Warner Bros. Discovery's sudden removal of several Cartoon Network and Adult Swim games has sparked significant backlash from fans. Without explanation, titles including Steven Universe: Save the Light and Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time have vanished from digital storefronts like Steam and the Nintendo eShop. This digital delisting affects at least six games, leaving players unable to legally purchase these popular titles.
The parent company, Warner Bros. Discovery, has a history of cost-cutting measures, including shelving films and removing content from streaming services. This trend appears to extend to video games. A previous March 2024 delisting of Adult Swim games, including Rick and Morty: Virtual Rick-ality, caused a similar uproar, though some titles were ultimately reinstated due to public pressure. This time, however, there was no such reprieve for several beloved Cartoon Network titles.
On December 23rd, 2024, a wave of delistings impacted games such as Adventure Time: Finn and Jake's Epic Quest, Adventure Time: Magic Man's Head Games, OK K.O.! Let's Play Heroes, Steven Universe: Save the Light, Steven Universe: Unleash the Light, and Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time. Steam listings simply stated the games would be unavailable after December 23rd, 2024, with no further explanation from Cartoon Network Games or Adult Swim Games.
Affected Cartoon Network Games:
- Adventure Time: Finn and Jake's Epic Quest
- Adventure Time: Magic Man's Head Games
- OK K.O.! Let's Play Heroes
- Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time
- Steven Universe: Save the Light
- Steven Universe: Unleash the Light
It's notable that some Cartoon Network games, like Cartoon Network Journeys VR and Monsters Ate My Birthday Cake, remain available. The soundtrack for OK K.O.! Let's Play Heroes is also still on sale. The lack of communication from Warner Bros. Discovery, Cartoon Network Games, and Adult Swim Games regarding the reasons for these delistings has fueled fan frustration.
Adventure Time: Finn and Jake's Epic Quest, initially released in April 2014, is the oldest game removed. Others, like Steven Universe: Save the Light and OK K.O.! Let's Play Heroes, launched in 2018, while Steven Universe: Unleash the Light arrived in 2021. The removal of Samurai Jack: Battle Through Time, particularly, has drawn criticism, as it contained the canonical ending to the show's fifth season. The silence from the publishers only intensifies the anger and confusion surrounding this unexpected loss of accessible titles.
