When Batman: Arkham Asylum released in 2009, it was easily considered the best video game adaptation of a comic book character by a wide margin. Arkham Asylum was it praised for its incredible casting of Kevin Conroy as Batman and Mark Hamil as The Joker and its fun, interesting and unique gameplay that made players feel just like Batman. Rocksteady eventually released Arkham City in 2013, followed by Arkham Knight in 2015. They make up a financially successful trilogy of games that comprise some of the best Batman games ever put together and one of the most critically acclaimed gaming franchises of the last decade.
With that in mind, it has mystified many that Rocksteady has not released a new main entry in the Batman: Arkham series since Arkham Knight. The games were so unique and popular at the time that it seemed only natural that Warner Bros would want to capitalize on their success. But while there have been many rumors regarding a new Arkham game, many aspects of the gaming landscape have changed since 2015, leading some to wonder if it is it already too late for a new entry into the acclaimed Dark Knight series.
According to recent rumors, a new Arkham game was planned to be announced at this year's cancelled E3, though Rocksteady isn't developing this next entry in the Arkham series. Instead, Warner Bros Montreal has taken control of the project. Meanwhile, Rocksteady is said to be secretly working on a new project.
While this is not to say that Warner Bros Montreal is incapable of releasing a good Batman game, it does raise some questions. Is Rocksteady's new project more important to it than the success of its Batman: Arkham franchise? Why wouldn’t a new series installment for Arkham be Rocksteady's main priority? Is Rocksteady assisting in development in any way? Only time will tell if what's drawing Rocksteady's attention away is something larger, but it almost certainly wouldn't be another Batman game, as a new Arkham game will have enough competition as it is.
For example, there 2018's Spider-Man, which released on the PlayStation 4 to critical acclaim. The game captured the gallivanting spirit of previous Spider-Man games while also building in several mechanics that the Arkham series had. Swinging around and using Spider-Man’s gadgets and abilities is remarkably similar to Batman’s controls in the Arkham games. Insomniac shaped the new control scheme so they could allow players to feel the finesse and technique available to them as Spider-Man. Additionally, the size and detail of Gotham in Arkham Knight is quaint compared to Spider-Man’s New York City.
In a sense, Arkham Knight, the final cumulative effort in Rocksteady’s Arkham franchise now represents Spider-Man’s starting point. While rumors surrounding a Spider-Man 2 for PlayStation 5 have been revealed to be false, there's still a chance that one will be coming eventually. Regardless of if or when this happens, Spider-Man represents the new bar Arkham Legacy must meet in order to succeed critically and financially.
While a Batman: Arkham sequel will have to contend with the high-expectations set by Spiderman and compete with other games that'll be launching on next-gen hardware, the game must also learn from and reinvent its previous entries. It'll have to show players that it can offer more to them than what Arkham Knight could.
At the same time, Warner Bros Montreal will have to avoid franchise fatigue. With the previous trilogy so firmly wrapped up, a new game will need a solid story with longstanding consequences in the series’ universe in order to stand out from previous titles. The developers must also be cautious about leaving the door open for more games, as Halo and Star Wars have shown what happens when even the most beloved of franchises overwhelm fans with sequels. An inferior entry would make Warner Bros Montreal and Rocksteady look bad, and the entire Arkham franchise would be worse off for it.
It may be the case that a new Arkham game will be able to sweep the floor with the competition just as it did in 2009. But regardless, today’s market for video games is harsher than it has ever been before. As games like Spider-Man evolve Arkham's formula and new IPs are developed for a new console generation, Warner Bros Montreal carries the uncertainty that comes with following up an acclaimed series of games. A lot is at stake for the Arkham franchise. To be successful, this rumored sequel needs to strike a chord with players while not feeling like a game from half a decade ago.