Even within Warner Bros. Discovery’s gaming realm, decisions are subject to the whims of the executive suite. Several developers associated with games published under Adult Swim Games, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery, have reported that the company has notified them of plans to remove their games from digital storefronts on PC and console platforms.
Matt Kain, one of the developers behind Fist Puncher, shared on Steam, “It saddens me to announce that we received notice from Warner Bros. Discovery (the owners of Adult Swim Games) that Fist Puncher will be retired and removed from Steam in the next 60 days.”
Similar messages were received by other developers linked with Adult Swim Games. Studio Bean, for instance, stated, “Within the next 60 days, Soundodger+ will be removed from Steam,” on X.
In response, some affected developers expressed intentions to republish their games on Steam. However, they highlighted that this process would result in the loss of community pages, Steam achievements, forum discussions, screenshots, and other related content. While the preservation of these elements could be ensured if Warner Bros. transferred publishing permissions to the developers, the company has reportedly declined to do so, citing resource constraints.
According to developers, the Steam transfer procedure is swift and straightforward. Studio Bean mentioned, “I sent them the Steam Transfer link, explained that it takes 3 clicks, and they still refused, claiming it would only be fair to transfer no one’s games since they can’t do them all.”
This move implies that Warner Bros. Discovery may be considering the closure of Adult Swim Games, with the notification to impacted developers serving as an initial step. Since finalizing its merger in 2022, Warner Bros. Discovery has implemented cost-cutting measures such as removing TV shows from its streaming library and shelving nearly finished films like Batgirl and Coyote vs. Acme. The Verge has reached out to Warner Bros. Discovery for comment.
On Steam, a list of 25 Adult Swim Games titles slated for removal is available.
In response to the situation, Owen Deery, developer of Small Radios Big Televisions, announced plans to offer his game for free on his website. Studio Bean mentioned that Warner Bros. would allow the team to republish the game on Steam under the condition of removing all references to Adult Swim Games, including credits listing team members.
“I’m all for games preservation, and this ain’t it, chief,” remarked Deery.
