Rocksteady co-founders Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker – who helped create the Batman Arkham series, as well as the upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League – are leaving the studio for a “new adventure in gaming”.
In an open letter, Warner Bros. Interactive president David Haddad said, “With Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League nearly finished, they have both decided to leave Rocksteady at the end of 2022 and will begin a new adventure in gaming.” It’s not yet clear what that new adventure will be.
It’s not just a major change in leadership for the business, but on the creative side, with Hill having directed all of Rocksteady’s Arkham games, as well as Suicide Squad. Hill and Walker will be replaced by Nathan Burlow as Studio Director and Darius Sadeghian as Studio Product Director. It’s not clear who, if anyone, will take up the reins as director on the upcoming Suicide Squad game.
A message from Jamie & Sefton “We wanted you, the Rocksteady fans, to hear it first; we have decided to leave Rocksteady… From the day we founded the company all the way to today, Rocksteady has been our life & soul.”https://t.co/3ZRs1NMom2 pic.twitter.com/98I6YOgZrY
— Rocksteady Studios (@RocksteadyGames) October 26, 2022
The pair provided a statement about their departure, which you can read in full below:
Our decision to leave Rocksteady was emotional to say the least! From the day we founded the company in 2004 all the way to today, Rocksteady has been our life and soul. It has given us the opportunity to do what we love most: make great games with exceptionally talented people. We are so proud of the team here for the games we have all made together, from our first game Urban Chaos, to the much-loved Arkham series, and now the epic Suicide Squad.
But there is something extra special about Rocksteady that goes beyond the games we make, and everyone who works here feels it. It’s the incredible moments that we’ve shared over the years, the friendships made, and the care this team has for each other that have made this unforgettable journey so special. We believe people wear their Rocksteady T-shirts with pride because of how we treat each other and how it feels to be here. We want to thank the team for their hard work and everything they bring to make this such a great place to be.
Some of our proudest moments happened because of this team’s energy and talent: getting the chance to work with Warner Bros. and DC on Batman, the wonderful Arkham Games being way more than we could possibly have imagined, the chance to work with our some of our childhood heroes, giving back to the industry we love so much by helping budding games makers, and finally, building a culture here where people can just be themselves and together make great games.
One very special ingredient in all of this is the Rocksteady fans. Their excitement and support for what we do is the fuel that motivates us to be our best. They are the extended Rocksteady team and we wish them a huge thank you for energizing us over the last 18 years! Now with Suicide Squad in safe hands, and the team here stronger than ever, it’s time to hand over the reins, and for us to start a new adventure together in games.
Nathan and Darius have proved their passion and skill at Rocksteady over many years. They are veterans of our industry and we know their commitment to Rocksteady and their talent and energy will take the team to even greater heights. We couldn’t be happier that they are leading the future here and wish them all the very best.
The pair leave behind a major legacy. Batman: Arkham Asylum was seen as a turning point for the licensed game, not to mention a huge moment for mainstream action game design, and kicked off a beloved series. We named Batman: Arkham City one of the top 100 games of all time.
Suicide Squad Kills the Justice League will be set in the same universe, and arrives next year, ending what will be a seven-year wait for a new Rocksteady game (following 2016’s Batman: Arkham VR).
Joe Skrebels is IGN’s Executive Editor of News. Follow him on Twitter. Have a tip for us? Want to discuss a possible story? Please send an email to newstips@ign.com.
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