Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's Steam Debut Lower Than Marvel's Avengers

After a long journey to release, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League arrived on February 2nd, and things are not off to a great start. The game's day one numbers were shared by SteamDB, and they're a lot lower than a comparable superhero game. As reported by PCGamesN, Suicide Squad's day one numbers hit less than half what was achieved at launch by Marvel's Avengers, with a peak of 12,667 players compared to 29,916. The game's numbers have slightly improved since then, but not by much; the game's current all-time peak is 13,459 players. 

It's impossible to say how the game will perform in the long run, but these early numbers aren't a good omen for a live service game. Marvel's Avengers ended up being a large commercial failure for Square Enix, and likely played a role in the publisher's decision to sell off developer Crystal Dynamics to Embracer Group in 2022. Many DC fans were already speculating about a similar fate for Suicide Squad developer Rocksteady Studios, and this seeming low interest won't help matters. It's worth noting that these numbers from SteamDB only account for the Steam version, and it's possible the game is performing better on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. 

Suicide Squad Controversies

There are a lot of reasons that interest in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League interest might be on the lower end. Reviews have mostly been mixed so far. There's also the fact that the gameplay in Suicide Squad is significantly different from the rest of the Arkham games. Rather than focusing on the single-player elements fans had fallen in love with in the Arkham trilogy, Suicide Squad instead focuses on team-based multiplayer (though it can be played solo). 

The genre is not the only controversy that has followed the game. Suicide Squad is online only, leading many to wonder if the game will remain playable when the servers eventually go offline. The narrative has also put off a lot of fans, as high-profile characters are brutally killed. This probably wouldn't bother fans much if Suicide Squad existed in its own continuity, but since the Arkham universe is so well-regarded, it's left a bad taste in the mouths of fans. 

The Future of the Arkham Series

There have been hints from James Gunn that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League might not be the end of the Arkham series, though nothing has been confirmed. It's possible sales numbers for Suicide Squad could have an impact on that, but we won't know for sure until the game has been available for longer. At the very least, we do know that the developers plan to support the game through DLC, including additional characters like the Joker. 

Have you checked out Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League? Are you concerned about the game's sales? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!