Batman Arkham Origins DLC Freeze

The developers of Batman: Arkham Origins decided to take a trip down memory lane with the caped crusader, telling a story centered not on an experienced crimefighter, but a vigilante coming face to face with villains who would plague his career for decades to come.

There's no question that (as usual) the Joker stole the show, but the team at WB Games Montreal let it slip days ago that a new year would bring with it a surprise announcement. That announcement seems to have been revealed as a story-based DLC taking place at Wayne Manor itself, and introducing one of Batman's most coldhearted foes: Mr. Freeze.

There's no question that many fans of the Arkham series were hoping that the announcement was not concerned with the latest release, but the long-rumored sequel being developed by Rocksteady Studios, the minds who started the series from scratch. Nevertheless, the studio revealed on New Year's Eve that the surprise was still very much related to Origins:

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Ringing in the new year with Gotham's favorite son - as enviable a soiree as that might be among the city's upper class - isn't exactly the kind of event that Batman fans would be most interested in. But to put concerns that WB Games had concocted a complex dinner-hosting-simulation to rest, the team revealed that the gala will bring out more than just the city's most noted humanitarian.

There isn't much to go on, but given the setting and the character's notable absence from Origins, we're confident in predicting which culprit will be crashing the party:

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It's too early to say that the story-based DLC will introduce Mr. Freeze at as early a point in his criminal career as the vigilante pursuing him (so we can't completely rule out The Snowman, or Cryonic Man, for instance). Those who played through Batman: Arkham City will recall the extensive boss battle surrounding Mr. Freeze as one of the more methodical and inspired, so it's not hard to see why he would be the focal point of Origins' next add-on.

The developers made it clear in the past that choosing which villains to include in Origins had much to do with the boss battles they would make possible, so fans can expect the same reasoning at play here. Will players be forced to tackle Mr. Freeze in a similar fashion as City (luring him into environmental hazards or ambush spots), or use the layout of Wayne Manor against him? More importantly, will Wayne do it in costume, or a tuxedo?

More hints and official confirmation is likely coming soon, but for now, how do you feel about Mr. Freeze's addition to the villain roster? Does this seem like a solid choice for story DLC, or were you hoping for something a bit different? Share your thoughts in the comments.

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Batman: Arkham Origins is available on PC, PS3, Wii U and Xbox 360.

Follow Andrew on Twitter @andrew_dyce.

Source: Warner Bros.