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Batman: Arkham Knight headed to Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC in 2014
In a move that won't surprise Batfanatics, a new Batman game is headed to Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC at some point this year. The latest caped crusader game entry is titled Batman: Arkham Knight, and it's set to complete the trilogy that Rocksteady Games started back in 2009 (which includes Arkham Asylum and Arkham City, and doesn't include Arkham Origins). We've dropped the first teaser video below the break, which heavily features both very serious sad talking and a totally sweet Batmobile. We'll let you decide which is more exciting.
Batman: Arkham Knight leaked on GAME listing [Update: 10/14 list date]
A listing for Batman: Arkham Knight appeared on the GAME retailer site. While no longer available to view, the game was listed for PS4, Xbox One and PC. A Google search limited to GAME's site shows the listing existed in some capacity before being pulled by the retailer. Update: Game Informer revealed that Batman: Arkham Knight will be the cover of its April magazine. The game will be the final one in the Arkham series from Rocksteady, and is set after the events of Batman: Arkham City. The game will feature the Batmobile and a new area of Gotham City reportedly "far larger" than that of Arkham City. Batman will spend his time in the game hunting down familiar foes: Scarecrow, Two-Face, Penguin and Harley Quinn in particular. Update 2: WBIE issued a trailer for the game and a press release, the latter found after the break. The publisher noted that the game will launch this year. Update 3: The game's website lists Harley Quinn as a playable character via a pre-order bonus. The add-on content will include four challenge maps and give players the opportunity to use Harley's "unique weapons, gadgets, and abilities first-hand." Update 4: An image on GameStop promoting Batman: Arkham Knight's Harley Quinn pre-order bonus lists an October 14 release date for the game. Given that GameStop is the only retailer with that listed date at the moment, we wouldn't mark our calendars just yet. We've added the image after the break and reached out to Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment to confirm the date. Update 5: A Warner Bros. representative told Joystiq, "Batman: Arkham Knight is scheduled for release worldwide in 2014. " [Image: WBIE]
Batman Arkham Origins Blackgate Deluxe hits PC, consoles April 1
Batman Arkham Origins: Blackgate will receive a Deluxe Edition version on April 1, Warner Bros Interactive Entertainment announced today. The Deluxe Edition will launch digitally on PS3, Xbox 360, Wii U and PC via Steam after Blackgate was previously only available on Vita and 3DS. The transition to consoles and PC isn't a total surprise: Blackgate was spotted on the Xbox Games Store earlier this month and on Steam in January. Batman Arkham Origins: Blackgate Deluxe Edition will include "enhanced high-definition 2.5-D graphics" as well as a new map and hint system. Deluxe Edition owners will be able to unlock a Zero Year Batsuit skin in addition to all the outfits in the game. The game will cost $20 on the PSN, Xbox Live, Nintendo eShop and Steam digital platforms. [Image: Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment]
Batman: Arkham Origins team prioritizing DLC over bug fixes
The Batman: Arkham Origins support page is full of frustrated players after community manager "Mercury" wrote that the Origins development team would be focused on completing story DLC instead of fixing the game's numerous, game-breaking bugs. "The team is currently working hard on the upcoming story DLC and there currently are no plans for releasing another patch to address the issues that have been reported on the forums," Mercury wrote. "If we do move forward with creating a new patch, it will try to address the progression blocking bugs for players, not the minor glitches that do not prevent one from continuing to play. The issues that are not progression blockers will unfortunately no longer be addressed." Unfortunately, it's not the first bad news for bat-fans: those who purchased Arkham Origins on Wii U recently had the story DLC for the game canceled.
DC Animated to tap Batman: Arkham franchise for 2014 film
Warner Bros. Entertainment will be adapting the Batman: Arkham series of games into an animated film for release sometime later this year, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Details, much like Riddler trophies and Chronicles of Arkham, are rare, scattered and a bit confusing. For example, we know the name - Batman: Assault on Arkham - and what the adaptation isn't. According to Hollywood Reporter, Warner Bros. is remodeling its DC Animated Movies line so that they share a single continuity - think of how Marvel Studios built up to The Avengers and you've got an idea of how this will work. WB plans to release two movies per year that will fall into this new continuity, as well as a third film that does not tie into the DC Animated Movies continuity. Batman: Assault on Arkham is slated as that third film for 2014. Jay Olivia, director of Justice League: War is set to direct. According to the film's IMDB page, Mark Hamill will not reprise his role as Joker, though Kevin Conroy will once again take up the cowl as Batman. [Image: Warner Bros.]
Sackboy meets Batman in latest LittleBigPlanet DLC
Following a LittleBigPlanet appearance by Marvel Comics' most famous characters, DC is getting into the act with the DC Comics Premium Level Pack, a DLC addition that grants Sackboy new abilities, offers new missions, and finally answers the age-old question, "Who would win in a fight: Superman or an ambulatory burlap creature?"
