Gotham Knights: Arkham Knight Sequel Announced at DC Fandome

By Michael Austin 

​After five years of tirelessly looking for answers, fans of the Batman: Arkham series will finally get to see what's next for their beloved Gotham City. 

Those who loved the critically acclaimed series have plenty to talk about after Saturday's DC Fandome event. The comic company announced the latest installment in the series, Gotham Knights, which is set to take place after the events of Batman: Arkham Knight.

Players will have the chance to play as Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing, Red Hood, and quite possibly a few other Gotham vigilantes, as they try to defend the city of Gotham following the tragic death of Batman at the end of Arkham Knight. 

The trailer opened up with Batman sending one final message to the many crime-fighting members of the Bat-Family, alerting them that he's dead, and it's up to them to defend Gotham. 

Some gameplay was showcased during the event (see below), featuring Batgirl and Robin taking on a beefed-up Mr. Freeze. The action began as Batgirl rode her Batcycle through the streets of Gotham during a thunderstorm.

As compared to the Batmobile gameplay in Arkham Knight, the feel of the Batcycle seems more refined and natural. The combat was eerily similar to previous installments to the franchise, although gadgets, team-up attacks and various special moves/finishers look to play a more significant role in this game.

Due to the destruction of Wayne Manor and the Batcave at the end of Arkham Knight, the Bat-Family has now been given a new base of operations called The Belfry. The developers claim it will play a vital role in Gotham Knights. 

In a tag to the footage, it was revealed that The Court of Owls will serve as the primary antagonists in the new game. The secret society of villains first debuted during Scott Snyder's historic run on Batman. It'll be interesting to see whether the group's close ties to the Wayne family will carry into this video game adaption. 

While all of this news is undoubtedly exciting to fans of the franchise, there is one small point of concern. While Rocksteady Studios was responsible for the incredibly successful main installments in the Batman: Arkham franchise, they're not behind this new sequel. Instead, WB Games Montreal is developing the game. This studo is responsible for Batman: Arkham Origins, the least popular and most criticized game in the franchise. 

Nonetheless, the hype around this game is sure to be nothing less than fantastic. Let's hope that WB Games Montreal can deliver this time.