A New Batman Trailer Is The Best In Years - But It's Still Disappointing Some Fans
Following the release of "Batman: Arkham Knight" in 2015, the franchise continued with a virtual reality experience and a "Suicide Squad" game. Seeing the franchise evolve has been bizarre, especially considering that "Batman: Arkham Asylum" was originally pitched as a rhythm game. Today, Meta announced that the franchise is returning with "Batman: Arkham Shadow," a virtual reality experience exclusive to the Meta Quest 3. Seeing as "Arkham Shadow" is the first new mainline entry in the franchise in over eight years, fans were disappointed to learn that the old stalwart Rocksteady Studios isn't behind the production.
This new game comes courtesy of Meta Studios and "Iron Man VR" developer Camouflaj. Naturally, fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express disinterest in the upcoming video game, which is set to debut later this year. "Ugh. Swing and a miss. We just want another solid 'Arkham' entry. That's it [...] Without a f*cking headset strapped to our faces," wrote user @tharealstubb. This sentiment was also expressed by @AhoyBricks, who wanted a traditional "Arkham" entry for consoles, writing, "It's a VR game ... One half of a step forward and TWENTY STEPS back."
Some fans have no issue with a VR experience but are disappointed it's a Meta Quest 3 exclusive. "It should be illegal for a beloved series to release a new entry on niche hardware after being dormant for nearly 10 years," shared @SirpoSpin. "Nothing better than promoting a game that shows ZERO game play and is only available on FACEBOOK," wrote @SOFABiscuitEatr.
Who will voice Batman in Arkham Shadow?
Plot details on "Arkham Shadow" are slim as the first trailer doesn't explain how the latest entry fits into the larger "Arkham" mythos. The trailer features Batman vanquishing rats, which has led many to speculate that Ratcatcher will be the game's villain. The biggest question mark, however, is if Kevin Conroy will voice Batman in "Arkham Shadow." Fans were devastated in 2022 when Conroy, the most iconic Batman voice actor, died. Conroy's final scene playing Batman was in the "Suicide Squad" — which Twitter users had a lot to say about.
Ryan Payton, one of the lead creatives at Camouflaj, took to X to reveal that the studio has been working on "Arkham Shadow" since 2020 — years before Conroy's death. While it's possible that Conroy could have worked on the game, fans still don't think it will feature the iconic voice actor. "hard to get excited for a new 'arkhamverse' title knowing that it most likely doesn't have Kevin Conroy," shared @Comrade_Waluigi. Fans like @NEEMOAHTOAD are also wondering if Roger Craig Smith, who voiced Batman in the prequel game "Arkham Origins" will return for the role.
While most fans have mixed thoughts on the "Arkham" franchise returning with a new VR entry, some gamers are totally on board. "1st person VR Batman!? This is all 10-year-old me has wanted since Virtual Boy was released," wrote @TheHandsomeGamr. A full reveal of "Batman: Arkham Shadow" will take place during the Summer Games Fest in June. While fans wait for more details, they can always catch up on the entire "Batman: Arkham Story."