Free Batman DLC next week

By Robert Purchese Published 8 September, 2009

On PC, PS3 and Xbox 360.

Eidos and Rocksteady Studios are priming Batman: Arkham Asylum for some free DLC next week.

"Free downloadable content coming in 9 days," confirms the news ticker below the in-game main menu of the Xbox 360 version. I took a picture as evidence.

UK PR won't comment, according to VG247, which signposted the news. There are, therefore, no more details to go on.

Perhaps this is the long-awaited arrival of Robin and a co-operative mode. That would be nice. Or, more realistically, this may be another Challenge Room.

'Free Batman DLC next week' Screenshot 1

Ree! Absolutely ree!

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.

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

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Comments (46) Latest comment 2 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Sonic_D #1 2 years ago

    Anything to extend my enjoyment of this excellent game is appreciated, esp when it is free.

  • dsmx #2 2 years ago

    I remember a time when all DLC was free...

  • breedob #3 2 years ago

    Is it only for the 360 or is it ps3 aswell?

  • cianchristopher #4 2 years ago

    Robin rulez/Batman sux

  • Syrette #5 2 years ago

    Wonder what it'll be.

    Free DLC is not allowed to have achievements, is it?

  • ZuluHero #6 2 years ago

    According to Kotaku, its happening on PS3 as well.

    http://ko taku.com/5354514/new-free-conte...

  • dsmx #7 2 years ago

    The kotaku news has it on the ps3 not the xbox 360.

  • JahB #8 2 years ago

    great game followed up by free dlc?

    EA, Activision and Capcom, take a good hard look at this.

  • Jonathan_Fakenham #9 2 years ago

    For sure, this can only mean neon vision and sparkly new bat-underpants.

  • Darren #10 2 years ago

    Nice! Free DLC is always welcome, especially for my own personal Best Game of 2009 (So Far)! :)

  • skillian #11 2 years ago

    Funny how it's often the smaller studios that give out DLC while the companies with all the money say it's unaffordable.

  • Darkedge #12 2 years ago

    arrival of Robin? god NO.

  • Mkwone #13 2 years ago

    my guess is being able to play boss fights from the game as challange rooms like Poison Ivy and Bane
    Edited by 1 at 08/09/09 @ 17:07

  • Paulie_P #14 2 years ago

    How do you get to play as Joker in the PS3 version?

  • davisorle #15 2 years ago

    Well its nowhere Free apparently. Just "ree" exclusivly for the 360 for now? lol.Btw the game is damn fun. Might not be the HUGE inovative tittle but is so sweet looking and so perfectly transfered comic hero into a game with constant fun in it that is just too damn great combo to not get into itself. Scarecrow ideas ingame is just awesome. They should make a Scarecrow game now. But the same ppl with same ideas and talent pls :p

  • Mr_Dodger #16 2 years ago

    How do you get to play as Joker in the PS3 version?

    It's a free download from PSN.

  • Beek4257 #17 2 years ago

    @cianchristopher
    Good news for you/excellent nerd-out moment for me: in the current Batman-comic Robin (aka Dick Grayson) actually is Batman!

    @JahB:
    EA has been doing a pretty good on the "great game-free dlc"-front with Burnout Paradise lately. Credit where credit's due and stuff.

  • shadowsblaze #18 2 years ago

    Chances are it's just the free content you received if you pre-ordered from Game. I'd be surprised if it's anything else.
    Edited by 1 at 08/09/09 @ 17:49

  • WinterSnowblind #19 2 years ago

    Yeah, I could just see it being the scarecrow maps, but that wouldn't bother me, it should be available to everyone anyway.

  • organica #20 2 years ago

    A Predator challenge map from the Botanical Gardens would be nice.

  • wellzy4eva #21 2 years ago

    I'm confused, some companies (Like Bohemoth) moan that they aren't allowed to do free DLC as it's decided by microsoft but Rocksteady can? I'm guessing it'll be nothing spectacular otherwise micro$oft will want the revenue. (But I'd love to be wrong)

  • Darren #22 2 years ago

    @wellzy4eva - Microsoft are greedy bastards... that's why Xbox 360 owners have to pay for the forthcoming Left 4 Dead DLC which is going to be free on the PC. Apparently that was not Valve's intention but it was Microsoft's. Tut.

  • The_B #23 2 years ago

    I'm noticing that it's due almost exactly the same time as the PC versions' release...

  • messiahtj #24 2 years ago

    My bet is: Something new for the PS3 version and The Joker Challenge rooms for the 360.

  • makeamazing #25 2 years ago

    I'm confused, some companies (Like Bohemoth) moan that they aren't allowed to do free DLC

    @wellzy4eva, the problem I believe is Sony, MS and Nintendo. They own the networks (servers where the files are hosted) and so set costs/value to items etc. So even to put a demo on those systems can cost big money. So Free DLC, well unless the big boys feel its worth it to them they wont allow some companies to upload it... I know its crap, but thats what happens when there its all locked down. This is just my guess, but knowing that they charge companies for demos, I dont think this is too far from the truth.

  • thesombrerokid #26 2 years ago

    if my enthusiasm for this hasn't waned by the time the pc version comes out i might pick it up, lesson 1 rocksteady, delaying the pc release looses sales, especially when theres a -18 day crack for it.
    Edited by 1 at 08/09/09 @ 20:08

  • thesombrerokid #27 2 years ago

    vavle said microsoft wouldn't let the update be free because the sheer scale of it, it doesn't fit in with thier value propsition or some other bullshit.

  • SeesThroughAll #28 2 years ago

    This content has been confirmed by multiple sources for both the XBox360 and the PS3.

    Maybe it would be good to update the article accordingly.

