Batman: Arkham - 10 Rumours About The Future Of Rocksteady You Need To Know
"We all know Batman so well, we all feel comfortable in the Arkhamverse."
In 2015, Rocksteady said that Batman: Arkham Knight would be the final game in their extremely popular series of games. But now we're just a short time away from the release of Batman: Arkham VR, so it seems they changed their mind, or maybe were just playing coy. But surely, Arkham VR will be Rocksteady's absolute last instalment in the series, right?
Not necessarily. When discussing Arkham VR, Rocksteady producer Dax Ginn told Eurogamer, "We can sit back and think what our dream game would be, and we have Warner Bros.' support to do that." And in reference to Batman in particular, Ginn added this little tidbit: "There's a feeling in the office like, it's definitely time to do something else - we all accept that. But we all know Batman so well - we all feel comfortable in the Arkhamverse."
Seems like another game in the same vein as the Arkham series is off the table. But Warner Bros aren't likely to give up superhero games altogether, especially since the upcoming Spider-Man game for the PS4 signals that Marvel are ready to start competing again. And it's pretty much a given that as the makers of the best superhero video game series yet, Rocksteady will be involved in whatever video game-related project Warner Bros. sign off on next.
That begs the question: What will Rocksteady do next? Well, I've got some theories. Fair warning though: this list will contain spoilers for Arkham Knight.
--
10. Alternate Batverse
What if Rocksteady being done with Batman just means being done with the Batman of the Arkhamverse? There have been numerous alternate reality Batman stories, perhaps the most famous being The Dark Knight Returns. But there have been others, like Gotham By Gaslight, featuring a Victorian-era Batman going up against Jack the Ripper.
In fact, before Arkham Asylum, Gotham By Gaslight nearly became a video game developed by THQ, but eventually fell through. Through leaked footage and concept photos, we got a taste of how the game would feel.
Imagine a game that was a cross between Arkham Knight and Assassin's Creed: Syndicate, and you're halfway there.
Or what about a Dark Knight Returns with you controlling an ageing Batman? Rocksteady already showed how much they loved a Batmobile that could transform into a tank. Well, in DKR, the Batmobile was a massive tank.
Another option could be going the route of Spider-Man: Shattered Dimensions and combine Batmen from different realities; Batman Beyond, Dark Knight Returns, Gotham By Gaslight, and Flashpoint are all strong contenders.
Granted, this one is probably a long shot, but it's fun to think about, given what was already production from years gone by.