MultiVersus’ failure reportedly killed off Riot Games’ Smash Bros rival
Riot Games reportedly canned its Smash Bros rival game Pool Party after seeing MultiVersus' struggles to gain an audience.
11th Jul 2024 11:31
Images via Riot Games | Warner Bros | Nintendo
MultiVersus’ failure reportedly killed off Riot Games’ Smash Bros rival
Riot Games reportedly canned its Smash Bros rival game Pool Party after seeing MultiVersus' struggles to gain an audience.
11th Jul 2024 11:31
Images via Riot Games | Warner Bros | Nintendo
As with Legends of Runeterra, Teamfight Tactics, and Wild Rift, Riot Games believes its League of Legends universe expands much further than the 5v5 MOBA that its foundations are built on.
After 168 Champions have all padded their way down Summoners Rift, their extensive individual lores have expanded so far that Riot's portfolio of titles has increased too.
But, one project that was supposed to show off the Champions' strengths and abilities in the same way that Smash Bros does, with a 2D platform fighter, has reportedly been canned. And it's apparently all down to the failures of MultiVersus.
Riot Games reportedly cancelled unannounced Smash Bros rival "Pool Party"
Riot Games has an abundance of titles in the pipeline based on the League of Legends universe; LoL Esports Manager, a simulator where you take control of your favourite esports team; 2XKO, a traditional fighting game that has sparked fear in competitors who are trying to catch up; Project F, an Action RPG with melee-heavy combat; and an unnamed MMORPG.
But reports have now claimed that 2XKO wasn't the only fighting game in the works.
Reputable journalists Rod "Slasher" Breslau and Mikhail Klimentov have revealed that Riot Games was also developing Pool Party, a game which would emulate Smash Bros with League of Legends characters, but this has since been closed down.
"Riot Games cancelled work on a prototype platform fighter code-named Pool Party in late May, according to current and former Riot Games employees familiar with the decision. Approximately 70-80 employees were working on the game when it was shuttered," the report said.
It also turns out that one of the catalysts behind its closure was the reception to MultiVersus, a similar platform fighting game based on Warner Bros' repertoire of characters including Batman and Bugs Bunny.
Lack of interest in MultiVersus reportedly forced Riot Games to can Pool Party
According to the report, Riot Games noticed a stark decline in interest in the genre, amid MultiVersus' failures, despite intentions to originally be an esports-heavy Smash Bros competitor, akin to VALORANT's approach.
"Pool Party’s cancellation was precipitated in part by a reassessment of consumer appetite for a Smash competitor," the report continued.
"According to sources familiar with the project’s development, executives at Riot were spooked by what they perceived as the failure of MultiVersus."
Looking for more LoL in your life? Fear not - Arcane Season 2 will be coming out this year, ending the anime series and sparking even more LoL-inspired Netflix shows.
About The Author
Jack Marsh
Jack is an Esports Journalist at GGRecon. Graduating from the University of Chester, with a BA Honours degree in Journalism, Jack is an avid esports enthusiast and specialises in Rocket League, Call of Duty, VALORANT, and trending gaming news.
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