, for followers, it’s evident: neither the original team nor the initial production house is involved here.

Fans Are Calling It Out

As modern Rocksteady tried to take a bow for work it didn’t do, backlash erupted online.

This is like me failing at life and telling everyone my dad was successful

— Smash JT (@SmashJT) June 23, 2025

On X, YouTube personality Smash JT expressed something along the lines of “This feels like I’m struggling in life while my father achieved success.

And after 10 years you haven’t been able to recapitalize on your previous successes. I wonder why.

— One Eyed Jack Gaming (@OneEyedJackG) June 23, 2025

One-Eyed Jack Gaming prominently displayed their PRIDE flag logo in the studio, and the owner commented, “Even after a decade, it seems we haven’t fully capitalized on our past achievements. I can’t help but question why this is.

Many spectators found it intriguing, given Rocksteady’s recent post about Arkham Knight, that they were also visibly supporting Pride and advocating for similar social issues, which some linked to the creation of DLC characters such as Mrs. Freeze.

The situation is straightforward: the contemporary Rocksteady studio doesn’t seem intent on extending the Arkham legacy; instead, they’re attempting to redefine it by focusing on identity themes.

Where Things Stand Now

The Suicide Squad project seems barely alive, with most key personnel having left. Warner Bros. recently announced a substantial loss of around $200 million associated with the development of the video game.

It appears that Rocksteady Studios has undergone substantial reductions in workforce, and their reputation as an elite studio seems to have dwindled for most people, with the exception of those within their public relations department.

Even though they persistently share sentimental homages towards Arkham Knight, it’s as if an elderly sportsman is recounting his glory days at a school tournament. However, unlike this athlete, he didn’t actively participate in the game itself—he merely wore the jersey and flaunted his experiences on social media platforms like Instagram.

The Bottom Line

I can’t help but feel a pang of sadness when reflecting on how Rocksteady Studios has evolved. It seems that the passion, creativity, and genius that once thrived within its walls are now absent. What remains appears to be a studio capitalizing on the legacy of its past achievements, leaning heavily on corporate support while churning out live-service games and ticking identity boxes, hoping they hold the key to the future.

They’re not. Fans know it. And the sooner Warner Bros. does too, the better.

Because the Batman who once watched over this city deserves better than this.

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2025-06-24 00:58

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