Functioning as a live-service game, MultiVersus features many iconic characters across media owned by Warner Bros., such as Batman, Shaggy Rogers, Tom & Jerry, and Steven Universe. Despite initial success and praise from fans and critics alike, MultiVersus was burdened with in-house production issues and conflicts of interest, leading the game to shut down in 2025, just over a year after it had been fully released.
Premise
MultiVersus is a crossover between several key Warner Bros. properties, featuring a unique story that intertwines many popular characters.
Gameplay
2v2 gameplay featuring from left to right, Tom & Jerry, Wonder Woman, Superman, and Shaggy.
Utilising a traditional platform fighting game format, MultiVersus is similar to titles such as Super Smash Bros. The player takes control of one of many characters and fights up to 3 other players in a bid to knock them off the stage and win the match. Players can also play together as teams against other players or bots.
Characters
MultiVersus features a wide variety of characters from Warner Bros'. properties.
Batman, a crime-fighting superhero from Gotham City.
Shaggy Rogers, a detective and member of Mystery Incorporated.
Bugs Bunny, an anthropomorphic wise-cracking rabbit.
Arya Stark, a fierce warrior who seeks to bring those who wronged her to justice.
Tom & Jerry, a mischeivous cat and mouse who share a "frenemy" dynamic.
Harley Quinn, the former right-hand man of the Joker and current supercriminal.
Garnet, a mystical gem warrior from beyond the stars.
Marvin the Martian, an alien from the planet Mars who wants to destroy Earth for a better view of Venus.
Wonder Woman, a mythical warrior from the remote island of Themyscira.
Finn the Human, an fiercely loyal adventurer on a journey to become a wise hero and protector of the Land of Ooo.
Jake the Dog, Finn's best friend and an extremely potent shapeshifter.
Steven Universe, a half-gem half-human boy with a heart of gold and the powers of a god-like being.
Velma Dinkley, a detective and member of Mystery Incorporated alongside Shaggy.
Reindog, an original character from Player First Games who is described as a loyal guard dog for his royal family.
Superman, a superhero and alien refugee from the planet Krypton.
The Iron Giant, a humongous alien robot with a heart of gold, aspiring to be like his hero, Superman.
Rick Sanchez, an alcoholic yet genius scientist and inventor.
Morty Sanchez, Rick's nervous and hesitant grandson.
Gizmo, an intelligent alien "gremlin" from a race of immortal aliens named the Mogwai.
Shutdown
Despite enjoying success during the launch of its open beta in 2022, MultiVersus would slowly lose its playerbase due to numerous corporate oversteps and aggressive monetisation, eroding the goodwill of the audience. The free-to-play model was criticised as it encouraged players to spend money on cosmetic items which were broadly advertised within the game.
The game's open beta was shut down in the spring of 2023 in a bid to revamp the game and transition it from Unreal Engine 4 to 5. As such, the momentum of the game's popularity was brought to a halt, and despite a relatively successful launch of the full game two years later in May 2024, the game never saw the numbers it had received during the open beta phase.
After the game fully launched, players noted that the game felt much clunkier and difficult to play compared to the open beta. Numerous bugs plagued matches and a slower UI caused by aggressive microtransaction advertisement alienated the game's playerbase. After a slow fall in player count, it was announced in January 2025 that MultiVersus would be shut down in May that year, just one year after launch.
Fate
After the servers were pulled offline, MultiVersus was removed from online storefronts, and players who had the game in their libraries were granted access to an offline mode, in which they could play standard matches through local co-op, or with bots.
Legacy
There are many fan-made projects that seek to revive MultiVersus, adding planned characters from before the game shutdown and entirely new ones altogether.
