For the first time in history, Warner Bros. Games was reportedly planning to hold its own E3 press conference this year where the entertainment company would unveil the long-rumored WB Games Montreal Batman game, the leaked Harry Potter RPG, and the next game from Rocksteady Studios, the creators of the Batman Arkham series. That was up until the ESA made the decision to cancel the annual video game conference due to health and safety concerns surrounding the Coronavirus pandemic. While very little is known about the Harry Potter RPG or Rocksteady's next game, WB Games Montreal has been teasing its unannounced Batman game for some time now. And it's clear from the announcement that Warner Bros. Is just about ready for its big reveal.
With rumors ranging from a sequel to Arkham Knight called Batman: Arkham Legacy to Superman, the Suicide Squad, and beyond, the latest reports claim that Warner Bros. Games is about to launch a brand new DC Games Universe beginning with WB Games Montreal's Batman game and followed up by whatever property Rocksteady Studios' has been working on all these years. If the rumors are to be believed and the next Batman game is a 'soft-reboot' that will launch a whole new DC Games Universe, it also means a fresh start that won't be tied down by Arkham Knight's unmasking of Batman or the death of the infamous Joker.
Batman Rumors
The most consistent rumors point toward WB Games Montréal's next game going by the name of Batman: Arkham Legacy, an open-world game that will include the extended "Bat-Family" and feature an underground society known as the Court of Owls as the key villains. Initially, it was believed that Arkham Legacy would be a spin-off game that took place after the events of Batman: Arkham Knight. However, the latest rumors indicate that it will instead be a "soft-reboot" of the series, effectively ignoring the events of previous games and launching a new connected DC Games Universe that will expand to include more characters and games from a number of developers including Rocksteady Studios.
The DC Games Universe rumors go even further, claiming that Batman: Arkham Legacy is expected to release this fall (platforms yet to be confirmed), with the second game in the universe coming from Rocksteady Studios and a next-generation Superman game in the pipeline from an unannounced developer. Despite no sources being provided by GWW, a lot of the claims do stack up against previous reports including Batman: Arkham Legacy and the Superman game, not to mention the fact that WB Games Montreal has been teasing a new game since the end of last year with no releases since 2013's Batman: Arkham Origins.
Will the Joker Return?
From games to films or comics, one major question on everyone's mind whenever a new Batman story is announced always comes down to whether or not the Joker will appear. When considering the Joker's prominent role in the Batman Arkham series and his death in Arkham City (although that didn't stop him from playing a significant role in the sequel), if Batman: Arkham Legacy is, in fact, a soft-reboot of the series, does that mean the Joker could return? In short, the answer is likely. The Joker will most likely return in the next Batman game whether it's a direct sequel to Arkham Knight or a soft-reboot as rumors claim. The legacy and popularity of the character are simply too much to ignore, and it's incredibly unlikely that WB wouldn't try to capitalize on that; after all, the Joker was just released as DLC in Mortal Kombat 11.
The question really comes down to what kind of role Batman's arch-nemesis will play. An Arkham Knight sequel could only use the character in reference or flashbacks, whereas a reboot would have free reign to ignore his death and tell brand new stories that aren't tied to any existing continuity. If WB Games plans to keep the DC Games Universe alive for years to come, its best bet would be to keep from using the Joker in the beginning, teasing his existence while saving the real deal for sequels later down the line. The Court of Owls is a fascinating and exciting place to start in the world of Batman and gives fans an original new story that doesn't rely on the same old villain.
Regardless of whether WB Games Montreal's next game is the long-rumored continuation of the Arkham series or a soft-reboot that creates a new expanded DC Game Universe, it's almost guaranteed that the Joker will appear in some form. However, Batman's rogue's gallery is so much more than just the Joker and moving away from the clown prince of crime, for now, could do wonders for the game and future of the series.
The Court of Owls has been a long-rumored villain for the next game, so as long as WB Games Montreal doesn't pull the same old trickery it did with Batman: Arkham Origins, the Joker could, and should, be little more than a calling card at a crime scene a la the final scene of Christopher Nolan's Batman Begins that led to critically acclaimed, The Dark Knight.
Batman: Arkham Legacy is rumored to be in development at WB Montreal.