By Sagar V. Mankar 
DC Studios co-chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran are now overseeing not just films and TV series, but video games as well, marking the first time the DC Universe will be truly interconnected across all media. This significant restructuring was revealed during a recent DC Studios presentation reported by IGN.
“We work incredibly closely with JB Perrette, who runs that division, and it’s really the first time it’s ever been this way at Warner Brothers,” Safran explained during the presentation.
A Hands-On Approach to Game Development
Under this new structure, Gunn and Safran are actively involved in shaping DC video games from their earliest stages. They personally review game designs and collaborate with development studios like NetherRealm and Rocksteady, ensuring that storylines and character designs align across movies, TV, and games.
“When they’re talking about what the story might be, we say, ‘Well, maybe you want to go this way because we’re planning something with this character,'” Gunn explained, illustrating how game narratives will now align with the broader DCU planning.
Beyond creative direction, this shift also affects DC’s consumer products and experiences, with Safran stating that “everything that DC touches runs up through us now.” This marks a complete departure from Warner Bros.’ previous “siloed” structure, where different divisions operated independently with little coordination.
First DCU Video Game Still Years Away
While this interconnected vision is ambitious, fans will need to be patient. According to Gunn, the first official DCU video game is still “a couple of years” away. However, Safran teased that they’ve already had “some pretty active involvement in some stuff coming up,” hinting that their influence is already shaping games currently in development.
Troubled DC Games & Warner Bros. Strategy Shift
According to Bloomberg, several DC games are currently in development, but not all are progressing smoothly:
- Monolith Productions’ Wonder Woman has reportedly faced a reboot and a major shift in direction, pushing its release timeline further out. The project has already exceeded $100 million in costs.
- Rocksteady is rumored to be returning to Batman with a new single-player game, though Gunn and Safran’s involvement remains unclear.
This shake-up comes at a critical time for Warner Bros. Games, which has struggled with recent DC titles:
- Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League contributed to a $200 million financial hit.
- MultiVersus added another $100 million loss.
In response, Warner Bros. is narrowing its focus to four core franchises:
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Mortal Kombat
- Game of Thrones
- DC properties—particularly Batman
“We are focusing our development efforts on those core franchises, with proven studios to improve our success ratio,” Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav stated during the last earning call.
More DC Crossovers Incoming
While the first DCU game may be years away, DC characters will continue appearing in crossover events. Safran confirmed ongoing collaborations with partners like Fortnite, with Gunn personally reviewing character designs to ensure consistency with the DCU’s evolving vision.