Batman is dead. Or at least that’s what developer WB Games Montréal wants you to think. The Dark Knight's various protogés have become the new protectors of Gotham in his absence, and the action that ensues will play out in the upcoming Gotham Knights. While it’s arriving a bit later than expected, the game will deliver something different from any Batman game before it. Only time will tell if this game kicks off a new DC Superhero renaissance with Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. But when will we get to play this upcoming superhero adventure?
When is the Gotham Knights release date?
Gotham Knights will launch on October 25, 2022. This was confirmed via a tweet from developer WB Games Montréal. While the game was originally going to come out in 2021, Warner Bros. delayed it in March 2021 due to various reasons including the pandemic.
“We are giving the game more time to deliver the best possible experience for players,” the tweet announcing the delay says. “Thank you to our amazing fans for your tremendous support of Gotham Knights. We look forward to sharing more of the game in the coming months.”
What are the Gotham Knights platforms?
Gotham Knights will be available for PC, PS4, Xbox One, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. While it will arrive a couple of years into the lifespan of the next-gen consoles, we can still expect it to be on previous-gen systems. It’s unclear if a Nintendo Switch version is in the works, but it’s unlikely (save for a possible cloud version).
Is there a Gotham Knights trailer?
Yes! There are a couple of trailers, but the most recent one was released during DC FanDome 2021, as shown above. This trailer focuses on the Court of Owls, a deadly group of criminals in Gotham City, and the main villains in this game. It shows our four heroes in action, including Red Hood, Nightwing, Batgirl, and Robin. Despite the hooded look, this is Tim Drake's Robin.
The trailer also features an appearance by the Penguin, but it seems he’s not assuming the villainous role we’re used to. A flurry of action sequences is also shown during this trailer, along with some teases of the game’s underlying mystery.
A seven-minute gameplay trailer was also unveiled in August 2020, showing all the characters in action. It seems to be a mix of familiar and new, with each character having their own unique abilities and strengths.
What is the Gotham Knights story?
After Batman's death, Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood, and Robin must rise up as the protectors of Gotham City. With Batman gone, an expansive, criminal underworld has swept through the streets of Gotham. From the trailer, it seems you'll have to stop the Court of Owls and possibly Mr. Freeze. The r3dakt3d teasers from the week of August 17 also imply Two-Face could be present.
The holiday photo that implicated the release date also hinted at Poison Ivy's presence in the game. There was a mention of Robinson Park, which is known as Poison Ivy's primary hideout. The mention could mean that Poison Ivy will be included in the rogue's gallery or it's just a little easter egg for fans.
It's also possible that Hush will be included as a villain. WB Montréal published a reading list for fans shortly after the game was announced that mentioned the villain's original storyline, implying his presence.
Who are the Gotham Knights voice actors?
- Batgirl is voiced by America Young, known for portraying Barbie in Barbie Dreamhouse Adventure.
- Nightwing is voiced by Christopher Sean, known for portraying Kazuda Xiono in Star Wars: Resistance.
- Red Hood is voiced by Stephen Oyoung, known for portraying Mr. Negative in Marvel's Spider-Man.
- Robin is voiced by Sloan Mogan Siegel, known for portraying the title role in Dwight in Shining Armor.
- Alfred is voiced by Gildart Jackson, known for narrating audiobooks.
- Batman is voiced by Michael Antonakos, known for playing the male protagonist Alexios in Assassin's Creed Odyssey.
What do we know about the Gotham Knights gameplay?
In addition to the Gotham Knights announcement trailer, we also got a full look at gameplay. You can watch it below.
From this, we can see that Gotham Knights will feature traversal using the bat-cycle. We can also see that the game will notify you when other players join. These are different costumes than in the announcement trailer, subtly confirming cosmetics will be available. We can also see levels on each character, confirming more RPG-esque elements.
In an IGN interview, it was confirmed that areas and foes won't be level gated. The entire city will be open from the start. Enemy levels will just be used to help you determine if you want to take on a foe, but being lower leveled won't bar you from achieving victory.
When Batgirl defeats foes, she acquires items that appear on the left. Perhaps this is our first look at a crafting system? It also appears there's some sort of gear system in play.
The overall game appears similar, but different enough from Rocksteady's Batman Arkham series. The freeflow system seems to be missing from this iteration of Batman.
How will the Gotham Knights multiplayer work?
As shown in the reveal trailer, we see that will be co-op available in Gotham Knights. In the middle of the gameplay trailer, the upper right corner says "Robin joined the session,” implying other players will be able to drop in and out. This will be the primary way to play the game, as it’s designed with co-op in mind.
How many players can play Gotham Knights multiplayer?
You can play online with 1-2 players. Unfortunately, you can't run around with a posse of four, and split-screen is also unavailable.
How does Gotham Knights connect to previous Batman Arkham games?
Gotham Knights is not connected to the Batman: Arkham series. WB Montréal's latest title kicks off its own universe. This means it’s also separate from Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
Gotham Knights will be released on consoles and PC in 2022.
