Although it's still unclear when WB Montreal's heavily teased next Batman Arkham game will be released, it's incredibly obvious that the superhero action game is on its way. From countless leaks surrounding the villainous Court of Owls heading up Batman's rogue gallery, some official teases from Warner Bros. Interactive, and a number of corroborated rumors claiming it will focus more on Batman's allies than the caped crusader himself, it seems the next iteration of the popular franchise is well underway. More interestingly, the as of yet untitled game is seemingly very open to changing up the tried and tested formula that the Arkham franchise has operated under since 2009.
One of the biggest rumors surrounding these changes is that the next Batman Arkham game will be a soft reboot rather than a direct sequel, with many assuming that means the title will attempt to disassociate itself with the narrative of Rocksteady's critically acclaimed original trilogy. To many, a reboot feels like the perfect way to go, although it seems a good portion of the series' biggest fans are skeptical about leaving behind the storyline created through Batman Arkham Asylum, City, and Knight. With that in mind, it's worth considering whether a reboot or a sequel would best befit Batman's highly-anticipated return to the video game scene.
A Batman Arkham Reboot
In truth, it makes sense why WB Montreal would be looking at a soft reboot rather than an all-out sequel. As many will no doubt know, the studio's only full entry in the franchise so far was Batman Arkham Origins; easily the most downplayed and often criticized mainline title in the series to date. The prequel was put down by a lot of fans for being a somewhat inconsequential new entry to the canon, not pushing forward many of the franchise's already-fatigued systems, and providing a story that didn't provide much new scope to the Arkham world. It's not hard to imagine that WB Montreal looks back on the game as something of a lesson, with its underwhelming reactions undoubtedly signifying that fans would prefer the studio to branch out completely from Rocksteady's storyline and attempt something entirely new.
If that's the case, there's so much Batman lore that could fit perfectly into the Arkham franchise that would give it distance from the end of Arkham Knight's story. A majorly requested and incredibly fitting way to go with a soft reboot could be the iconic futuristic Gotham presented in Batman Beyond. Not only is it an interpretation of Gotham very different from the one presented in most traditional Batman stories, but it would feature a brand-new protagonist and roster of villains while also giving ample room for staple figures in the Arkham universe to return. Notably, Bruce Wayne trained Batman Beyond's caped crusader, Terry McGinnis, in the TV show and comics, so it would be a fitting follow-up as well.
It would also mean that the studio could dip into the already established villain pool in fresh and interesting ways. Mr. Freeze was a prominent villain in the show, for example, while Bane and Ra's al Ghul also popped up to wreak havoc as well. With the canceled Damian Wayne Arkham game seeing iconic series' staples like Two-Face and Penguin return with new traits and arcs, a potential Arkham Beyond game would be able to start a brand new story in the game's universe while maintaining what fans loved. There's even credence to believe that this could be WB's direction, with the studio supposedly having the Batman Beyond logo in the elevator to its office.
This is merely one direction that the Arkham franchise could take that would see it completely reframe and restructure its story without alienating what fans would love to see return in a sequel. There are countless other ways that a soft reboot could deliver a fresher slate for the studio to work off as well, with the potential for the company to focus on a new trilogy with a fresh main antagonist set during the middle of Batman's career or perhaps a series of games establishing how the caped crusader met his allies. Just because Arkham Origins got mixed reactions doesn't mean a prequel isn't a good idea. After all, the biggest criticism levied towards the game was that WB focused its attention on the Joker rather than pitting the Dark Knight against a new villain that WB could establish in its own trilogy.
Yet, it must also be said that the Arkham games have always thrived off the strength of their main narrative. The story comic book legend Paul Dini wove through both Arkham Asylum and City quickly became one of the defining reasons to play the game, with his interpretation of a Batman late into his career transcending being simply a superhero video game. From depicting Bruce Wayne's fragile mental state in Scarecrow hallucinations to crafting a poignant and surprisingly vivid death for the Joker, it soon became one of the more well-known storylines in the modern Batman mythos. While Arkham Knight didn't exactly stick the landing in the eyes of many, it too raised a lot of interesting questions that fans are dying to see answered in a future sequel.
There's a number of ways WB Montreal can jump off its remarkably open-ended finale as well. For one, achieving the 100% ending of Arkham Knight reveals a cryptic cliff-hanger that unveils Batman's alleged death in the Wayne manor explosion was far from as fatal as it may first have seemed. As two criminals attempt to mug a family in an alley, they look up to see a shadowy, almost demonic figure standing on a building above. They claim they don't fear Batman anymore because he's dead, to which the figure begins to levitate, sprout giant, fiery wings and fly at the thugs. It clearly shows that Batman is far from dead and seemingly using Scarecrow's signature hallucinatory toxin to create a new symbol of fear in Gotham.
This ending alone hints that there's clearly more to Bruce Wayne and his allies' stories. What's more, the narrative itself could expand in a number of different ways. An Arkham game that puts the player in the shoes of this terrifying nightmare Batman could lead to a whole host of new mechanics using the fear toxin and a different lens from which the story would take place. Seeing a version of the Dark Knight that no longer has allies or is even perceived as being a mere man could allow players to witness a vision of the caped crusader that's seen as a terrifying urban myth, which is made doubly interesting when he's forced to take down the equally mysterious Court of Owls.
A True Batman: Arkham Knight Sequel
Another direction could follow Batman's allies, seeing them attempt to fill the space The Caped Crusader has left behind and potentially even battle to see who will take on the mantle themselves. Regardless, a sequel would perhaps be a bigger draw to players, with many hoping to discover how a number of Arkham Knight's biggest enigmas are resolved in the years after its events. With it being almost half a decade since Rocksteady's trilogy wrapped up, there's been enough time for fans to get past their initial franchise fatigue and perhaps become more interested in the idea of a different studio taking the reigns.
Batman Arkham: Reboot or Sequel?
The question becomes would a completely fresh reboot or a sequel be the best direction for the franchise? In truth, it really does come down to exactly how WB Montreal elects to do either. If a soft reboot is the plan - which recent leaks seem to imply - then it'd be wise to jump forward and take the series to Batman Beyond territory. If, as many fear, it simply ignores the ending of Knight completely and serves as a prequel, there's every chance that fans will find it hasn't got the same tension or intrigue as a story with no pre-fixed outcome. If they decide to take the sequel route and practically just ignore the new state of Gotham and bring back Batman as if nothing happened, fans will feel as though the finality of Arkham Knight didn't matter.
In the end, it really comes down to WB Montreal's love for the series and understanding of the franchise's incredibly vocal fanbase as to whether this new game will work. Players have been clamoring to see the series come back in a big way for years now, but it needs to be something bold and new if it's truly going to turn heads like Arkham Asylum did back in 2009. However WB intends to do this, it's surely going to be an interesting release that will not only set the course for where Batman's future lies in the video game world, but also whether the Arkham franchise has the legs to continue as a marquee triple-A franchise. Whether fans get a soft reboot depicting an entirely new story or an expansive new sequel, here's to hoping WB brings the big guns when this rumored Arkham title finally hits shelves.
A new Batman Arkham game is rumored to be in development.