Batman: Arkham Knight is a fantastic game — sadly, it's also the last entry in the series for the studio that created it.
Back in 2009, Rocksteady Studios wowed gamers with Batman: Arkham Asylum — finally, Batman fans had a video game to be proud of. Then, somehow, Rocksteady kicked things up a notch with Batman: Arkham City, a title many claim to be one of the best superhero games ever made. Now, with Batman: Arkham Knight, Rocksteady has managed to raise the bar yet again.
That said, no one wants to work on the same thing forever, and Rocksteady is no different. The studio has made it clear that Arkham Knight is their last game in the Batman: Arkham franchise — from here on out, it'll be up to another developer to continue the series.
So, with Rocksteady seemingly done with Batman: Arkham, what's next for the Dark Knight? Should fans expect another Arkham Origins, or is Warner Bros. going to leave Arkham Knight's story where it is and try something new? While there's nothing official yet (and probably won't be for some time), there are plenty of different directions the franchise could go...
Warning: Spoilers for the ending of Arkham Knight follow.
What's next for the story?
Somehow, the ending of Arkham Knight was left completely open while a lot of metaphorical doors were simultaneously closed. The Batman we know and love is gone — Wayne Manor has been destroyed, Bruce Wayne is seemingly dead and Gotham is left without its Dark Knight. It's pretty airtight... and then, that smoky Bat-creature pounces on a couple of thugs and the proverbial can of worms bursts open.
So, which way does Warner Bros. take the story? There are a few different ways the publisher could continue the Batman: Arkham story — though that doesn't mean it'll be easy.
The "Easy" Solution: Another Prequel
Sure, Rocksteady handled the Jason Todd/Arkham Knight plot twist in a less-then-stellar manner, but it does open up the possibility of seeing Todd become a more active character in the Arkham Knight universe. Firstly, he'd provide an easy way to tie a prequel into the main story arc, as Todd was already "dead" before the events of Arkham Asylum.
Secondly, without Bruce Wayne's "No Killing" rule, Jason Todd using Scarecrow's fear toxin makes a whole lot of sense — then again, Warner Bros. probably won't be releasing a Batman game that's centered around psychologically torturing and then killing your enemies...
Regardless of whether or not fans want another sequel in the Batman: Arkham franchise, it's going to happen — the games make way too much money for Warner Bros. to pass it up.
That said, Rocksteady's done with the franchise, and that opens up a surprising number of opportunities for Warner Bros. and their development teams. While it's easy to assume that fans will get another Arkham Origins, there are plenty of different ways Warner Bros. could take the franchise and turn it into something new — all that's left is for the publisher to go ahead and take that first step.
If you're not quite ready to leave Rocksteady's take on Gotham City, the first major piece of Batman: Arkham Knight DLC, titled A Matter of Family, is set for release on July 14.
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