Batman
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Batman goes retro with NECA 8-bit colored figure
The latest addition to NECA's successful line of 8-bit video game tributes is Batman from the 1989 video game based on the Tim Burton movie. The 7-inch figurine has 25 points of articulation, removable cape and Batarang. The paint job is meant to evoke the Dark Knight's purple hue from the NES game. There will be only one production run of the figure and it will be available in October. More details on the figure are planned for this weekend's San Diego Comic-Con. Previous entries in the 8-bit series include Robocop, Predator and Jason Voorhees. [Image: NECA]
DC Universe Online highlights the creation of Batman
It's been 75 years since Batman's creation, and that means everyone is talking about the Dark Knight. More than usual, even. DC Universe Online has gotten in on the action with a series of short videos exploring how Gotham's protector was brought into the game, what players can do to really feel like a part of the bat-family, and what the future holds for everyone's favorite nocturnal billionaire aside from beating up clowns. The videos feature artist Jim Lee, voice actor Kevin Conroy, and various members of the DCUO development team looking at every aspect of the character in the game. There are three different videos past the break, but each one is fairly short -- you can watch them all at once or take them in chunks, whichever you'd prefer. It's a great dose of bat-nostalgia for fans of the game.
Flickr Find: POW! ZAP! CRUNCH! Batman on an Apple II
With Batman turning 75-years-old, it's only fitting that he make his appearance on the Apple II thanks to Matthew Pearce who resurrected the original Caped Crusader game for the Mac. You can check out the still shot above and watch the game in action in the video below.
Six retailers, six pre-order bonuses for Lego Batman 3
If you're planning to pre-order Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, you've got some homework to do. Publisher Warner Bros. Interactive is rolling out a bevy of pre-order bonuses, but all six are retailer exclusive. In nearly alphabetical order: Amazon offers players a Lego Batgirl keychain, Best Buy hopes to pull in pre-orders with the official Lego Batman 3 digital comic book, while GameStop has a Lego Plastic Man minifigure and Toys R Us is promoting its pre-orders with a Lego Joker keychain. Target and Wal-Mart are the only retailers offering Lego minisets, a Lego Batwing for Target, and a Lego Tumbler for Wal-Mart. Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham is currently slated for release on nearly every platform (Xbox 360, Xbox One, PlayStation Vita, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PC, Wii U, 3DS) toward the end of 2014. [Image: WBIE]
Batman: Arkham Origins 'Complete Edition' listed by Amazon Germany
You don't have to be the "World's Greatest Detective" to follow this trail: Amazon Germany has posted a listing for Batman: Arkham Origins "Complete Edition," a package which will supposedly combine Arkham Origins and all of its DLC into one box. The move, if accurate, isn't exactly unexpected; both Arkham Asylum and Arkham City received similar treatments when they re-released as Game of the Year editions. The Complete Edition - which has not been officially announced by Warner Bros. - is listed as coming to PC, PS3 and Xbox 360 on August 21. [Image: Amazon/Warner Bros.]
Seen@E3: Da-nanananananana Batmobile
Alright, this has to violate ... we don't know, at least 12 different health, fire safety and traffic laws. No wonder the villains in Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham Knight are so angry with Gotham's Dark Knight: he's totally inconsiderate of where he parks his car! Sorry Bats, but we're gonna have to write you a ticket for, let's say $1,000. We know that's a lot, but hopefully it'll teach you a lesson: you either park your car in an approved space or live long enough to see yourself handed a parking violation. [Image: Joystiq]
Batman: Arkham Knight delayed into 2015
This year's lineup of blockbuster games is on the wane, with Batman: Arkham Knight making a high-profile exit into 2015. The Arkham series, which has mainly been a product of Rocksteady Studios and the matching realization that Batman games don't have to be robot-punching slogs through Gotham's sewers, is set to conclude with Arkham Knight. Though constructing a huge, mega-gritty Gotham fit for PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is taking longer than expected, publisher Warner Bros. Interactive is still bringing out its big guns for E3 – said guns being attached to the euphemistic Batmobile, seen above. This is a straight-up tank, Batman. Do you want Commissioner Gordon to give his speech about escalation again? [Images: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]
Batman: Arkham Knight trailer unleashes your greatest fears
Warner Bros. unleashed a new trailer for Batman: Arkham Knight today, and while it stretches our personal definition of "gameplay video," it does ramp up the drama in the Dark Knight's night-life. The video shows off Batman's new plated suit as well as developer Rocksteady's version of the Batmobile. It also gives Batman a closer look at his newest nemesis, the Arkham Knight. Batman: Arkham Knight was unveiled in March and is set one year after the events of Batman: Arkham City, in a section of Gotham said to be "five times larger" than that of Arkham City. The game's soundtrack is being composed by David Buckley and Nick Arundel, the former signing on after scoring Call of Duty: Ghosts. Kevin Conroy returns in Arkham Knight to voice Batman after Roger Craig Smith took on the role for WB Games Montreal's Batman: Arkham Origins. Arkham Knight is coming to Xbox One, PS4 and PC. [Image: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]
Barely Related: Affleck's tiny Batman ears, tons of TV
Some weeks are more hectic than others for no apparent reason – and that just makes the weekend so much sweeter. Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs. Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.
