After years of being at the top of the comic book video game mountain, DC has taken a bit of a downturn with its recent projects. Gotham Knights turned out to be a mediocre collection of modern RPG tropes, and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been hit with another major delay shortly after its lackluster showcase. This turn of events has been disappointing for many DC fans, especially considering it wasn't too long ago that games like the Batman: Arkham series were considered among the best comic adaptations yet.
DC's recent gaming efforts have also been disappointing for reasons aside from the company's prior reputation. Gotham Knights gave the spotlight to the Bat Family, Bruce Wayne's various sidekicks and allies who have become fan-favorite characters over the years. When this premise was revealed, it was a dream come true for fans of the Bat Family dynamic, but Gotham Knights ultimately failed to deliver a well-rounded experience. While it will likely be some time before the Bat Family gets another shot at a video game, Batgirl in particular deserves to stay in the limelight and find redemption through a game of her own.
Batgirl Deserves a Video Game of Her Own
Of the four heroes in Gotham Knights, one of the most prominent was Barbara Gordon's Batgirl. Batgirl has been a popular character across comics, animated films, and TV shows for decades, but a proper video game befitting this legacy has eluded her. While she has made appearances in fighting games like Injustice or as DLC in Batman: Arkham, she had yet to star as a main character until Gotham Knights. Although many of her interactions with the Bat Family were fun for some fans, Batgirl's presence wasn't enough to raise it above the game's other failings.
With many leaving Gotham Knights behind, it's crucial that Batgirl doesn't suffer due to the game's disappointments. There is still great potential in a Batgirl game, whether it follows a similar structure to the Arkham series or does something unique. Gotham Knights laid a decent foundation for her combat prowess, and the comics offer plenty of source material for a strong story. So long as a developer approaches Batgirl with a focus on story and quality gameplay, rather than grinding for loot, Barbara Gordon could get the video game she deserves.
Batgirl Fans Have Been Through a Lot Over the Years
If Gotham Knights turns out to be Batgirl's one chance to helm her own video game, it will be just one in a long line of disappointments for fans. Earlier this year, the highly anticipated Batgirl movie was canceled amid corporate shake-ups at Warner Bros. The film was reportedly finished, and a public outcry responded to Warner Bros. allegedly making this decision for tax write-off purposes. A new Batgirl video game would be a much-needed victory for the character's fanbase after this.
Gotham Knights was a lackluster experience for the Bat Family, but if any of the game's cast should get a redemption in the video game space, it's Batgirl. After the missteps of Gotham Knights and the apprehension shown toward Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, there's some hope that Monolith's Wonder Woman game will bring DC Comics back to its respected story-centric experiences. With any luck, Monolith's efforts should open the door for Batgirl to find her way back in the gaming spotlight sooner rather than later.
Gotham Knights is available now on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.