Batman is set to be a profoundly influential part of WB Games Montreal’sGotham Knights, particularly due to how his supposed death is meant to inspire and affect Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, and Red Hood. Except maybe Red Hood,Gotham Knights’ Bat Family is incredibly well-known and needs no introduction as to who its affiliates are. It is clear that WB Games Montreal hopes to shine a spotlight on these characters specifically, but it is also possible that there are surprises it is keeping to itself until fans actually have a chance to playGotham Knights.
Gotham Knights’ marketing has been somewhat scattered since its announcement, with a huge and enigmatic emphasis placed on the Court of Owls early on. Now, all its marketing is going towardhighlightingGotham Knights’ playable protagonists in spotlight trailersthat share new gameplay and cosmetics for each character. It is entirely likely that no surprises in the game’s story will introduce a new playable character, but there is a case to be made for and against Batman becoming an unlockable character at some point inGotham Knights.
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Theories Claim That Batman Could Be Alive in Gotham Knights
Gotham Knights’ cinematic reveal trailer offered a goodbye message from Bruce Wayneto the remaining Bat Family. In it, Bruce admitted his own demise was apparent and that he had left the Belfry open as a base of operations for Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, and Red Hood. Further speculation has since led to the belief that Bruce knew about his fate and perhaps made an effort to circumvent it, or his death has been faked in order to conceal himself from the public eye for some reason. Otherwise, fans believe that Bruce is being held captive by the Court of Owls, who may then brainwash him and turn him into a Talon assassin that players could inevitably have to fight as a final boss.
These theories all pull their own weight and any one of them could potentially prove to be true. If so, Bruce being alive would have some fairly considerable implications on how the story would move forward. The only thing tethering Bruce’s death to any semblance of truth is the idea thatPolice Commissioner Jim Gordon is also deceased, giving weight to his daughter Barbara Gordon’s backstory and offering her even more of an incentive to protect Gotham as Batgirl. Jim being dead makes more sense than Bruce being dead because it has an effect on gameplay in an open-world Gotham City.
Therefore,Gotham Knightscan explain why its Bat Family may not receive the same support or vindication that it typically would since Jim, the only authority figure who commonly respects and appreciates help from the Bat Family, is dead. But whether Batman is truly alive or dead, there is still a chance thatGotham Knightsincludes the character in gameplay somehow.
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Batman Could Be a Surprise Unlock After Players Beat Gotham Knights
If the theory that Bruce is a final boss Talon is true, and that the Bat Family helps rescue and rehabilitate him afterward, it is plausible that fans could see him become a playable character that is unlocked once they beatGotham Knights’ story. This would work in a number of ways and also fail to work in a number of ways; if Batman was unlockable, he would not be able to accompany other characters on scripted missions that have associable cutscenes.
Considering that there may be a New Game+ mode, Batman could not appear here either since the main story would still perpetuatethe idea thatGotham Knights' Bruce is dead, and he would comically appear in cutscenes anyway. The only way an unlockable, playable Batman could be achieved is if he was restricted to challenge maps or post-game content in the same save file, which could ultimately feel lackluster and limiting.
At that point, it would be questionable whether it was worth it to include Batman at all as a playable character, even if it turns out that Bruce really is alive throughoutGotham Knights. There is always the chance thatother cosmetic skins are added toGotham Knightsthrough post-launch content that reskins Barbara as Samantha Brown or Kate Kane, for instance, and Batman could be introduced similarly. However, Batman would likely require his own set of moves and abilities separate from any of the game’s established characters, meaning that his inclusion would need to be unique.
IfGotham Knightsgoes the route of keeping Bruce alive, whether to include him as an unlockable character or to have access to his character in the future of the IP, it may do more harm than good. Fans would obviously be ecstatic aboutplaying as Batman again sinceBatman: Arkham Knight, and the idea of being able to fight crime as a dynamic duo with Batman and any other Bat Family character may be too incredible of an opportunity for WB Games Montreal to pass up on.
But in terms of carving its own path andtrying to isolateGotham Knightsfrom the Arkhamverse in particular, WB Games Montrealwould likely benefit from committing to its established Bat Family with Batman out of the picture. Not only would including Batman create strange dichotomies that would need to be brushed under the rug to suspend disbelief throughout the main story, but it would also jarringly place him in the middle of a game that did not need him around in the first place.
It would be exciting to visit Bruce’s Batcave and see other memorabilia of his, and conversing with Alfred will hopefully also contextualize their relationship, butBruce staying dead would honor the Bat Family’s team-upand allow them to develop independently. By the end of the game, it would be nice to see Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, and Red Hood all emerge from Batman’s shadow in ways where they are always respectful to him as a guardian mentor, but capable of defining themselves without being anchored to his tutelage.
Gotham Knightsis scheduled to release on October 25 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.
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