With Summer Game Fest 2024 just a few days away, many are wondering and speculating what exciting announcements and reveals are in store. One game, in particular, that fans are looking forward to is Monolith Productions' untitled Wonder Woman game.
Announced back in December 2021, we haven't seen or heard much about the project since. It's billed as a single player open-world action game that "will introduce an original story set in the DC Universe and allow players to become Diana of Themyscira in the fight to unite her Amazon family and the humans from the modern world."
Unfortunately, we may not learn anything more about the game during this week's big gaming event.
In a recent Kinda Funny Gamescast, host Greg Miller -- a prominent voice in the gaming industry -- revealed that he's heard claims that the "game's troubled."
"In the past year--'cause I’ll leave it ambiguous--I have talked to an insider, who was like, 'This game’s troubled,'" Miller revealed during a podcast episode focused Summer Game Fest predictions. "That’s it, that’s all I’ll say. So I don’t hold out hope that it’s in a place to show something [at Summer Game Fest]."
Miller's statement comes just a few months after WB Montreal posted a job listing that seemed to confirm the Gotham Knights studio would be assisting Monolith Productions on the development of the upcoming Wonder Woman game.
What's perhaps more concerning is Monolith Productions just this week posted that they are hiring a Lead Gameplay Engineer for the game. The role requires six-plus years of experience and "proven leadership," suggesting that whoever lands the position will be largely responsible for key gameplay decision-making.
The job description reads:
Join the Wonder Woman team and help bring an iconic DC Superhero to life!
Monolith Productions is currently looking for a lead to join our Gameplay team. As a Gameplay Lead, you will lead the team responsible for core gameplay systems inherent to Monolith’s proprietary engine, including combat, movement, the Nemesis system, and more! You will collaborate closely with our design team to coordinate the implementation of these systems, and represent the interests of the Gameplay team throughout the studio.
Now it's important to note that we don't know why this position became vacant. It's possible that the previous Lead Gameplay Engineer simply landed a better offer at another studio. It could also suggest that the reports are true and the game's development wasn't living up to the expectations -- resulting in the need for a change in the position. This would be far more worrisome for a project that has been in development since at least 2021. Regardless of the circumstance, filling such a pivotal role this late in development is not easy task.
The single player open-world action game will introduce an original story set in the DC Universe and allow players to become Diana of Themyscira in the fight to unite her Amazon family and the humans from the modern world.
Powered by the Nemesis System, gamers will forge deep connections with both enemies and allies as they progress from a heroic fighter into a proven leader.
There have been various reports about the gameplay of this new Wonder Woman title. It's previously been described as a mix between God of War: Ragnarok and Crackdown. One of the key features is the Nemesis System, a core gameplay mechanic that Monolith Productions used in their previous games Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and its sequel Shadow of War. The system presented a dynamically generated hierarchy of Orc Captains and Warchiefs that the player would encounter throughout their journey. The game would react accordingly to the outcome of the interaction, resulting in a unique experience for each player.