  • Razorus #29 2 years ago

    Joker for 360 please. And Nightwing, not Robin please.

  • Man_s #30 2 years ago

    Joker for 360 will not be happening according to Rocksteady. EVER. It appears to be an exlusivity deal between Sony and DC regarding DC Universe online. I think I read that somewhere, can't remember where though. In any case, don't get your hopes up for Joker on 360, 'cause it isn't happening. Anyway, anything free is welcome in this day and age. I would bet, like some have said, that it's the Scarecrow challenge map. And foreverafternothing, you are right, free DLC isn't allowed to have achievements. Not that I care...

  • kongzi #31 2 years ago

    probably just a challenge map..anyways....BRING IT!!!!

  • Embra #32 2 years ago

    A cast list I read for the game way back in the day featured Two-Face and Penguin . I went back to try to find it, but can't which is rather frustrating. May have been a speculation job, based on the Animated Series and scant information prior to the game being released. However, it would be great if it pointed at some DLC possibilities. The mention of the robbery being conducted by Two-Face at the very end of the game adds spice. That said, it's very likely to be 'just' more challenge rooms.
    Edited by 1 at 08/09/09 @ 22:27

  • Spekingur #33 2 years ago

    More challenge rooms? Yes please!
    I want more takedown maps rather than fighting maps though.

  • cobaltfram #34 2 years ago

    Wow. It amazes me when bigger studios like Bioware take months to turn out dreck like Pinnacle Station, and then charge for it.

  • Skorms-Boss #35 2 years ago

    Jonathan_Fakenham@ For sure, this can only mean neon vision and sparkly new bat-underpants.

    If only we were that lucky, sigh looks like I'm gonna have to go and buy this now!

  • Zebula77 #36 2 years ago

    Noooooo, no Robin, please! Most annoying sidekick ever.

    What I'd like to see is an extra in-game mission. Maybe a secret area of Arkham or something like that. A new gadget would be cool, tho I don't know what kind of gadget that would be.

    I got tired of challenge rooms pretty quickly, so I hope it's not just more of those.

  • JimWest #37 2 years ago

    The way DLC works on Xbox LIVE is companies have to pay for the submissions of DLC to MS, and so there is a cost to the company. To post things on Xbox LIVE costs a lot more than to post things on the internet for general consumers to download. Also there are extra man hours that go on the DLC, whereas something like this DLC (which we are still unaware of what it is) was most likely done side by side with the main game.

    The reason some companies do free DLC is they hope it will lead to more people buying the main game as they feel they are able to get extra content for the game for free, thus expanding on their experience, and making it seem better value. So companies sometimes are willing to take that hit on the cost of DLC on Xbox LIVE to get more sales of the game.

    Also the game is bank rolled by Eidos (now part of the Square Enix Europe) so to say it is a small studio (Rocksteady) paying for it shows very little knowledge on how the industry works.

    But at the same time, i do love me some free DLC on what has turned out to be an outstanding game.

  • pinochet_cz #38 2 years ago

    @JahB: reason why EA or Activision don't submit free dlc is mostly in fact that it is not free to them. I is f*king MS policy.

  • darkmorgado #39 2 years ago

    It will probably be another challenge map.
    Loved Batman, but it was too easy - started playing it on Saturday morning and had completed it (with all Riddles) by Sunday afternoon. I was expecting it to be more Metroidvania as well - they could have really done some cool stuff with the gadgets gradually opening up more areas. As it was, they seemed to have one or two legitimate uses in the game and after that they were only useful for finding Riddles. And the boss fights - ewww[link url=http://www.
    ]http://www.
    [/link]
    Challenge rooms were ok, but I couldn't bring myself to complete them all after already having spent so long doing exactly the same thing in the main game.
    I really hope they do a sequel, and this time really Metroidvania the game to the max :-)

  • Darren #40 2 years ago

    I like to see alternative outfits for Batman (like those cool mods for the PC demo) but with the game using pre-rendered FMV for some of the cinematics in the Campaign if it did happen then they'd only be for the Challenge maps otherwise it would look odd. (It was this that alerted me to the fact that Metal Gear Solid 4 on the PS3 used pre-rendered FMV for a few of its cutscenes too, such as the long cinematic of the river assault at the end of Chapter 4 (I think) because Snake appeared as normal in the cutscene but was wearing his younger disguise in game!)

  • actionfitz #41 2 years ago

    wonder how much flak they took from Micro$oft for the nerve to consider 'free' xbox live content. given their history of such practise (look at valve and l4d).

  • bratmandu #42 2 years ago

    1960s costume and option to use Adam West voiceover please.

  • Bazqwerty #43 2 years ago

    Anyone thinking that this game could be great fun as a MULTIPLAYER ONLINE game? Imagine some sort of team death match or even one person plays as Batman/Joker etc while the others play as henchmen/guards,Gordon etc? Think the game structure could lend itself to something like this.Patrolling an area looking for The Bat in the shadows could add to some great tense games! Now if that came out a 'REE downloadable content, i'd be a happy man.

  • Bazqwerty #44 2 years ago

    And every character in the game has stats on them, I wonder why they would go to all that trouble if you couldn't eventually play as that person somewhere down the line?

  • Bazqwerty #45 2 years ago

    I could see it working if they offered a balanced scoring system, for example, you would get more points for taking out Batman as a simple henchman than Batman would taking you out. As for the looking up bit, the only way we've played the game @ the moment is as Batman,with detective vision, not sure how much u could see up in the dark as a henchman,would be interesting to find out. Prob never happen, but the more I play the single player game,the more I can seriously see a multiplayer game!

  • TeaFiend #46 2 years ago

    I would really doubt there being multiplayer DLC. And if there was just how many of you would be complaining at having to pay for multiplayer?