After years of rumors and speculation, the latest reports suggest that Warner Bros. Montreal is lighting up the Bat-Signal to announce and release its next Batman game very soon.
It's been five years since Rocksteady's critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham Knight was released, rounding off the developer's trilogy that started with 2009's Batman: Arkham Asylum. Aside from the three main Arkham games, Warner Bros. Montreal developed a prequel with Batman: Arkham Origins in 2013. WB Montreal is reportedly back for the next installment and the wait could finally be over.
According to Gamereactor, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment originally planned to announce a new Batman game at this year's E3 expo. With the coronavirus pandemic cancelling the event, the studio's new plan will involve a reveal at some point over the summer for a game that is "slated to release sooner than you might think." Although there is some uncertainty surrounding the entertainment industry due to Black Lives Matter protests and Sony cancelling its recent PlayStation 5 reveal event, the site has claimed the Batman game is still on track.
There have been plenty of rumors about what to expect from the next Batman game. Following the success of Arkham Knight in 2015, some thought Rocksteady would continue the franchise and chart a new era with Damian Wayne as a possible protagonist, and that the Court of Owls would be introduced. While the developer has repeatedly said it won't be involved in another Batman game, there are still reports Rocksteady is working on something Superman or Justice League related within the same universe.
At Warner Bros. Montreal, the Batman project was apparently born from Rocksteady's canceled Damian Wayne game and all signs point to the Court of Owls still playing a major part. Aside from the fact Kevin Conroy won't be back as Bruce Wayne/Batman, little else is known about what's in store. It's important to take the latest news with a pinch of salt; however, it echoes previous reports that WB Montreal had a big announcement for this summer. Although Arkham Origins wasn't as well-received as Rocksteady's games, WB Montreal had a lot of the mechanics and storytelling style that made the main trilogy so popular.
Importantly, Warner Bros. Montreal's upcoming game is scheduled to be the first of two games based on DC Comics properties. Although Rocksteady hinted at a larger universe, the Arkham trilogy didn't explore this further. Either way, the idea of the Dark Knight coming back to consoles is big news for the gaming community. Whether Warner Bros. Montreal is working on a complete reboot or something that will continue the legacy of Rocksteady's games, the popularity of the characters and previous games means the next Batman title is set to be a huge cross-gen or next-gen game.