The trailer for Arkham Shadow really made us want to see Batman – and in the end we were very disappointed

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There were a number of exciting trailers at the Summer Game Fest 2024. Some of them were confusing, many were full of anime – and one was a real disappointment. MeinMMO editor Benedict Grothaus was so excited about the new Batman game until the platform was announced. Even the audience there was audibly frustrated.

Batman is my absolute favorite hero. Yes, I know: dark, shady, edgy… I’ve heard it all before, but someone who plays in the top league without superpowers simply deserves my respect. Besides, Gotham is such a wonderfully dark city.

I was therefore thrilled when Batman: Arkham Shadow was announced out of nowhere at the Summer Game Fest 2024. A new and, above all, good Batman game is urgently needed:

  • The last part that was released for PC and consoles was Arkham Knight from 2015 and I found it very weak. Too much focus on the Batmobile, too little on the Bat-gadgets.
  • Then came Batman: Arkham Underworld (2016) for iOS and Android and Batman: Arkham VR (2016) for PSVR, HTC Vive and Oculus Rift.
  • In 2024, the latest Batman game without Batman, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, was finally released. However, Suicide Squad was a huge flop and has nothing to do with a Batman game in the Arkham series.

    • The last really good Batman game for me was Arkham: Origins and that was back in 2013. So I’ve been waiting for a good game about my favorite hero for over 10 years. And the latest game is another disappointment.

    Story Trailer for Batman Arkham Shadow

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    A great trailer with a bitter ending

    The trailer for Arkham Shadow looks really amazing. It has everything I need from a Batman game:

  • Cinematic scenes and great visuals that highlight the dark Gotham
  • a new and completely insane opponent, the Rat King
  • the typical “Gotham is lost and everything is in turmoil” atmosphere
  • Appearances by famous people I like to meet, such as Jim Gordon and Harley Quinn

    • And of course, unlike Suicide Squad, the trailer at least has Batman in it. He stares angrily into the camera and is (once again) conflicted about how much he can sacrifice to save his city. A familiar narrative, but that’s exactly what I want from a Batman game.

    Even the entire audience in LA felt the same way. Editor-in-chief Leya Jankwoski was there and reported to us live. She said: “The hall goes crazy during Batman. People scream WOOOOOH!”

    At least until the end was shown.

    A loud “Awwww” went through the room

    Yes, you can see the logo in the first frame, but at the end of the trailer it is revealed that Batman: Arkham Shadow will only be released on Meta Quest 3. A game purely for VR on a platform that most gamers simply don’t own. What a disappointment.

    Well-known journalist Jason Schreier was also there. He captured the reaction to the announcement (via X.com):

    The crowd here at the Summer Game Fest live show let out a loud “Awwwww” when it was announced that the new Arkham game is for the Meta Quest. In case you were wondering how VR is doing right now.

    I have nothing against VR. Many of the games actually look really good and I was really happy about the announcement of Asgard’s Wrath 2, even though I don’t have a VR headset. These are the kind of games I play at my brother’s or friends’ houses when I’m there.

    But after so many years of disappointment, the Batman series really deserves a game “like it used to be”. I don’t care whether it’s single player or co-op, but I want the flair of Arkham Asylum and Co. again. And please on more platforms than just glasses. I’ll just have to make do with the new series for now: A new series in the Batman universe shows us Gotham from the perspective of a gangster boss

    mmod-game