Eidos doing "incredibly dark" Batman title

By Robert Purchese Published 13 August, 2008

Arkham Asylum for PC, 360, PS3.

Eidos has lifted the mask on Batman: Arkham Asylum, an "incredibly dark" outing for PC, Xbox 360 and PS3.

Rocksteady Studios, creator of violent anti-terrorist effort Urban Chaos: Riot Response, is developing the game for a 2009 release.

Batman: Arkham Asylum unfolds as a routine transfer from the iconic prison goes wonky, setting the Joker and fellow inmates free to cause all sorts of mischief in Gotham City. The story will be co-created by Paul Dini, writer and producer of many television shows based on DC characters.

"Batman: Arkham Asylum offers players the chance to battle Gotham's worst villains with Batman's physical and psychological strength in a graphically distinct and story-driven game," said Martin Tremblay, boss of Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment.

"We look forward to working with Eidos on expanding DC Comics' world-renowned character Batman in the game space with a noticeably different feature set in an incredibly dark interactive environment."

We had expected EA to reveal a Batman game, which has long been rumoured to be in development at Pandemic Studios. The Dark Knight actor Gary Oldman all but confirmed "the videogame" recently, but made no mention of developer or publisher.

Promising, nonetheless.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds. @Clert on Twitter.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (32) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • ryohazuki1983 #1 4 years ago

    Cool, I actually liked Urban Chaos, had it on Xbox.

  • Zomoniac #2 4 years ago

    A Batman game could be soooo good. But it won't be.

  • Farzlepot #3 4 years ago

    I thought they were talking about the 1999 Urban Chaos, and I was excited. But then I realised they couldn't be talking about the 1999 Urban Chaos, because the very excellent developer Mucky Foot went under a long time ago. So I wasn't so excited.

    Given that the last Batman game I ever played (Batman Returns, on the Mega Drive) was a bit shite, and I don't think any have improved since, I can't see this materialising into anything other than movie tie-in poo.

  • BBIAJ #4 4 years ago

    Agreed, I'm playing Urban Chaos: Riot Response on X-Box again now, I can't wait for this new Batman game!

  • the_dudefather #5 4 years ago

    The nes batman was pretty awesome

    It would be kinda cool to see a batman game where you had assassins creed style movement, but with added grappling hooks, gliding and batmobile

  • johnnybrn #6 4 years ago

    Farzlepot,

    I thought the same about Urban Chaos and loved that game in the day it was a lot of fun.

    Batman Begins was alright if a little scripted. It showed that a Batmab game is possible if treated right.

    I wonder if it will like the Arkham Asylum graphic novel which was like a bad acid trip.

  • bad09 #7 4 years ago


    The only Batman game you'll ever need.

  • Rodafowa #8 4 years ago

    You say that like it's a bad thing. The Arkham Asylum graphic novel is one of my favourite Batman stories ever, and possibly the best-looking comic ever made.

  • Fleago #9 4 years ago

    @bad09

    I disagree. This is the only one you need

  • Quint2020 #10 4 years ago

    Good luck to them, but to be honest I'll believe it when I see it.
    Edited by Quint2020 at 13/08/08 @ 11:46

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #11 4 years ago

    I ain't read Arkham Asylum yet, but it's on my must-buy list. A dark 'n' gritty Bat game is the way to go. Hopefully not being tied to any continuity will make it better, as will the involvement of Dini.

    The Ocean Batman game on the Amiga was pretty good, too, BTW.

  • bad09 #12 4 years ago

    @Fleago

    Ooooh, speccy good choice!

  • mikeck #13 4 years ago

    "You say that like it's a bad thing. The Arkham Asylum graphic novel is one of my favourite Batman stories ever, and possibly the best-looking comic ever made. "

    'Tis indeed one of the best out there, although I see they've changed the story slightly to suit their game needs. There is no "routine transfer from the iconic prison goes wonky, setting the Joker and fellow inmates free to cause all sorts of mischief in Gotham City." in actual fact the Joker takes control of Arkham, and Batman enters the mental institution to take on Joker and all the other released 'patients' (who Batman put in there).

    I really hope they stick to the story as told in the novel, as that would make for a very dark story.

  • space_ace #14 4 years ago

    so it's "original", yet based on comic book and like bioshock?

  • mikeck #15 4 years ago

    In fact - just read this article because they actually describe the game correctly - http://kotaku.com/5036332/eidos-announce...

  • IronCladChicken #16 4 years ago

    @Farzlepot
    I was confused about that too - Scuppered!

