From inception, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was met with peak skepticism. The controversial narrative choices, the baffling destruction of beloved characters, and kicking it all off with ...killing Batman(!) wasn't the best thing to when trying to get a good reaction from gamers.
A general lack of respect for the franchise’s legacy painted a very clear picture: this was a game written by individuals clinging to roles they should never have had in the first place.
But first, we need to talk about this elephant in the room...
The game’s climactic “twist” (above) — was just a tired and uninspired reveal that the Justice League deaths were... get this... just clones— all along. Not only was this super generic and predictable, but moreso, emblematic of the shallow, unimaginative storytelling that's been completely plaguing the game industry today.
Let’s take a closer look at SOME the individuals responsible for this narrative disaster.... Because context, especially here, matters.
Many of these folks have a connection to Sweet Baby Inc., but I find it fascinating how hard SBI is trying to hide specifics about who from their company worked on the game, as to not have to take accountability individually for the game's resounding failure. The lack of transparency is quite... on brand for them, though.
Please do not harass any of the individuals mentioned in this article. This piece is for informational purposes only, aimed at highlighting areas for improvement within the industry. With more transparency and accountability, the gaming world can heal and move forward.
Ben Schroder
Ben Schroder, credited as a narrative designer in Suicide Squad showcases his inability to move beyond clichéd tropes...
A He/Him NPC on X (you'll see that pronoun trend a lot as we go here) who helped create the clone twist—something we’ve all seen countless times in both games and other media—was emblematic of his preference for rehashing tired ideas rather than taking creative risks.
Grant Roberts
Grant Roberts’ contributions to the game’s writing reveal a troubling pattern. Rather than crafting compelling characters and meaningful storylines, Roberts seems more interested in shoehorning in divisive, politically charged elements that alienate the core audience.
The inclusion of characters like the gender-swapped Mrs. Freeze in a “Pride Outfit Pack” felt wayyy less like any kind of genuine representation and more like performative pandering, which is starting to feel like it has become a hallmark of Roberts’ career. Oh that, and blaming everyone else for his own shortcomings...
From his interview with The Gamer pushing Sweet baby Inc propaganda:
"Sweet Baby is a work-for-hire company, like a lot of these other consultant companies are. People hire us to do the work. [...] Studios come to Sweet Baby because they want help, because they want to make their game better."
...and he continues:
"Sweet Baby is a narrative development company that is hired by other companies. And sometimes that's [for] authenticity and diversity, but it's primarily a narrative company”
“One of the more frustrating things about this whole thing is like, ‘This is what Sweet Baby does. They're the DEI company."
Amy Leigh Shaw
Amy-Leigh Shaw also shows a lack of notable talent in narrative design, with her involvement in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Her current role at Sweet Baby Inc., is known for prioritizing agendas over compelling narratives, reinforces the perception that her work aligns more with industry trends than any kind of meaningful storytelling.
Good friend of the channel Endymion had already previously called out Amy-Leigh Shaw, and in hindsight, he was spot on. Specifically addressing her defense of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
He stated:
“Of course, Amy tries to take the moral high ground here, but the truth is that the damage is done and what her and the team over at Sweet Baby has done to Suicide Squad, not to mention other games like Spider-Man 2 and more. Everything they touch lessens and cheapens the stories and characters within them.”
“Now, openly stating your game has any relations to Sweet Baby has become code for people to avoid that product entirely like the plague because chances are whatever your game is, if Sweet Baby is involved, it’ll be ruined and made into a pandering mess to some capacity.”
Endymion's harsh (and deserved) critique on Amy here highlights the more widespread disdain for Sweet Baby Inc.'s influence on game narratives in the grand scheme by many gamers.
Sefton Hill
Sefton Hill, who once helmed the acclaimed Arkham series, seems to have lost his touch entirely.
His lack of leadership on Suicide Squad reflects a departure from the nuanced storytelling that made Rocksteady a household name.
Instead, Hill oversaw a project that prioritized shock value and trend-chasing over respect for the franchise’s long-established lore. His failure here to maintain the studio’s legacy goes to show that there's a broader issue of unqualified individuals holding critical positions in the industry.
A Narrative Team Without Talent
The collective failure of these writers underscores a harsh reality - one that people like this continue to offload on fans instead of being accountable: they're activists masquerading as storytellers, clinging to jobs they’re unqualified to hold.
Sorry not sorry. Someone's gotta say it.
Instead of crafting narratives that respect their audience and the source material, they churn out politically charged, uninspired slop. This isn’t just bad writing; it’s emblematic of a deeper problem within the gaming industry—a prioritization of their own selfish ideologies to hide a lack of talent.
Not Just Sweet baby Though...
There's a common thread I'm finding when looking at these bios. The activism goes well beyond Sweet Baby Inc when it comes to Rocksteady, and the games industry at large these days. He/hims, she/hers, They/this, This/That. Protected accounts, running to BlueSky, colored hair, and all include activism, with a flair for the overall hatred for the very people they're creating games for in the first place:
The Legacy of Failure
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will forever live on as a reminder for the entire games industry when you allow activists to write your game, the results are financially dire. The game’s narrative failures, combined directly with Rocksteady’s steep decline, highlight the dangers of allowing these unqualified individuals to attempt and shape long-beloved franchises. We deserved a compelling story and a proper tribute to Kevin Conroy’s final performance as Batman. Instead, we were given a hollow, predictable mess that left a stain on Rocksteady’s once-golden reputation.
Many of these people were hard(er) to find, and have been deleting/removing any footprint on the internet - knowing full well in advance that people are looking for more info of who they are and more importantly, how they got to where they did in the first place...
It’s time for the gaming industry to wake up. The audiences deserves better, and the days of allowing talentless activists to run the show should hopefully, be coming to an end.
~Smash
