The Future of the Batman: Arkham Series After Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

The Surprise Announcement of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Fans hoping for another Batman: Arkham sequel after Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League may wish to temper their expectations, as Rocksteady is seemingly committed to the later game’s provocative subtitle. When Batman: Arkham Knight was released in 2015, players thought they would be seeing the end of Rocksteady’s beloved Arkhamverse franchise, and the only new entries to come since were the short-lived Batman: Arkham Underworld for mobile devices and Batman: Arkham VR.

suicide-squad-kill-the-justice-league-batman

Players were thus taken by surprise when Rocksteady announced Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League at the inaugural DC Fandome event. As its name suggests, Suicide Squad will pit the members of Task Force X against a brainwashed Justice League - including Batman as voiced by the late Kevin Conroy. Despite seemingly faking his death and going into hiding at the end of Batman: Arkham Knight, it appears that the Arkhamverse version of the Dark Knight has returned for one last battle in Suicide Squad - except this time fans will be on the receiving end of his brutal, crime-busting methods.

Some players have speculated that Batman’s surprise comeback in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League could pave the way for another mainline Batman: Arkham entry, but associate design director Johnny Armstrong is advising them not to get their hopes up just yet. In a recent interview with GamesRadar, Armstrong addresses the possibility of another Batman-centric game in Rocksteady’s universe. 'I mean, we're really enjoying working on a Suicide Squad now,' he said during the interview. 'But I can assure you that, as the title says, we do really kill the Justice League. So…'

The Uncertain Future of the Arkhamverse

This isn’t a solid confirmation that the Arkhamverse is ending after Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League launches in February, and there have been rumors of Rocksteady continuing or even rebooting the series in some capacity over the past few years. However, Rocksteady appears to be entirely focused on its current game for the time being, and Armstrong went on to describe how Suicide Squad mixes frantic gameplay and a gripping narrative to hopefully keep players coming back for more. Rocksteady studio product director Darius Sadeghian recently backed this notion by assuring fans that Suicide Squad will still have the same “DNA” that made the Batman: Arkham series a success.

Only time will tell if Suicide Squad can continue this success, as the game has been met with various controversies since its 2020 announcement. One of the resulting debates is where the Arkhamverse franchise can go after Suicide Squad, especially if Batman and the rest of the Justice League are indeed going to die as the game’s subtitle implies. There are many ways for Rocksteady to continue the Batman: Arkham series in the future, but for now the studio is understandably focused on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

The Hope for the Future of the Arkham Series

Despite the uncertain future of the Arkhamverse, fans remain hopeful for the possibility of another mainline Batman: Arkham entry. While Rocksteady is currently dedicated to the development of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, there is speculation that the surprise return of Batman in this game could pave the way for a new installment in the Arkham series. However, associate design director Johnny Armstrong has advised fans not to get their hopes up just yet, emphasizing the studio's focus on the current project.

The future of the Arkhamverse remains shrouded in mystery, but the enduring popularity of the franchise and the excitement surrounding Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League leave room for optimism. As fans eagerly await the release of Suicide Squad, they can only speculate about the potential directions Rocksteady may take with the Batman: Arkham series in the future.