Fans Are Getting A New Batman: Arkham Game After All, But It's In VR

Batman: Arkham Shadow is a new entry in the beloved comic book metroidvania beat ‘em up series, though it’s not what many players were probably hoping for. It’s being made in VR and will be exclusive to the Meta Quest 3 headset. It’s scheduled to release in late 2024.

The game is being developed by Camouflaj, which made Iron Man VR, and Oculus Studios. That’s pretty much all we know about the surprise reveal at this point. A brief teaser trailer shows a lot of the caped crusader gliding through Gotham like in the previous games. No word yet on if the Deluxe version will come with early access and a special Batman-themed barf bag.

The announcement comes just a few months after the crushing disappointment of Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, the fun but shallow multiplayer live-service shooter Rocksteady Studios ended up making instead of a sequel to 2015’s Batman: Arkham Knight. Given certain loudly discussed plot spoilers in the Suicide Squad game, it seems likely that Arkham Shadow will be a prequel of some kind, or otherwise take place somewhere in-between the previous games in the trilogy.

It’s not the first time we’ve gotten a Batman VR game. Rocksteady shipped Batman: Arkham VR for the PS4’s PSVR headset in 2017. While lauded for some of its puzzles and immersiveness, it was more of a demo than a full-fledged game. Camouflaj’s Iron Man VR, which came out in 2020, showcased some incredible flight sections but was criticized for its repetitive campaign. Maybe Arkham Shadow will be the first superhero VR game that actually breaks through and doesn’t just feel like an expensive gimmick.

Meta has been pouring billions into virtual reality. While the Meta Quest 3 headsets have offered a good VR experience at a reasonable price, its the games that are still lacking. Last year’s Asgard’s Wrath 2 was widely hailed as one of the best games of the year, but so far no VR headset has managed to stitch together a reliable and diverse selection of new releases.