According to recent reports, Warner Bros. was developing a racing game similar to Mario Kart, featuring characters from its extensive range of intellectual properties, such as Adventure Time, Scooby-Doo, and Tom and Jerry. This kart racing game was in production at Warner Bros. Games San Diego, which was shut down in February alongside two other internal studios. Notably, the game was never officially announced, having undergone multiple iterations that shifted from a free-to-play, multiplatform format to a paid PC-only version.
WB San Diego’s Unfinished Kart Racer
Insights regarding the game emerged from Colin Moriarty during his Sacred Symbols podcast on Monday. A former employee of WB San Diego contacted him to discuss the unannounced project. Known internally as “Moonlight,” the game was potentially set to be called “WB Racers” or “XDR” for cross-drift racers, according to the source.
The project was designed to include various IPs from Warner Bros., akin to how Mario Kart showcases Nintendo characters. Moriarty shared that he had seen gameplay footage and characterized the game as “heavily inspired” by Mario Kart. He described it as a “drift racer” developed using Unreal Engine 5, featuring stylized graphics and precise vehicle control.
However, the WB San Diego insider mentioned that the project struggled with a lack of clear direction and unity throughout its development. Initially envisioned as an online-only free-to-play game for platforms including PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices, the plan shifted in the latter stages of development to prioritize a PC release. Ultimately, versions for the Switch and mobile were dropped, with the kart racing title transitioning to a paid PC-only game.
Reportedly initiated during the pandemic, the game was intended for release via Steam Early Access. The source indicated that at its peak, over 100 developers were involved in the project, which began to unravel in the fall of last year.
Despite extensive effort, the game never saw the light of day. The insider noted considerable discontent among the WB San Diego team, who felt it was unjust that Player First Games—another Warner Bros. Games studio—successfully launched MultiVersus while their own kart racer remained unreleased.
In a broader context, last month saw the closure of WB San Diego, Player First Games, and Monolith Productions, following substantial losses in Warner Bros.’ gaming division amounting to $300 million (approximately Rs. 2,627 crore) in 2024. The company also announced the cancellation of the in-development Wonder Woman game, signaling a shift in focus towards its more prominent franchises, including Harry Potter, Game of Thrones, and Batman, after a series of disappointing game launches.
