Warner Bros. Games has debuted the first trailer for MultiVersus, an upcoming platform fighter game featuring characters from different Warner Bros. franchises, which will include alternate costumes for characters to wear. Drawing from the success of the Super Smash Bros. series, MultiVersus will bring iconic names like Batman, Shaggy and more to battle each other. The trailer revealed the game will be released in 2022 and be free-to-play with regular content updates and player support.
One of the reasons the Super Smash Bros. franchise rose to the heights it's at today is because of its large number of recognizable playable characters. The franchise's success led to several copycat games, including Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl, which aimed to combine the familiarity of Smash Bros. with some of Nickelodeon's best-known characters. WBGames was a prime candidate to follow suit due, to its parent company, Warner Bros., possessing a near-endless amount of IP.
The recently published trailer confirmed several characters for MultiVersus, plus alternate costumes for players to enjoy at launch, unlike Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl. Including alternate costumes is a smart move due to the many iterations of characters like Superman or Shaggy, as different players will have different opinions on which version they like best. It's unclear how many skins will be available for each character, but some were confirmed during the trailer, as well as in social media posts following its announcement.
Black Lantern Superman Is Playable In MultiVersus
Based on the trailer, Superman will have at least two alternate costumes: an all-gold look and the Black Lantern version. Gold Superman originated in the comics after Superman lived in the sun for 1500 years soaking up the solar energy and coming into possession of a Green Lantern ring. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the Black Lanterns are a group of deceased DC characters who come back in zombie form to eliminate all life in the DC Universe.
Shaggy Finally Appears In A Fighting Game With A Flashy Alt
After fans petitioned for Shaggy to join Mortal Kombat, WB Games confirmed he would be playable in MultiVersus. Shaggy's most flashy alternate costume featured yellow glasses, yellow and orange pants, and no shirt. In the trailer, Shaggy's classic green shirt and red pants appear to be the default skin, while other options include small changes like different colored shirts or pants to a snazzy teal suit.
MultiVersus Includes Harley Quinn's Suicide Squad And BTAS Looks
Harley Quinn's inclusion in the game makes sense due to the immense popularity of the character through her recent and upcoming appearances in movies, television, and video games. The character, created by Paul Dini and Bruce Timm, will sport her classic red and black attire as her default skin. While not given a focus in the trailer, Quinn has an alternate version of her look with blue replacing the normal red features.
Promo images have also revealed her classic costume from Batman: The Animated Series and the look Margot Robbie sported in the recently released The Suicide Squad. Harley's appearance in MultiVersus further cements the character in the gaming world, with the character having previously played a pivotal role in Batman: Arkham and the upcoming Suicide Squad game from Rocksteady Studios. It's possible that other Batman characters could join her as well, with the Dark Knight possessing one of DC's greatest rogues galleries.
Tom And Jerry's Costumes Draw From Their Long History
The famous duo of Tom and Jerry will be playable in MultiVersus as a single character. Two alternate costumes for the furry friends were shown in the trailer, both from recognizable appearances in media. A Sherlock Holmes look for the duo comes from their appearance in the 2010 film Tom and Jerry Meet Sherlock Holmes. Jerry sports the classic Sherlock Holmes plaid print while Tom wears a classy coat and bow tie.
While not confirmed to be another skin, outfits based off the 1949 Tom and Jerry cartoon Tennis Chumps appeared in the trailer. In the trailer, Tom and Jerry's tennis outfits are shown with movements that heavily involve tennis features, including hitting a tennis ball. It's possible that these costumes appear in a Final Smash style, as skins don't normally impact movement.
MultiVersus' Batman Features His Iconic BTAS Outfit
Batman may not be alive to fight the Court of Owls in Gotham Knights, but he'll at least be able to test his mettle against other iconic characters in MultiVersus. The Caped Crusader has an abundance of iterations to choose from and WB Games has revealed that his look from Batman: The Animated Series will be at least one of them. The animated look suits the cartoony approach of MultiVersus, and is made even better by the fact that Kevin Conroy is reprising his role from the series in the game.
Steven Universe Has Multiple Costumes In MultiVersus
Steven Universe's iconic look of a red shirt with a yellow star, paired with blue jeans, will be the cartoon character's main costume. However, the MultiVersus trailer also showed an alternate costume where he'll put on sunglasses, a headband, and swap the jeans for a pair of shorts. The flip-flops don't seem like a practical choice for going into battle, but they give a refreshing and casual beach-style that differentiates the character from the rest of the game's line-up.
Steven's inclusion in Warner Bros. MultiVersus was leaked before the announcement, but he'll be joined by his friend Garnet, who was officially revealed in the trailer as well. There are other Crystal Gems that could join Steven when MultiVersus eventually releases too. Amethyst and Pearl are just two more of the series' many pivotal characters, while villains like Jasper could also fit in.
MultiVersus Alternate Costumes - "What's Opera, Doc?" Bugs Bunny
As Bugs Bunny first appeared in 1938, the rabbit has countless looks that could be in an alternate costume in MultiVersus. The trailer revealed Bugs will have a skin based on the 1957 cartoon What's Opera, Doc? While other Looney Tunes characters have yet to be confirmed, the series' vast library of zany figures would be a perfect fit for MultiVersus' outlandish premise.
WB Games has plenty of potential IP to choose from when adding to MultiVersus' roster. Game director Tony Huynh confirmed that more characters are destined to join the fight, with additional skins set to follow after its launch. The crossover platform fighting game will try to break the trend of inferior Smash Bros. copies by relying heavily on iconic characters and addressing fan complaints regarding other platform fighters.
Other fan-favorite characters, such as those from the Harry Potter franchise and Rick and Morty, have been rumored to appear in the game but have yet to be confirmed. As the game only has a release year set, details about more playable characters and alternate costumes are sure to come. Paid cosmetics are a tried and tested method of monetizing free-to-play titles, and in MultiVersus' case, there are plenty that could be included.