It’s been 10 years since Batman: Arkham Knight launched to widespread acclaim—the conclusion to an era-defining series that once cemented Rocksteady as one of the most revered studios in the industry. Now, in 2025, Rocksteady is proudly touting that legacy once again across social media.
But here’s the problem: the studio celebrating Arkham Knight today is not the same Rocksteady that built it.
A post by Rocksteady celebrating the anniversary of Arkham Knight – X, RocksteadyGames
The creative architects behind that masterpiece—co-founders Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker—walked out the door in late 2022, 14 months before “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” limped into our lives. They’ve since founded a new studio, Hundred Star, made up of about 100 hand-picked gaming veterans. What remains under the Rocksteady banner is a hollowed-out crew clinging to past glory while the company falls apart at the seams.
And while fans mourn the fall of one of gaming’s greatest developers, Rocksteady’s official account is proudly flashing a rainbow-colored PRIDE logo—an emblem of the same identity politics that feels more like a corporate distraction than a sincere gesture.
There’s a term for this: performative. And it’s exactly that performative mindset that led to the fall of this once great studio.
“Suicide Squad” Was the Breaking Point
Let’s be honest: “Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League” wasn’t just a misfire—it was a public implosion.
Launched in February 2024 after multiple delays and years of troubled development, the game was derided 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.
Sweet Baby Inc. credits for SSKTJL
The player base evaporated almost immediately. On Steam, concurrent players dropped below 600. The DLC rollout only made things worse—particularly Season 2’s Mrs. Freeze character, a gender-swapped, PRIDE-centric reinterpretation of the classic villain that was met with derision from both fans and critics.
Mrs. Freeze in PRIDE Outfit Pack in Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League (2024), Rocksteady
The design, dialogue, and storytelling were panned as hollow, corporate inclusivity with no heart.
The Creatives Left the Building
As the backlash mounted, fans began pointing to a deeper issue: this isn’t even the same Rocksteady anymore.
When Hill and Walker left in 2022, they didn’t just resign—they took the soul of the studio with them. They had shaped the Arkham trilogy from day one, driving everything from narrative to game mechanics to tone. Their exit, just 14 months before the Squad’s disastrous launch, all but confirmed that the project had gone off the rails behind the scenes.
What was left behind was a brand in name only—a Ship of Theseus scenario where every plank has been replaced, and yet the vessel still sails under the old flag. But to fans, it’s clear: this is not the same crew, and this is not the same studio.
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
YouTube personality Smash JT wrote on X: “This is like me failing at life and telling everyone my dad was successful.”
And after 10 years you haven’t been able to recapitalize on your previous successes. I wonder why. pic.twitter.com/SbJItigq0W
— One Eyed Jack Gaming (@OneEyedJackG) June 23, 2025
One Eyed Jack Gaming displayed a close of of the studio’s PRIDE flag logo. “And after 10 years you haven’t been able to recapitalize on your previous successes,” he said. “I wonder why.”
A slew of fans noted the irony of Rocksteady posting about Arkham Knight while simultaneously donning a PRIDE avatar and promoting the same identity politics that led to DLC like Mrs. Freeze.
The optics are clear: the modern Rocksteady isn’t interested in continuing the Arkham legacy—it’s trying to rewrite it through the lens of identity.
Where Things Stand Now
Suicide Squad has all but flatlined. Key talent is long gone. Warner Bros. reported a $200 million loss tied to the game.
Rocksteady has already suffered significant layoffs and is no longer viewed as a top-tier studio by anyone except perhaps its own PR team.
Yet they continue to post nostalgic tributes to Arkham Knight, like an aging athlete reminiscing about high school championships. Except this athlete didn’t even play in the game—he just borrowed the jersey and posted about it on Instagram.
The Bottom Line
Rocksteady is no longer Rocksteady. The heart, the vision, the talent—gone. What remains is a studio trading on the glory of work it didn’t create, propping itself up with a corporate rainbow while pushing live-service flops and identity checkboxes as if they’re the future.
They’re not. Fans know it. And the sooner Warner Bros. does too, the better.
The apparent death of the Arkham Batman in Rocksteady’s epic flop Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League – YouTube, Dan Allen Gaming
Because the Batman who once watched over this city deserves better than this.
How do you feel about Rocksteady paying tribute to Arkham Knight? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
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