The Smash Bros-style MultiVersus fighting game returns on May 28

It’s been a busy few months for people like , and arrival. Another game enters (or rather re-enters) the fray as Warner Bros. platformer MultiVersus will return on May 28. It will be available on PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, Steam and the Epic Games Store.

MutliVersus is Warner Bros’ take on the Super Smash Bros. series. The goal is to weaken enemies enough to knock them off a platform. Instead of controlling the likes of Mario, Link, Pikachu, and Sephiroth, the roster is made up of characters from various WB properties, including DC Comics, its movies (hence the Space Jam: A New Legacy) and even HBO. It’s an enjoyable two-on-two format to watch.

The free-to-play game debuted in open beta in July 2022 and was an instant hit. It brought 20 million players . However, player numbers declined rapidly (at least on PC) amid complaints of a lack of updates and new characters. Developer’s first player games that it will take the servers offline in June so it can work on the game before its full release this year. One aspect of this that angered some fans was the fact that many spent money on the game to unlock characters and cosmetics, only for it to remain offline for what turned out to be another 10 months.

Along with the full release date, game director Tony Heung announced some of the updates to the MultiVersus. There will, of course, be new characters. Hyun didn’t reveal any of the fresh faces, but I’m crossing my fingers for a few names from Inheritance and The last of us I show up just because. You can also expect more stages and new attacks for each character. We’ll know more details in the run-up to the release date.

Player First Games rebuilt the game from scratch in Unreal Engine 5 to improve character lighting and visual effects. Hyunh says the team has included new network fallback code to minimize lag when playing online and ensure consistent performance. There will also be a player versus environment mode that will allow you to play the game without having to fight against other players.

MultiVersus returns right after the Warner Bros. Discovery to focus more on live services, mobile and long-tail free-to-play games rather than single-player experiences. This is despite the disappointing performance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (live headline) and the colossal commercial success of The Hogwarts legacy,