The Arkham series is getting a new entry into its highly praised lineup. But there is also some controversy as the announcement to make the upcoming Batman: Arkham Shadow a VR exclusive for the Meta Quest 3 has left players confused.
All an Arkham game needed to do was stay true to its roots and deliver the gripping Batman experience that fans know and love. The community argues that the series didn’t need VR to evolve. By limiting the game to VR, a large portion of the gaming community, especially the console and PC players are going to be left out and alienated
But Why is Batman: Arkham Shadows VR Exclusive?
At the recent Summer Game Fest, Camouflaj studio head Ryan Payton revealed new details about Batman: Arkham Shadow, which is set between Arkham Origins and Arkham Asylum. The game promises a complete Arkham experience in VR, with Roger Craig Smith returning one last time to take on the reins as Batman.
But despite Payton’s enthusiasm for the VR format, many fans believe that the franchise never needed a drastic move like VR exclusivity to evolve. In an interview with IGN, Payton talked about how they pitched the idea of VR to Warner Bros, saying:
We’re gonna take all of that and then we’re gonna completely reimagine it for VR and make it work amazing for VR and actually have it feel like an evolution.
Despite the ambitiousness of the idea and the promise of a good game, the exclusivity to Meta Quest 3 has left a significant portion of the fanbase disgruntled and feeling alienated. While the game’s story did look interesting in the recent trailer, who is even going to play it?
While VR as a platform itself isn’t what people have a gripe with, exclusivity in VR is a real issue, especially when it involves a beloved franchise like Batman. Unlike console exclusives, which are generally accepted, VR exclusives demand a substantial investment in hardware that many are unwilling to make.
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This has created a barrier for fans who are unable or unwilling to purchase a specific headset just to play one game, leading to widespread frustration and disappointment.
The Discontentment and Reaction of Fans
Fans have come together to voice their concerns on Reddit posts, criticizing the decision to limit the game’s accessibility. The steep cost of VR headsets, combined with their cumbersome nature, has hindered VR’s acceptance as a mainstream gaming format.
Despite these concerns, Arkham Shadow‘s developer, Ryan Payton promises that the game will provide a renewed and unique experience to fans. He notes that the game is inspired a lot by Arkham Asylum and will feature many of its mechanics, but reimagined for VR.
It’s going to have boss battles just like all the other Arkham games have, [it’ll have] investigations with Detective Mode. And we’re also going to have big Arkham-like cinematics where you’re going face-to-face in first-person as Batman with these kinds of hard-hitting moments. With these classic DC characters.
Even those who own VR headsets other than the Meta Quest 3 are excluded, further narrowing the potential audience and exacerbating the backlash.
The decision to make Barman: Arkham Shadow a VR-exclusive title funded by Meta has further fueled the debate on the future of VR in mainstream gaming. While exclusivity deals provide financial support for developers, they also fragment the player base and limit accessibility
