The Batman: Arkham series has consistently pushed boundaries within the superhero video game genre, and is still regarded by many as the best in the biz. In 2015, series developer Rocksteady Studios faced a critical decision during the development of Batman: Arkham Knight.
The PS4 and Xbox One, the then-new generation of consoles, were picking up steam among gamers. While some studios opted to develop cross-generational titles to cater to the established player base on PS3 and Xbox 360, Rocksteady went in a bolder direction instead.
Rocksteady Prioritized Batman: Arkham Knight‘s Quality
The studio broke free from the shackles of the PS3 and Xbox 360 hardware, and chose to focus solely on the PS4 and Xbox One. This decision wasn’t without risk, though. When development for Arkham Knight began in 2011, the success of these new consoles was uncertain. The rise of mobile gaming and free-to-play games led some to question the future of traditional consoles altogether.
However, Rocksteady prioritized their vision for the game. They believed that compromising the experience for last-gen hardware would diminish Arkham Knight‘s overall quality. Game director Sefton Hill remarked in an interview with Red Bull:
It definitely was a gamble. No one really knew what the uptake of next-gen would be like at that original point, but when we looked at the scope of what we wanted to achieve with Arkham Knight, we knew within the first few months that if we were to remain on previous gen systems we would really have to compromise the vision.
Thankfully, publisher Warner Bros. supported this gamble, acknowledging the potential of the new consoles.
We could either make a game that we knew was worse or really just go for it and make the game we all wanted to make and forego the previous generation of consoles. Credit to Warner for that as well, because it was a bold decision, no-one knew what the install base was going to be.
The gamble paid off, as Arkham Knight received swathes of critical acclaim, and was lauded for its moody art direction, intricate open world, endlessly fun combat, and the introduction of the Batmobile.
The decision to focus on next-gen hardware at the time allowed Rocksteady to fully realize their vision, resulting in a landmark title for the superhero genre.
Batman: Arkham Shadow Takes A Similar Gamble With VR
Fast-forward to 2024, and Warner Bros. has unveiled the next chapter in the Arkham saga – Batman: Arkham Shadow. This time, the gamble involves a different kind of cutting-edge technology: virtual reality (VR).
Developed by Camouflaj of Iron Man VR fame and Oculus Studios, Arkham Shadow will be a VR exclusive for the Meta Quest 3, almost echoing the one made for Arkham Knight and 8th-generation consoles. Just as the future of consoles was uncertain in 2011, the nascent VR market has yet to break through to the average consumer.
While some studios might choose to hedge their bets and develop for established platforms, Warner Bros. and the development team are once again prioritizing their vision. The limitless potential for immersion in VR may enable Arkham Shadow to truly make you feel like Batman.
The announcement for the new game was a surprise, and since Kevin Conroy, the original VA for Batman in the Arkham games, passed away in 2022, many are curious about who will take up the mantle. Arkham Shadow will be fully revealed in Geoff Keighley’s Summer Game Fest on June 7.
Only time will tell whether Arkham Shadow will achieve the same critical and commercial success as Arkham Knight. However, it’ll be interesting to see how immersive of an experience it’ll be, and how well Camouflaj holds up the legacy Rocksteady left.
