Will there be a new Batman Arkham game? Rocksteady rumours explained
The Dark Knight returns?
Almost a decade has passed since Rocksteady ended the Batman Arkham franchise.
Sure, we dipped back in briefly with a VR entry, and the Suicide Squad game took place in the same universe, but… it was never the same.
Now a new rumour has begun to circulate that the beloved British studio is going back to the Batman well.
Whether that means returning to the Arkham franchise or rebooting the universe (just like James Gunn is doing with the DCEU) or doing something different altogether is currently unknown.
In fact, very little is known yet, but that hasn't stopped the internet from being ablaze with speculation. Here's what's been said and whether any of these rumours hold any merit.
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Why are people talking about a new Batman game? Rumours explained
Speculation surrounding a new Batman game from Rocksteady Studios began in September 2024, when XboxEra podcast co-founder Nick 'Shpeshal Nick' Baker shared that the British studio is back working on the IP.
"Not sure which studio people’s dreams is, but I heard Rocksteady are back making it," said Baker in a post (via X).
Some others are suggesting that the game will be PS5 exclusive, though we couldn't verify anything regarding this aside from further speculation.
No official word has come from Rocksteady at the time of writing, so like any gossip, take this rumour lightly.
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Will it really happen? Our speculation
Warner Bros or Rocksteady has not officially announced the existence of a new Batman game from Rocksteady, but anything is possible.
In reality, it would make sense for Rocksteady to return to the franchise that made them the number one superhero games developer on the planet. The studio has not made a full Batman game since 2015's Arkham Knight.
Rocksteady's history with Batman titles can be found below:
- Batman: Arkham Asylum – August 2009
- Batman: Arkham City – October 2011
- Batman: Arkham Knight – June 2015
- Batman: Arkham VR – October 2016
Most recently, Rocksteady released Suicide Squad: Kille the Justice League – a looter shooter starring Harley Quinn, Deadshot, King Shark and Captain Boomerang set within the Arkham universe – in February 2024.
The game was universally panned, with Warner Bros admitting that it was a "disappointing release" that contributed to its performance loss in Q1 earlier this year (as reported by GI.biz).
Many were concerned that Rocksteady would shut down as a result, and while that hasn't happened yet, it's still possible.
If not, the studio will likely want as close to a guaranteed hit as it can get, so returning to the world of Batman is as sure of a bet as you can think of – especially with plenty hoping for a Batman Beyond adaption.
Outside of this, we did receive another Batman entry in 2022's Gotham Knights from WB Montreal. Once again, the game didn't meet critical expectations, and while sales have not been disclosed, it's not believed to have sold well. For instance, the PS4 and Xbox One versions were cancelled.
Going forward, we have the VR title Batman: Arkham Shadow in the works for Oculus. That will arrive in October from developer Camouflaj. Nothing else has been announced surrounding the future of Batman, so we'll just have to wait and see.
Whatever the case, we won't see any proposed Rocksteady project for quite some time (if it happens at all). 2030 isn't out of the reams of possibility considering development time.
If you can't wait that long, we'd highly recommend playing the underrated Marvel's Midnight Suns and Marvel's Guardians of the Galaxy. Two great games that deserved more success than they got.
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