according to data-tracking firm NPD<\/a><\/span>.<\/p>\nReleased last month following an open beta period, MultiVersus<\/em> is a platform fighter in the same vein as Nintendo’s perennially popular Super Smash Bros.<\/em> series. Its gimmick is a roster similarly featuring a ton of disparate franchises\u2014in this case, all from under Warner Bros.’ vaulted ceilings. You can play as characters from the likes of AdventureTime<\/em> (Finn the Human, Jake the Dog), Rick and Morty<\/em> (Rick, Morty) Looney Tunes<\/em> (Bugs Bunny, the Tasmanian Devil) the DC extended universe (Batman, Superman, buncha others), and more. Confusingly, MultiVersus<\/em> also stars The Iron Giant<\/em>‘s notably peaceful Iron Giant<\/span>.<\/p>\nUnlike Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl<\/em>Nickelodeon’s similar cross-franchise foray into fighting games, MultiVersus<\/em> has been incandescently popular, tallying an estimated 12 million players<\/span> since launch. (As of this writing, All-Star Brawl<\/em> has 13 active players, according to stat-tracking site SteamDB<\/span>.) MultiVersus<\/em> is also one of the most-played titles<\/span> on Valve’s Steam Deck handheld\u2014even though fighting games on handheld machines kinda suck. The power of free-to-play.<\/p>\nOf course, the $0 price tag doesn’t drum up any hard cash for publisher Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. Sales were spurred last month by the Founders Pack, which starts at $40<\/span> depending on the edition you get, and grants access to characters in the roster.<\/p>\nIt’s unclear how many individual Founders Packs were sold, or what the total dollar amount came out to, as NPD didn’t reveal those figures. thigh MultiVersus<\/em> is still tracking behind other 2022 sales behemoths<\/span> like Elden Ring<\/em>, Pok\u00e9mon Legends: Arceus<\/em>and Horizon Forbidden West, <\/em>year-to-date. In fact, even though it topped the charts for July, MultiVersus<\/em> isn’t among the top 20 best-selling games of the year.<\/p>\nRepresentatives for NPD did not respond to a request for comment.<\/p>\n
The shadow over all of this is, of course, are the woes at Warner Bros. Interactive, a subdivision of WarnerMedia, which was recently part of a $43 billion merger<\/span> with Discovery earlier this year. This has sent tremors through the entertainment industry, resulting in essentially completed films getting shelved (RIP Batgirl<\/em><\/span>) and popular shows getting purged from the HBO Max streaming service (RIP Close Enough<\/em><\/span>).<\/p>\nBut WB’s games division is seemingly doing just fine. In addition to MultiVersus<\/em>the family-friendly Lego Star Wars: The Skywalker Saga<\/em><\/span>, which came out in April, was the third best-selling game last month. There are more potential juggernauts in the pipe, too. In October, Warner Bros. Interactive will release Gotham Knights<\/em>, a co-op open-world action game set in a version of DC canon where Batman is dead. (Despite indications of a loot grind, Gotham Knights<\/em> looks kinda cool<\/span>.) That’ll be followed next year by a game based on Suicide Squad<\/em><\/span>DC’s contingent of anti-heroes.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n