The upcoming Batman game may be one of the most anticipated games of the near future, yet very little is known about it. Reports indicate a proper reveal is coming at DC Fandome in August, and a recent leak via a new web domain registration suggests the game could be called Batman: Gotham Knights.
While not the end-all to rumors and hearsay, this Batman leak at least has some backing to it. And looking at what the title implies suggests that, at least some of the rumors, may also hold more water. Ultimately, it's up to the developer, but there's a lot of connections here.
Batman Arkham Series
Perhaps one of the biggest rumors is exactly what the next game would look like or be. Many think it'll be a soft reboot, if not a full reboot, as where else could the next Arkham game go? This would leave Arkham Knight's ending as a serious cliff-hanger, but a soft reboot could still, in theory, explain it. Either way, this would be capitalized on by dropping the Arkham moniker from the next Batman game, which it itself could imply any number of changes (though a serious tonal or direction change seems unlikely). These rumors obviously support the idea of a new title, and Gotham Knights is a good pick for a couple of reasons.
The Comics and Playable Bat-family
Gotham Knights is actually the title of a comic book run as well, one notable for its inclusion of the Bat-Family. In turn, this has been one of the longest running rumors for the game: a heavy emphasis on the Bat-Family. Symbolically, this title makes a lot of sense, pays homage to the comic run, and captures the spirit of the characters. It's unknown how big of a role they could play, many think they'll be playable for good chunks of the game, and it would add a lot of variety to the already fluid combat of the Arkham series.
Court of Owls?
One big question is the antagonist(s). Another long-running rumor, seemingly heavily hinted at by Warner Bros. Itself, is the inclusion of the Court of Owls as antagonists. This would likely deal with the Court itself, its Talon assassins, and perhaps Thomas Wayne Jr. Who claims to be Bruce's brother, which in turn would go a long way in the behind-the-mask aspect of Batman. One counter argument about the game's title could be that the Gotham Knights comic run doesn't really deal with any one specific villain, much less the Court of Owls. This is sort of an outlier, but it's also worth mentioning that the comic run and game title's similarities would likely end on a symbolic level, not a content one.
All things considered, fans shouldn't put much stock in this title yet. There's still a month to go before August, and that's even if those Batman rumors are true. One thing is for certain, though: many fans want answers, not rumors and speculation, sooner rather than later.
A new Batman game is in development.