The Epic Conclusion Rocksteady Shouldn't Miss: Why Continuing the Arkham Universe Is a Must

Highlights

Rocksteady's Arkham game franchise has been crucial in expanding Batman's mythos and creating a rich world for the character.

The supervillains featured in the Arkham games often stole the spotlight from Batman, their development unfolding across several games and enriching the storyline.

As Rocksteady moves forward in sculpting the Arkhamverse, it must fulfill its commitment of empowering players to eliminate the Justice League in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

Batman was already a popular character in popular culture prior to Rocksteady's Arkham game franchise. However, the franchise has become an essential part of the character's mythology. Rocksteady successfully built a world within the game series, establishing characters and shaping Gotham City as its own unique setting. With Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, players will be taken to a different environment, but it is expected to enhance the established lore rather than diminish it.

Fans have been eagerly waiting for Rocksteady's Suicide Squad game since its initial tease in Origins. The prospect of playing as Deathstroke again was particularly exciting. It is possible that Deathstroke may still be featured in post-launch DLC for Suicide Squad, but only time will tell how the base game will ultimately turn out following its recent delay to February. There is also speculation about whether Rocksteady will abandon the Arkhamverse canon after Suicide Squad. However, considering the efforts put into building its future by both Rocksteady and WB Games Montreal, it would be arguably pointless to do so, regardless of the presence of Batman.

Rocksteady’s Arkham Games Have Created a Universe That Deserves to Be Preserved

Batman has always been the main character in the Arkham games, but the most captivating and mesmerizing elements of Rocksteady's entries were hardly ever Bruce Wayne's emotionless pursuit of justice. Kevin Conroy's portrayal of Batman was superb as always, but his unwavering stoicism allowed each supervillain he encountered to shine with their animated and grandiose presence. This was likely intentional, as it made the supervillains in the Arkhamverse incredibly memorable. Their frequent appearances and development from one installment to another made them interesting subjects to analyze.

For example, experiencing how the Riddler continuously challenged and outsmarted Batman is a compelling reason to play through the franchise in chronological order. Additionally, observing how Harley Quinn copes with the Joker's death in City's downloadable content (DLC) and Knight adds depth to her character. The fact that Harley will now be a primary protagonist in Suicide Squad is especially exciting since she had already appeared in all three of Rocksteady's Arkham games.

If Task Force X and its possible combinations are to become the franchise's new mascot going forward, there is already an excellent base to work from, regardless of whether or not members of the Bat Family appear as adversaries. This will allow the Arkhamverse to thrive as long as Rocksteady keeps creating captivating characters for it.

Rocksteady Still Can’t Be Afraid to Kill Its Justice League

That being said, although the Arkhamverse itself should continue, Rocksteady has committed to the expectations set by Suicide Squad's subtitle. The concept of being able to eliminate the Justice League, whether forced upon the player or not, is one of the most captivating ideas of this four-player action-shooter. Rocksteady should not backtrack on this aspect. There are numerous ways for Rocksteady to prevent the supposed necessary deaths, such as having Task Force X first defeat Brainiac and subsequently freeing the League from mind control. However, this would make the narrative fall flat unless there is a larger or more surprising element at play.

The Arkham universe is incredibly popular, and there's no reason for Rocksteady to stop expanding it. However, the Justice League doesn't play a vital role in this canon, especially since they haven't been officially mentioned or introduced in the Arkhamverse before their sudden appearance in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Regardless, Rocksteady would miss out on a lot if they chose not to continue the Arkhamverse after Suicide Squad, considering the significant changes since Knight. In exciting news, the Batman: Arkham Trilogy will be released on Nintendo Switch in fall 2023.