Image: Rocksteady
WB Games president David Haddad announced on Rocksteady’s website today that the video game developer’s co-founders, Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker, will be leaving the studio in late 2022. Rocksteady, which created the Batman: Arkham series, will release its anticipated pseudo spin-off, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, in 2023.
“With Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League nearing completion, they have both decided to leave Rocksteady at the end of 2022 and embark on a new adventure in gaming,” Haddad wrote in the announcement. “We have the utmost respect and gratitude for Jamie and Sefton and wish them all the best in their new venture, and like many fans we look forward to seeing what they do next.”
Haddad didn’t share details about “what they’re going to do next,” but Hill and Walker — who founded Rocksteady in 2004 — could very well be trying to do it all over again. They were still an active part of the studio, with Hill most recently serving as the game director of Suicide Squad. Taking their place are production director Nathan Burlow, whom Haddad calls an “original founding member,” promoted to studio director, and Darius Sadeghian, who will become studio product director.
“Nathan and Darius are extremely talented executives and they are passionate about continuing Rocksteady’s high-quality game development for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and all future games,” Haddad wrote.
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Of their sudden departure, Hill and Walker wrote in the announcement: “From the day we founded the company in 2004 to today, Rocksteady has been our life and our soul. It has given us the opportunity to do what we love most: make great games with exceptionally talented people.”
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Hill and Walker highlighted the community at Rocksteady, saying that “there’s something extra special about Rocksteady that goes beyond the games we make, and everyone who works here feels that.”
“We would like to thank the team for their hard work and all they bring to make this such an amazing place,” the pair continued. “Now that Suicide Squad is in safe hands and the team here is stronger than ever, it’s time to hand over the reins and for us to start a new adventure in games together.”
Earlier this fall, Suicide Squad writer Kim MacAskill presented a lifetime achievement award from the nonprofit Women in Games, saying event sponsors Rocksteady and Warner Bros. Interactive ‘have to take responsibility’.
“You can throw your name at any diversity event,” she said, “but unless you take responsibility it means nothing and I’ll see you.”
In 2020, Rocksteady responded to a report from The Guardian detailing sexual harassment in the workplace, saying: “All formal complaints have been thoroughly investigated, addressed appropriately and some serious action has been taken in response to the concerns raised by the police.” came to light, including disciplinary or staff termination.”