Injustice Gods Among Us Release Date April

When Game Rant named Injustice: Gods Among Us as one of our most anticipated games of 2013, we already knew April was the month when we'd be getting our hands on NetherRealm Studios's and Warner Bros. Interactive's DC superhero brawler; when we'd be flinging foes around the Fortress of Solitude as Superman, lining our quivers with deadly ammunition as Green Arrow, or rekindling the spiteful animosity between Batman and Bane.

Now we have an exact date -- and details on a brand new special edition accompanying the game's release.

Warner and DC Entertainment have announced that April 16 will mark the North American launch of Injustice: Gods Among Us on the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U. Worldwide releases ensue on the 19th. Additionally, the game will be sold in two costlier varieties: the Injustice: Gods Among Us Collector’s Edition (announced last September), which will retail at $99.99, and the Injustice: Gods Among Us Battle Edition, which is slated to cost $149.99.

So does the prodigious pricing have its perks? Below are the contents of the $149.99 Battle Edition, which comes stocked with an exclusive, specially designed Injustice Fight Stick and three new skins for Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman straight out of DC's The New 52 comics.

According to Warner Bros., the Fight Stick boasts a lightweight construction with a non-skid foam underside; a lockout feature for the Start, Select and Guide buttons; and adjustable illumination for the buttons and joystick. With Injustice's two-dimensional gameplay, you can't go wrong on mechanics; with NetherRealm's success in the Mortal Kombat franchise, we're hoping the same can be said for quality. Sure, the developer might be surprising longtime fighting fans with Injustice's story -- let them -- but we wouldn't mind playing it with a veritable genre classic.

And the Collector's Edition doesn't skimp, either -- in fact, even $50 cheaper at $99.99, its wider array of DC 'verse trinkets might prove more enticing to those comfortable with the standard controller. Here's the official manifest for the bundle, which was announced last September but illustrated today by the picture below.

  • Exclusive DC Collectibles statue featuring iconic characters Batman and Wonder Woman, the Fortress of Solitude, and the Last Son of Krypton’s escape ship
  • Special Collector's Edition of the Injustice: Gods Among Us comic book
  • The DC Universe animated film Justice League: Doom. The Xbox 360 edition will include a DVD copy of the film and PS3 edition will include a Blu-ray copy
  • Three exclusive skins based on Batman, Superman and Wonder Woman from DC COMICS — THE NEW 52

What do you make of the elaborate special editions being offered for Injustice? We've been sold on the base game for quite some time -- after previewing gameplay at E3 2012, after witnessing NetherRealm's detailed character designs, after hearing of its fidelity to the DC canon -- but just how far are you willing to go?

Injustice: Gods Among Us releases on April 16, 2013 for the Xbox 360, PS3 and Wii U.

Follow Brian on Twitter @Brian_Sipple.