You'd have to be at least a little bit crazy to use this Batman 'Tumbler' iPhone case
I love the new Batman trilogy, and judging by the fact that the last film in Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight saga raked in more than a billion dollars, I'm clearly not alone. However, there's no way anyone in their right mind would be enamored with the Caped Crusader to the point that they'd slap this Batmobile case on their iPhone... at least I hope not. Modeled after the "Tumbler" version of the Batmobile from the Dark Knight series, the case is being sold by Bandai. As you can see from the product images, the ridiculous accessory increases the overall bulk of the phone by a huge degree, and from a protection standpoint, I imagine it actually does make the device rather bulletproof (so to speak). As if the size and detail of the case weren't enough to put it solely in the category of novelty, it even features a built-in four-LED projector that displays the Bat-Signal. According to Bandai's website, the Tumbler won't be available unit March of next year, so if you were planning on buying it as a gag gift, it'll just have to wait.
Batman Arkham Collection packs three Batmans into one box
The Batman Arkham Collection will arrive on November 22 in the UK, Warner Bros. announced today. The bundle packs the two Rocksteady-developed Arkham games, Batman: Arkham Asylum and Batman: Arkham City along with WB Games Montreal's Batman: Arkham Origins into one batsuit. Arkham Asylum and Arkham City will both be included as download codes for the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions of the collection, with the PS3 bundle also receiving the Knightfall DLC pack for Arkham Origins. The PC version of the bundle will feature Game of the Year editions of either game, which grants players bonus DLC like Harley Quinn's Revenge for Arkham City and six additional maps for Arkham Asylum. Those two games are in a bundle of their own, which GameStop unveiled in September. We've contacted Warner Bros. to see if the Arkham Collection will arrive in North America as well.
Alter Ego: Issue #2 - Learning to fly in DC Universe Online
Last time in Massively's DC Universe Online webcomic, Kid Critical escaped from Brainiac's dastardly clutches and -- aided by the Man of Steel -- brought down one of the evil overlord's deadly harvester ships. But Brainiac still has designs on digitizing Earth and all its inhabitants. And both supervillains and petty criminals alike are leveraging the chaos to cause big trouble for the Justice League and its new exobyte-powered allies. Now, Kid Critical returns home to Gotham City, struggling with his super powers and at the mercy of a mysterious hacker called Oracle. Will he master his exobytes in time to help save the city? Or will he end up as another grease spot on Gotham's mean streets? Find out in Alter Ego #2: Learning to Fly.
Batman: Arkham Origins bugs prompt Warner Bros. apology
Following its recent launch, Batman: Arkham Origins greeted players with a number of game-breaking glitches - so many that publisher Warner Bros. Interactive has issued a public apology. The lengthy missive does its best to reassure players before outlining the three issues causing the most problems: players falling through the game's geometry, a vanishing "Continue" option on the main menu and an odd bug that removes FreeFlow Focus combat mode once a player has attained a third rank in the Shadow Vigilante skill. Helpfully, Warner Bros. claims to be working diligently to fix these problems. "The team has been working around the clock to review, validate and pinpoint the problems that have been reported and we have identified three main issues which we are tackling first, and are listed below," reads a message added to the official Arkham Origins forums. "For these issues, we expect the software update to be available within the next week."
Nokia Lumia 1320 hands-on: a huge 720p Windows Phone with a budget-minded price
We don't know what it is about Nokia's obsession with the caped crusader, but the Lumia 1320 -- which was given the codename of Batman -- isn't the first time we've seen the superhero associated with the Finnish company. No matter: what's important here is the fact that the 1320 has been officially unveiled at Nokia World 2013 in Abu Dhabi. Much like the 1520, its flagship brother, the 1320 features a 6-inch display; at an unsubsidized price of $339, however, the company is targeting this particular large smartphone at a more budget-minded consumer. The 1320 features some respectable specs that will appeal to wide range of users, such as a 720p ClearBlack panel, LTE and an impressive 3,400mAh battery. Imaging enthusiasts won't be terribly ecstatic about the 5MP autofocus camera on the back, and plenty of people will balk at the 8GB of internal storage (though microSD expansion is available). It will also come with a 1.7GHz dual-core Snapdragon 400 processor and 1GB of RAM. Take a look at our gallery of hands-on images below, and stay tuned for more of our first impressions after the break!
Nokia introduces the Lumia 1320, a mid-range 6-inch handset coming to Europe and Asia
Nokia came to Abu Dhabi prepared to put on a full show. At its annual Nokia World conference, the company just pulled the wraps off Batman -- its code name for the Lumia 1320. It comes with a 5-megapixel camera, dual-core processor and 6-inch 720p display. Price-wise, this is meant to be more affordable than it's equally new 1520 sibling, costing $339 before taxes. The 1320 comes with the new Nokia camera app, a more rounded design similar to the Lumia 625, and it'll launch early 2014 in China and Vietnam before rolling out across Asia, and Europe in four colors -- orange, yellow, black and white. Update: You'll find plenty more Lumia 1320 details in our detailed hands-on.
