Like the caped crusader himself, a newBatmangame bearing theArkhamseries name has dropped out of the shadows, catching everyone by surprise. How fitting then that it’s titledBatman: Arkham Shadow.
Before you get too excited, this isn’t a direct follow-up to the third-person action-adventure gameplay seen inBatman: Arkham Asylumand its sequels. Instead, this is a VR title, and it’s being developed exclusively for the Meta Quest 3. Thereveal trailerdoesn’t give away much either, with a description only saying Gotham City is in danger… so what else is new?
The announcement does provide a couple of interesting details. For starters,Arkhamseries developer Rocksteady appears to have no involvement withArkham Shadow. Instead, the game’s being handled by Oculus Studios and Camouflaj, the latter of which being responsible for the solidIron Man VRgame from 2020. A post onCamouflaj’s websiteseems to suggest this will still be canon to theArkhamseries, since it’s described as “a new chapter to such a storied franchise,” though precisely when it’ll take place is unclear.
While story details are being kept under wraps, the trailer does see Batman coming across an uncomfortably large swarm of rats. Aside from giving offA Plague Tale: Requiemvibes, I wonder if this is hinting at the Ratcatcher, a rather obscureBatmanvillain, serving as the main antagonist. I’m all for lesser-known bad guys getting a chance in the spotlight, and it’d make for a nice change of pace from the usual suspects like the Joker. A proper reveal is being saved forSummer Game Feston June 7, so perhaps we’ll get more concrete story details then, as well as gameplay footage.
This isn’t the first VR entry in the series; Rocksteady previously releasedBatman Arkham VRin 2016 for PlayStation 4 and PC.Arkham Shadow, however, is only coming to Meta Quest 3, which is a bit disappointing for anyone without a headset or who’d prefer a more traditional action-adventure entry. Especially after Rocksteady shifted gears with co-op shooterSuicide Squad:Kill the Justice League. Those with a Meta Quest 3, though, should hopefully be in for a treat whenArkham Shadowlaunches in late 2024.