  • Machetazo #17 4 years ago

    I continue to hear good things about this "Arkham Asylum" concept, so I'll probably find the comic books, and, as a result; yeah, I'm interested to learn more about this.

  • johnnybrn #18 4 years ago

    Rodafowa,

    I didnt mean it was bad just that it was a headtrip. I read it when I was young and it was quite an effect on me.

    Btw, this was the best Batman game ever.

    [link url=http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseekid.cgi?id=0000442
    ]http://www.worldofspectrum.org/infoseeki...[/link]

    As it played like a comic, not only that it had two episodes - one for the Penguin and one for the Joker.
    Edited by johnnybrn at 13/08/08 @ 10:05

  • ghearoid #19 4 years ago

    Just as long as it doesn't turn out to be a crappy FPS! ;o)

    /runs away

  • BiscuitBase #20 4 years ago

    Well, I'm glad to hear that they've got the story and the grittiness sorted. Those are the two most important things about games!

  • kingdumpalot #21 4 years ago

    Yeah I thought EA had the rights too. Hope it works out!

  • dr_shambles #22 4 years ago

    @Rodafowa Completely agree. It's a fantastic piece of writing from Grant Morrison. If they can build a game engine that can emulate Dave McKean's artwork that would be incredible.

    Batman: Gotham After Midnight is very cool too. http://www.dccomics.com/dcu/comics/?cm=9310

  • anephric #23 4 years ago

    Arkham Asylum is the most overrated graphic novel of the ages - the Joker slaps Batman on the bum, ffs. And it was drawn by an artist who thought he was compromising himself merely by drawing Bats, let alone the Boy Wonder. Saying that, I really like what Morrison did with Two-Face. You can have the rest.

  • TheDifficult3rdAlbum #24 4 years ago

    >I thought EA had the rights

    EA = Batman Film rights. Eidos = Batman Comic rights.

  • Chaote-Imagicka #25 4 years ago

    Batman: Arkham Asylum unfolds as a routine transfer from the iconic prison goes wonky, setting the Joker and fellow inmates free to cause all sorts of mischief in Gotham City.

    I thought that was the plot of Lego Batman? It is as has been pointed most certainly not the plot of Arkham Asylum.

    And it was drawn by an artist who thought he was compromising himself merely by drawing Bats, let alone the Boy Wonder.

    That's funny seeing as he'd already drawn Batman in Black Orchid.

  • Yossarian #26 4 years ago

    You guys are acting like the Morrison graphic novel is the sole influence on this project. There's much more information about this title, if you care to track it down.

  • NoComment #27 4 years ago

    I'm an ex-Eidos employee (recently gone) and I can honestly say this game is fantastic!
    The game mechanics are already highly polished and feel great plus it feels exactly like Batman should (in my opinion).

    You don't have to believe me - but I have no reason to lie.
    It WILL be a great game though!

  • the_dudefather #28 4 years ago

    @NoComment

    What if you're really a CURRENT eidos employee?

    ;)

  • anephric #29 4 years ago

    "That's funny seeing as he'd already drawn Batman in Black Orchid. "

    It's even moooore hilarious if you've read the incredibly sniffy things Dave McKean's said about Arkham Asylum over the years, and the things attributed to him by Morrison in his annotated notes for the 15th Anniversary Arkham Asylum (McKean and Morrison appear to have had quite considerable differences over the book too - Morrison has said stuff like the art didn't really suit it and a more denotative approach might've been called for).

    Point of fact: Robin was supposed to feature in Arkham Asylum, but Dave McKean refused to draw him.

    Still, if the villains in this are being designed by Wildstorm, no-one should expect it to look anything like Dave McKean's dreamy stuff - it'll be all muscular, gritty, goddamned Batman Jim Lee style.

  • johnnybrn #30 4 years ago

    I seriously doubt that it will have the McKean feel to it, I presume a more comic book based look. Plus there wasn't enough story in Arkham Asylum to make a game out of it.

    I also doubt that they will get too dark as then it will appeal only to the fanboys and hence profits will suffer

    Morrison is the most over-rated writer in comics. DC have chosen him as their messiah and their output is suffering and sales are in freefall at the moment. I think I'll go back once the fallout is over because as at the moment Secret Invasion is great.

    And finally, all Batman should check out the Hush graphic novels by Jeph Loeb and Jim Lee. As its quite simply one of the best Batman stories ever.

  • skateblizz #31 4 years ago

    This sounds good!
    I think eidos will do a pretty good job, better than EA could muster up!

  • NoComment #32 4 years ago

    @the_dudefather

    The I'm annoyed cause I haven't been paid recently! :-)