Jamie Walker and Sefton Hill, co-founders of Rocksteady Studios (Batman: Arkham series), have announced that they are leaving the company after 18 years in their respective positions. The official announcement notes that the upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League title is “nearly finished,” and as such, it is reasonable to assume that its release will face no further delays.

Nathan Burlow, long time Rocksteady Director of Production and original founding member of the studio, will step up into the role of Studio Director and Darius Sadeghian will now be serving as Studio Product Director.

The co-founding duo thanks the Rocksteady team and their fans, and appreciates the talents of Burlow and Sadeghian as they hand over the torch:

Our decision to leave Rocksteady was emotional to say the least! From the day we founded the company in 2004 all the way to today, Rocksteady has been our life and soul. It has given us the opportunity to do what we love most: make great games with exceptionally talented people. We are so proud of the team here for the games we have all made together, from our first game Urban Chaos, to the much-loved Arkham series, and now the epic Suicide Squad.

But there is something extra special about Rocksteady that goes beyond the games we make, and everyone who works here feels it. It’s the incredible moments that we’ve shared over the years, the friendships made, and the care this team has for each other that have made this unforgettable journey so special. We believe people wear their Rocksteady T-shirts with pride because of how we treat each other and how it feels to be here. We want to thank the team for their hard work and everything they bring to make this such a great place to be.

Some of our proudest moments happened because of this team’s energy and talent: getting the chance to work with Warner Bros. and DC on Batman, the wonderful Arkham Games being way more than we could possibly have imagined, the chance to work with our some of our childhood heroes, giving back to the industry we love so much by helping budding games makers, and finally, building a culture here where people can just be themselves and together make great games.

One very special ingredient in all of this is the Rocksteady fans. Their excitement and support for what we do is the fuel that motivates us to be our best. They are the extended Rocksteady team and we wish them a huge thank you for energizing us over the last 18 years! Now with Suicide Squad in safe hands, and the team here stronger than ever, it’s time to hand over the reins, and for us to start a new adventure together in games.

Nathan and Darius have proved their passion and skill at Rocksteady over many years. They are veterans of our industry and we know their commitment to Rocksteady and their talent and energy will take the team to even greater heights. We couldn’t be happier that they are leading the future here and wish them all the very best.

Nathan Burlow celebrates the achievements of the duo as he takes the reigns:

Having worked with Jamie and Sefton as one of the founding members of the studio, I want to thank them for creating what I consider to be one of the best games development studios in the industry. It’s been an absolute pleasure to work alongside them and I wish them all the very best in the future. I am very passionate and honored for the opportunity to continue the leadership of Rocksteady with Darius. My goal is to support our talented, hardworking team, retaining the heart and amazing culture of the studio. We are looking forward to building upon our successes with the upcoming release of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League and our future games.

Darius Sadeghian thanks the duo for their tutelage and is enthusiastic to lead the team forward:

I am thrilled to have the opportunity to lead and support the amazing, creative and talented team at Rocksteady. Throughout my career at the studio, I have been driven by the team’s passion and collaborative energy to achieve their creative vision. I want to extend my thanks to Jamie and Sefton, for all the support and guidance they have provided over the years, and for the time we have spent working closely together, which has been very special to me. My commitment and goal are to continue building upon Rocksteady’s legacy for delivering innovative and world-class game experiences.

Meanwhile, David Haddad, president of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (parent of Rocksteady Studios), extends his gratitude to the co-founders and the new heads:

I personally want to thank Jamie, Sefton, Nathan and Darius for all of their hard work and commitment to making this transition as strong as possible. Please join me in wishing Jamie and Sefton the best and congratulating Nathan and Darius.

Rocksteady Studios was founded in December 2004 by Jamie Walker and Sefton Hill, who had been previously serving at Argonaut Games as head of production and creative director, respectively. The studio is responsible for the celebrated Batman: Arkham franchise, which saw the beloved DC Universe hero establish a video game presence for himself comparable to the success of Cristopher Nolan’s The Dark Knight series of Batman films. The last title from the studio, Batman: Arkham VR, was released in 2016 and explored Batman’s detective skills in a prolonged hallucination preceding the events of Batman: Arkham Knight.

The upcoming Spring 2023 Batman: Arkham spinoff title Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is “nearly finished,” and will probably not see another significant delay past that timeframe, if at all. Check out its gameplay trailer from The Game Awards event last year to know what to expect from the game.

Source: Rocksteady Studios