Barely Related: Power Rangers film, Gotham trailer
Ah, Friday. Welcome to Barely Related, a conversational Friday column that presents the non-gaming news stories that we, the Joystiq staff, have been talking about over the past week. And no, we're not stopping our focus on industry and gaming news. Think of this as your casual weekly recap of interesting (and mostly geeky) news, presented just in time to fill your brain with things to discuss at all of those weekend shindigs. Grab a fresh drink, lean back in your armchair, and get ready to talk nerdy with us.
Batman animated film based on Arkham series gets suicidal trailer
The DC Animated film based on the Batman: Arkham series of video games, which we initially reported on back in February, has been given its first trailer. The film will feature appearances from several Arkham series mainstays such as Joker and Harley Quinn, as well as the first Arkham universe appearance of the Suicide Squad, a supergroup of villains who team up for the greater bad. If you know nothing of the Suicide Squad, here's all you need to know: one of the villains in the film calls himself Captain Boomerang. Say no more, we're onboard. While the Suicide Squad was teased and hinted at during both Arkham Origins and Arkham Origins Blackgate, it looks like this will be the first time we see the group as a cohesive whole in the Arkham universe. Kevin Conroy will reprise his role as Batman, while Troy Baker will once again voice Joker. The film is not yet rated, nor does it have a release date. [Image: DC Animated]
Xbox 360 spring sale discounts Batman games, Saints Row 4
Microsoft is cleaning out its digital shelves with a sizable sale on Xbox 360 games and add-ons this week. Ending April 21, the sale spans 11 games and hundreds of pieces of DLC. Five of the games feature popular DC comics superhero Batman in some capacity, such as 75 percent off both Batman: Arkham Asylum and Arkham City through Games on Demand ($4.99 / £3.74 / 4.99 euros each). Additionally, Injustice: Gods Among us is half-off ($19.99 / £17.49 / 24.99 euros), Lego Batman 2 is 67 percent off ($6.59 / £4.94 / 6.59 euros) and XBLA game Gotham City Imposters is 75 percent off ($3.74 / £2.49 / 3.59 euros). All of the above deals are valid for those with a paid Xbox Live Gold subscription. Among the other games on sale for all Xbox Live users is Saints Row 4, which is half-off this week ($14.99 / £12.49 / 14.99 euros). Three other games are discounted through Games on Demand: Borderlands 2 is 65 percent off ($6.99 / £6.99 / 10.49 euros), Lego Marvel Super Heroes is 33 percent off ($33.49 / £30.14 / 43.54 euros) and Prototype 2 is 75 percent off ($9.99 / £4.99 / 7.49 euros). Lastly, XBLA games Pac-Man Championship Edition DX+ is half-off ($4.99 / £3.37 / 4.74 euros) and Assassin's Creed: Liberation HD is 33 percent off ($13.39 / £10.71 / 13.39 euros) for the week. [Image: Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment]
Batman: Arkham Knight scored by Call of Duty: Ghosts composer
David Buckley, composer for Call of Duty: Ghosts, signed on to write the music for Batman: Arkham Knight. Buckley will co-compose the game's soundtrack with Nick Arundel, the composer that scored the other two games in Rocksteady's Arkham triology: Batman Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. Aside from Call of Duty: Ghosts, Buckley's work in the video game space includes Metal Gear Solid 4 and Activision's Shrek Forever After game. He also composes music for the CBS TV show The Good Wife and the Ben Affleck-directed film, The Town, and provided additional music for Jerry Bruckheimer's Prince of Persia film. Announced in March as the final game in the series from Rocksteady, Batman: Arkham Knight will prominently feature the Batmobile as a primary gameplay element. The game is set in a section of Gotham City that's said to be "five times larger" than that of Arkham City, and will include "traffic-friendly streets" to accommodate for the Dark Knight's favorite ride. It will also spotlight the aptly named Arkham Knight, an arch-villain created from scratch by Rocksteady and DC Entertainment CCO Geoff Johns. The game is slated to launch later this year for Xbox One, PS4 and PC. [Image: Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment]
Comic Book Wednesdays come to Google Play with single issues from DC
Google Play Books and DC Entertainment are showing off their super friendship once again, but, this time, for readers who'd rather consume comics in bite-sized portions. As of today, you can grab single issues from the publisher directly from Mountain View's media market. To celebrate, there's even a sale on the likes of Aquaman and Adventure Comics for $0.99 an issue, while a handful of others including Batman and Green Arrow are under $3 apiece. As the senior vice president of DC's Vertigo label has told CNET, its Google customers were happy but kept asking for single issues. As a result, the outfit beefed up its back-end to accommodate the weekly storefront schedule, and now you should have new issues 52 times a year. See? Further proof that if you really want a company to do something, all you have to do is ask politely.
