In its first season, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has encountered numerous challenges, leading to a significant decline in player count. Despite efforts to address issues with a post-season launch pass, the game's developer, Rocksteady Studios, has failed to eliminate the time-consuming grind required to unlock popular character Joker.

Recent data shows that the player count for Suicide Squad on Steam has dropped to alarmingly low levels, with a peak of only 214 players this week. Even during off-hours, the game is seeing a mere 102 players, marking a sharp downfall from its initial release when it reached a peak of 13,000 players and briefly rebounded to 3,000 with the addition of the Joker character.

These dwindling numbers raise the question of whether it is time to reevaluate the game's pre-planned live service roadmap. Despite assurances that Suicide Squad would receive content throughout the year, it appears that further support and fixes are necessary to keep the game viable. Warner Bros., known for implementing cost-cutting measures, faces the dilemma of when to cut their losses entirely.

While the game's console player count has not been made available, it is worth noting that Suicide Squad has failed to secure a place among the top 50 most-played games on Xbox. Even the addition of the Joker character did not significantly impact the game's popularity. Limited information is available regarding PlayStation players, as the game has not regained visibility in the top 10.

Options to salvage the game's prospects include striking deals with services like PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass, as Marvel's Avengers did, but such measures have not proven successful in the long term. Despite being relatively new, Suicide Squad's future appears uncertain as the player count remains consistently low.

Another concern surrounding the game's roadmap is the nature of the characters being introduced. While the highly anticipated release of Deathstroke is expected in 7-8 months, significant characters like Mrs. Freeze and Zoe Lawton (Deadshot's daughter) are scheduled for the next two seasons. The slow release of characters may not be sufficient to retain player interest.

Monetization also poses issues, as the game now solely relies on selling cosmetics through season passes, which have proven to be challenging to acquire, or store skins that have received negative feedback. The decision to include a grind barrier for Joker, which players could pay to skip, was met with widespread dissatisfaction.

At this point, it seems that PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass may be the only viable paths forward. However, it is uncertain whether these measures will be enough to reverse the declining player count. The current situation suggests that if the first season failed to rectify enough issues, add sufficient content, or attract a significant player base, it may be time to consider shifting Rocksteady Studios' focus to a different project more aligned with players' interests.

As fans and industry observers await a decision, concerns regarding potential layoffs at Rocksteady Studios loom. It is hoped that the studio can navigate these challenges without resorting to significant job cuts.

In conclusion, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League faces a critical juncture as its player count drops drastically and the success of its live service roadmap comes into question. Only time will tell whether the necessary changes can be made to revive the game's prospects or if a shift in focus is necessary.