Featured Image Credit: Rocksteady Studios
It could already be time to light up the Bat-Signal, and after the underwhelming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League reportedly hit Warner Bros. Discovery for a jaw-dropping $200 million, we're surprised the entertainment giant's gaming arm is willing to return to the world of the Dark Knight so quickly.
Kill the Justice League's failure has already had a knock-on effect that's thought to have led to Monolith Productions shutting down and taking the long-awaited Wonder Woman game with it, as well as a much-hyped Hogwarts Legacy expansion already being given the boot.
Still, there's a glimmer of hope because a new Batman game could be coming to the PlayStation 6. While Sony hasn't officially announced a successor to the PS5, we've heard a lot about mythical $800 price tags and potential 2028 release dates.
In terms of what games to expect, PlayStation exclusives like God of War and Marvel's Spider-Man are sure to be on the roster, while dare we wish for The Last of Us Part III?
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According to Push Square, Rocksteady Studios is currently recruiting for its next game, with a job listing asking for a Senior Core Engine Programmer. The interesting bit includes a mention that the ideal candidate will "enable the team to deliver the highest quality game experience on our target hardware, including high-end PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and the next-generation of consoles."
That mention of 'next-generation' is key here, as even if the next entry in the Arkhamverse kicked off now, it would likely be hitting whatever comes after the PS5 and Xbox Series. The fact that this generation is name-dropped suggests that it'll be a cross-gen title. There's also the caveat that the game will be a 'AAA title that used Unreal Engine 5.
It's all hearsay for now, but the news on the ground is that Rocksteady will be returning to what it does best to give us a single-player Batman game.
Despite the dramatic ending of 2015's Batman: Arkham Knight making it look like Bruce Wayne had kicked the bucket, Kill the Justice League confirmed his miraculous survival. In a time before Kill the Justice League, there was plenty of chatter about a full-blown Arkham Knight sequel that would've put Bruce's son, Damian, against the Court of Owls. As the Court of Owls featured prominently in Warner Bros. Games Montreal's unrelated Gotham Knights, it seems unlikely this idea would be revisited.
"Project Sabbath", a canceled Damian Wayne Batman game at WB Games Montreal, apparently has another wave of concept art revealed - this time by concept artist Goran Bukvic. The images match how the game was first described years ago.
— The Arkham Channel (@ArkhamChannel) November 9, 2021
Credit to Reddit user thebananapeeler2. pic.twitter.com/TelAZeMVMj
Elsewhere, there have been multiple pitches for a Batman Beyond game that would take things into the far future and try to cash in on the success of the animated series of the same name. Although Rocksteady has distanced itself from the concept of a Batman Beyond game, freelance concept artist Goran Bukvic previously showed work for the cancelled "Project Sabbath", which was thought to be a Batman Beyond game for WB Montreal.
Even though Kill the Justice League might've been a maligned looter shooter that died a death under a cloud of live-service misery, there have been rightful calls for Rocksteady to redeem itself with an Arkham Knight sequel. The three Arkham games (Asylum, City, and Knight) are held as one of the strongest gaming trilogies of all time, with Arkham City being cited by many as their favorite game of all time.
The PS6 might be a way off yet, but the idea of a new console AND a new Batman game from Rocksteady proves that the world is healing.
