Like the caped crusader himself, a new Batman game bearing the Arkham series name has dropped out of the shadows, catching everyone by surprise. How fitting then that it’s titled Batman: Arkham Shadow.
Before you get too excited, this isn’t a direct follow-up to the third-person action-adventure gameplay seen in Batman: Arkham Asylum and its sequels. Instead, this is a VR title, and it’s being developed exclusively for the Meta Quest 3. The reveal trailer doesn’t give away much either, with a description only saying Gotham City is in danger… so what else is new?
The announcement does provide a couple of interesting details. For starters, Arkham series developer Rocksteady appears to have no involvement with Arkham Shadow. Instead, the game’s being handled by Oculus Studios and Camouflaj, the latter of which being responsible for the solid Iron Man VR game from 2020. A post on Camouflaj’s website seems to suggest this will still be canon to the Arkham series, since it’s described as “a new chapter to such a storied franchise,” though precisely when it’ll take place is unclear.
While story details are being kept under wraps, the trailer does see Batman coming across an uncomfortably large swarm of rats. Aside from giving off A Plague Tale: Requiem vibes, I wonder if this is hinting at the Ratcatcher, a rather obscure Batman villain, serving as the main antagonist. I’m all for lesser-known bad guys getting a chance in the spotlight, and it’d make for a nice change of pace from the usual suspects like the Joker. A proper reveal is being saved for Summer Game Fest on June 7, so perhaps we’ll get more concrete story details then, as well as gameplay footage.
This isn’t the first VR entry in the series; Rocksteady previously released Batman Arkham VR in 2016 for PlayStation 4 and PC. Arkham Shadow, however, is only coming to Meta Quest 3, which is a bit disappointing for anyone without a headset or who’d prefer a more traditional action-adventure entry. Especially after Rocksteady shifted gears with co-op shooter Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Those with a Meta Quest 3, though, should hopefully be in for a treat when Arkham Shadow launches in late 2024.
