If one were to chart the success of DC Comics in the games industry, the line would spike off the page during the late 2000s and early 2010s, when the influential Batman: Arkham adventures were in full swing. Such a chart would eventually dip quite low, with 2022 and 2024 arguably representing the brand's rock-bottom in the entertainment sector thanks to the failure of Suicide Squad and the lukewarm Gotham Knights.
Both of these underwhelming projects were followed by Batman: Arkham Shadow, a critical darling, albeit one limited to VR and thus not likely to have the same visibility as more mainstream console or PC games. Nevertheless, the fact that the best DC Comics game of the 2020s, by popular opinion, is a new entry in the Batman: Arkham series might have Warner Bros. Rethinking its franchise-building strategy. After all, the company's track record would indicate that games prominently featuring Batman are the only ones that see real success, so why not just double-down on the Caped Crusader? News of more Arkham games would definitely be some cause for excitement, but in the long run, focusing too much on Batman would be the wrong decision.
Though Batman isn't a central character in either game, his shadow looms large in both Gotham Knights and Suicide Squad, which may further indicate Warner Bros.'s reluctance to let go of the character.
For DC Games to Grow, Batman's Presence Needs to Shrink
DC Needs to Surpass the Batman: Arkham Series
Even in the wake of games like Marvel's Spider-Man, the original Batman: Arkham quadrology is often cited as the best collection of superhero games ever made. Comic-accurate and well-written, these games serve players with a fantastic Batman fantasy indeed, but they do more than "make players feel like Batman." They offer strong combat, made even stronger by the inclusion of various versatile gadgets and satisfying progression, and each new entry expands upon the foundation laid by Arkham Asylum in sensible, meaningful ways.
Such success is something of a double-edged sword for Warner Bros., however. For one thing, fans have come to expect the level of quality set by these games, and other DC Comics adaptations will inevitably be compared to the Arkham franchise, especially if they are narratively similar, like in the case of Gotham Knights. In other words, post-Arkham DC video games have lived in Batman's shadow, as the quality bar has been set almost unrealistically high.
How Other DC Comics Gaming Ventures May Surpass Batman: Arkham
One thing that Batman: Arkham did that other burgeoning game franchises could learn from is start small. The series' inaugural entry, Batman: Arkham Asylum, doesn't have Earth-threatening stakes or a sprawling open-world. In fact, it has a very concise and dense map, with an overall structure more akin to a metroidvania than a massive, AAA action-adventure title. This truncated scale allows Asylum to focus on its strong suits: storytelling, combat, and puzzle-solving. Moreover, it gave the franchise room to grow and iterate in more ways than one.
Too often, games companies will aim too high, looking to put out the "next big thing" rather than a realistic, focused project. This can lead to games that feel unnaturally large or overly ambitious, with developers missing the forest for the trees. Indeed, perhaps the biggest reason why subsequent Batman: Arkham games work so well is because the fundamentals of the franchise were the main focus of Asylum, giving the series a strong base before introducing elements like an open-world. So, when Warner Bros. Moves forward with games like Wonder Woman, it should seek to make it the hero's Arkham Asylum, not their Arkham City or Arkham Knight. In other words, getting comfortable with making smaller games could be the key to bigger success down the road.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 68 /100 Critics Rec: 50%
- Released
- October 13, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+
- Developer(s)
- Rocksteady Studios, Iron Galaxy
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Bros. Games
WHERE TO PLAY
Protect Gotham City from all kinds of threats across the iconic Batman: Arkham Trilogy. Become the Batman and utilize a wide range of gadgets and abilities to face off against Gotham's most dangerous villains, finally facing the ultimate threat against the city that Batman is sworn to protect.
Face off against notorious DC Super-Villains: The Joker, Scarecrow, Poison Ivy, and more in Batman: Arkham Asylum. Step into the shadows of Batman: Arkham City’s open world, the new maximum security “home” for thugs, gangsters, and insane criminal masterminds. In Batman: Arkham Knight, tear through the streets of Gotham and take on the ultimate threat in the trilogy’s epic conclusion.
Experience two of the most critically acclaimed titles of the last generation - Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City, with fully remastered and updated visuals. Complete your experience with the explosive finale to the Arkham series in Batman: Arkham Knight. The trilogy includes all DLC, in one complete package.
- Engine
- Unreal Engine
- Franchise
- Batman: Arkham, Batman
- Platform(s)
- Nintendo Switch
- Genre(s)
- Action-Adventure
- How Long To Beat
- 39 Hours
- OpenCritic Rating
- Fair