PSN Tuesday: Mercenary Kings on PS4, Batman busts out of Blackgate
Take a side-scrolling stroll through this week's PlayStation Store update, which adds Mercenary Kings and a Batman Arkham spin-off to the aisles. Mercenary Kings, a thick-set Metal Slug-esque shooter with wild animation, comes to the PlayStation 4 in the same footsteps as survival game Don't Starve: from Steam's Early Access on PC, to completed freebie through PlayStation Plus (and $20 otherwise). Meanwhile, Batman: Arkham City for PlayStation 3 enters the Plus library as a free download. The 2.5D spin-off of Batman: Arkham Origins, dubbed Blackgate Deluxe Edition, is also in store for $20, having transitioned from Vita and Nintendo 3DS to this updated PS3 incarnation. Check PlayStation blog for the other updates and convoluted titles, including Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Summoner: Raidou Kuzunoha Vs The Soulless Army. That's the one with Grigori Rasputin.
EA looks to WB's Batman: Arkham success with Star Wars games
In a recent interview with Fortune, Electronic Arts CEO Andrew Wilson discussed his vision for the company, as well as the challenges he's faced, since taking over in September of last year. While most of the interview was a CEO issuing statements meant to assure his company's audience that they're focused on making great games, Wilson also noted the success of other publishers. When discussing the company's recent licensing deal with Disney to produce Star Wars games, Wilson pointed to Warner Bros. Interactive's Arkham series as an example of how to do licensed properties right: "What Warner Bros. did with Batman was take the core roots of that IP and manifest that inside the walls of Gotham City and delivered an interactive experience that had real ties to what you would see in the films and what you had read in the comics, while having its own life because it could provide such deep and more immersive storylines," Wilson said. "When we look at the Star Wars properties, that's how we're looking at it. We're not trying to build a game that replicates the storyline of any particular film." Wilson also left the door open regarding what business model future EA games would follow. Comparing the mobile and home game markets, Wilson said, "I don't think ... that all of us are suddenly going to stop playing games on our 60-inch TVs because that's great gaming, and that's great entertainment. How you get that game there, I think that's anyone's guess." [Image: Warner Bros.]
Latest Batman: Arkham Knight screens show the dark knight's new villain
Batman and Commissioner Gordon were recently on display in these totally-not-brooding screens for Batman: Arkham Knight. One of the characters showcased in the screens is Rocksteady's new arch-villain, appropriately dubbed "Arkham Knight." The PS4, Xbox One and PC game will arrive later this year.
Infinite Crisis launches open beta, new trailer
DC multiverse MOBA Infinite Crisis is now in open beta, and Turbine has released a new trailer to celebrate. Open beta adds Green Arrow, Aquaman, and Mecha Superman to the roster of playable heroes and villains. Players may battle across three distinct maps including Gotham Divided and Gotham by Gaslight. You can watch the open beta trailer after the break! [Source: Turbine press release]
Joystiq Weekly: Batman: Arkham Knight, our South Park review and more
Welcome to Joystiq Weekly, a "too long; didn't read" of each week's biggest stories, reviews and original content. Each category's top story is introduced with a reactionary gif, because moving pictures aren't just for The Daily Prophet. Rocksteady revealed its return to the Batman series this week with Batman: Arkham Knight, and we've dug out capes and Batarangs from our Halloween stash to get properly excited. Last year's Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate were the first pieces of the series that weren't developed by Rocksteady. We enjoyed Arkham Origins well enough, but we're ready to move on from its bugs and glitches, especially since not all of them will be fixed with a patch. Arkham Knight is set to be the final game in the Arkham series, and we're eager to see what Rocksteady will do for the finale once it releases in October. There's plenty to read while we wait however, including news of Amy Hennig's departure from Naughty Dog, a preview of Watch Dogs and a review of South Park: The Stick of Truth. We've rounded up those stories and more for you in this week's edition of the Joystiq Weekly. [Image: Warner Bros.]
Batman Arkham Knight set one year later, 'five times larger' than Arkham City
The recently-revealed final game from Rocksteady in the Arkham series, Batman Arkham Knight, will feature "traffic-friendly streets" in a map that's said to be "roughly five times the size" of Batman Arkham City. Lead AI and combat programmer Tim Hanagan told Game Informer that "at any given time, there are between three and four times the number of thugs active in Gotham City than there were in Arkham City," and that larger riots in the game will have up to 50 characters wreaking havoc. Arkham Knight is set one year after Arkham City, in which Batman's foes have banded together to tear the Dark Knight's attention away from a crumbling Gotham City. The single player-only game will also include an arch-villain created from scratch by Rocksteady and DC Entertainment CCO Geoff Johns. Rocksteady's initial announcement focused on another big addition to the Arkham series: Players will get plenty of time in the driver's seat of the Batmobile, which can be fetched at the press of a button, can handle the jumps and boosts expected of the more reckless drivers among us and will eject Batman out of his seat at times. Kevin Conroy will return to voice Batman after Roger Craig Smith lent his voice to the character in Arkham Origins. Additionally, Nolan North will voice Penguin, Wally Wingert will voice Riddler, Tara Strong will continue as Harley Quinn and Troy Baker will voice Two-Face again. Speaking of Harley Quinn, Joker's popular sidekick will be playable via pre-order bonus content that includes four challenge maps. [Image: Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment]
