Gotham Knightsis set to take the place of theBatmanArkhamseries, giving fans another version of Gotham City without the watchful eye of Batman. Instead, the game is set to let players control four of Batman’s sidekicks and members of the Bat Family, Nightwing, Batgirl, Red Hood, and Robin. With over 400 years of lore in this version ofGotham Knights, and the sinister Court of Owls set up as the main villain group, there is a lot of potential for expansion. The game could take up anArkhamseries approach, releasing multiple titles as well as DLCs to give fans something to look forward to.
TheArkhamseries is one of the most critically acclaimed superhero video games ever created, giving fans a variety of missions, allowing them to explore the universe of Batman, and giving them the opportunity to play many of the most famous characters from the comics.Arkham’s approach of introducing new villains, storylines, and playable characters would work great forGotham Knights,which is dedicated to team-style gameplay. With the possibility that the game will expand into its very own series,Gotham Knightsneeds to look at theArkhamseries, how it achieved such longevity over multiple titles, and how it furthered the lore of the world through DLC and side quests.
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New Characters in Gotham Knights
While theArkhamseries was solely focused on playing as Batman, additional playable characters were introduced through DLCs, allowing players to play as some of Batman’s allies. This gave the series a greater sense of immersion as many of the playable characters had their own missions and skills, giving players a different style of gameplay, all while improving upon the lore within the franchise. WithGotham Knightstaking a team-based approach,DLCs could introduce other members of the Bat Familysuch as Batwoman and Damian Wayne, giving players more to do.
The Bat Family has many more members than just the four that fans will get to control inGotham Knights, which leaves room for growth. It’s possible that if Batman doesn’t appear in the game,Nightwing will assume the role of The Dark Knight, allowing other characters to enter the fray in future installments. From older fan-favorite characters like Azrael and Huntress to newer members of the Bat Family like Gotham Girl and Batwing, the list of characters that the game could introduce as playable characters is long, and each of them brings something different to the table.
Potential Villain Groups for Gotham Knights
One of the things that gave theArkhamseries its success was the number of famous villains that made their presence known in the game, whether as the main villain or through side quests and challenges. With Batman gone, many villains will be expected to come out of the shadows and try to take overGotham City inGotham Knights, giving the game an opportunity to expand into a long-standing series. To ensure that future titles attract gamers and keep them interested,Gotham Knightswill need to introduce different villain groups that are popular among fans, as well as some lesser-known ones that could shine through.
As it stands,Gotham Knightswill feature theCourt of Owls as the main villain groupthat the Bat Family will be trying to take down. However, many other villain groups could make their way into the game in future installments, setting up interesting storylines between these villains and members of the Bat Family. Groups like the League of Shadows, The Jokerz, and even the Legion of Doom could attempt to take over Gotham City now that Batman is out of the picture and force the Knights to defend their city, while others like Slade Wilson could expand on individual stories due to the history they share with members of the Bat Family.
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New Storylines in Gotham Knights
TheArkhamseries has followed many storylines through multiple titles including the death of Batman, however, not much is known about how Batman died inGotham Knights, and fans will need to wait till the game is released to fully understand the circumstances behind that. ThroughoutBatmancanon, there have been multiple iterations of the death of Batman, many of them leading to major events that threaten the very existence of the DC Universe.Gotham Knightscould introduce some of these storylines in future titles allowing for more expansion into characters outside the Batman universe and giving players the chance to experience some of thegreatest storylines in DC Comics history.
One of the most popular comics revolving around Batman isDark Nights: Metal, where various evil versions of Batman enter the DC Universe and threaten to wipe out the current universe. This storyline would work great as it would show the Bat Family members fighting against different versions of their mentor and could lead to aJustice Leaguetie-in. Additionally, bringing the Justice League into theGotham Knightsuniverse means that future titles could feature storylines following the Crime Syndicate or evenan invasion by Darkseid, giving fans the chance to fight alongside and against some of the most powerful characters in DC Comics.
Gotham Knightshas the potential to be a long-standing game series spanning multiple titles, with DLCs and spin-offs bringing in a wide array of characters to expand its already impressive lore. By looking at theArkhamseries and using it as a blueprint, the game can successfully integrate some of Batman’s greatest villains along with other of his closest allies into the universe. With so much room for growth, fans will hope thatGotham Knightscontinues to release titles and DLCsin the future, giving them newer characters to play, villains to fight, and storylines to explore.
Gotham Knightsis scheduled to release on June 04, 2025, for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