Nokia Lumia 1320 press shot leaks, hints at big-screen, budget Windows Phone (update: new image)
Nokia's range of extra-large Windows Phones may not be limited to flagships like the Lumia 1520. Frequent tipster @evleaks has just posted a press image of what's reported to be the Lumia 1320, better known by its unofficial "Batman" nickname. There aren't many clues to the specs, although it's clear that the phone would take advantage of Windows Phone GDR3's support for large displays. The side trim also supports theories that this is a Lumia 625-style budget handset, not a flagship. Given that Nokia's "innovation reinvented" event is tomorrow, there's a good chance that we'll know the full story behind the 1320 within a matter of hours. Update: Just for good measure, @evleaks has also posted an image of the Lumia 1320's back. You'll find it after the break.
Holy sales, Batman! Arkham series and Metro lead this week's deals
If you're a PC gamer looking forward to Friday's release of Batman: Arkham Origins and have yet to scoop up the previous two entries in the series, now might be a good time to do so, as they're 75 percent off on Steam until Monday, 10 am Pacific. That makes Batman: Arkham Asylum just $5.00, and Batman: Arkham City just $7.50. Both versions are Game of the Year editions, meaning even more batarang for your buck. Not a bat-fan? Amazon has unearthed savings on Tomb Raider and Metro: Last Light, which are both on sale for $19.99 through the week, while Best Buy is helping aspiring gamer musicians get into the groove by taking $50 off the cost of any electric guitar when you buy Rocksmith 2014. Lots of good things on sale, stranger.
Wii U, 3DS and boxed PC Batman: Arkham Origins delayed in UK, not North America
The Wii U and boxed PC versions of Batman: Arkham Origins have been delayed to November 8 in the UK, CVG reported. The Xbox 360, PS3 and digital PC versions of the game will still launch on October 25. Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate has also been delayed to November 8 on 3DS, but not on Vita. That's not the case for North American players, however. A Warner Bros. representative told Joystiq that "Batman: Arkham Origins will launch on all platforms in North America on October 25." Warner Bros. did not provide a reason for the delay for its UK audience.
Troy Baker kills it with Joker monologue from The Killing Joke
Troy Baker, amateur opera singer and voice of the Joker in the upcoming Batman: Arkham Origins, gave a live demonstration of his vocal talents to New York Comic-Con attendees, and the results are ... well, skip to 2:12 in the above video and see for yourself. The speech Baker reads in the video is from a one-shot Batman comic called "The Killing Joke," written by Alan Moore. In the comic, the monologue begins while Joker tortures Commissioner Gordon by chaining him to a carnival ride and forcing him to view pictures of his daughter Barbara Gordon (who at the time was also Batgirl), naked and paralyzed from a gunshot wound Joker inflicted on her. So yeah, it's kind of dark material. If you watch before Baker gives his performance, you'll also see him describe the audition process. Apparently, Baker didn't even know who he was auditioning for until part-way through. "I remember that, walking into an audition and I think that, actually, it wasn't even Joker, it was a character whose name was just 'Jack,'" Baker said. It wasn't too long before Baker realized what he was reading, as well as the pressure he was under. Baker also sings a little jingle at the end of the video, which we'll recite for you now: "Some say I am good. Some say I am evil, even more so than the Sith. But I suppose you'll all find out on October 25th."
Batman: Arkham Origins mobile game for iOS, Android revealed
Fisticuff enthusiast NetherRealm Studios is developing a free-to-play adaption of the upcoming Batman: Arkham Origins for release on iOS during the "console game launch window," Warner Bros. announced in a press release yesterday. An Android version will surface later on "in the holiday timeframe." The mobile version will stage fights between Batman and "a number of DC Comics' most deadly assassins" within Gotham City. Besting bad guys will reward players with a "number of unique Batsuits" as well as "in-game currency and rewards." Those who register both the mobile and console versions with a Warner Bros. ID account will also gain access to exclusive content.
Batman: Arkham Origins Season Pass adds skins, story expansion
Those of you planning to pick up Batman: Arkham Origins may want to earmark an extra $20 for the game's Season Pass, as it includes a host of bonus content and even additional story. Included are the Millennium and Infinite Earths Skin Packs, which each feature five new costumes for Batman and one for Robin. The Gotham By Gaslight and Brightest Day packs deliver two additional Batman skins, while the Initiation DLC pack allows players to battle the forces of evil as Bruce Wayne. Most notably, the Season Pass also grants access to an as-yet unnamed expansion pack which is said to expand the plotline found in Batman: Arkham Origins. Batman: Arkham Origins debuts on the PlayStation 3, PC, Wii U and Xbox 360 on October 25. The Season Pass should appear at the same time.
Batman: Arkham Origins goes retro in Knightfall DLC
The Sony-exclusive Knightfall DLC for Batman: Arkham Origins features five new challenge maps as well as two character skins: Inexplicably muscular Adam West circa 1963, and Jean-Paul Valley, the angry guy who replaced Bruce Wayne as Batman for a blessedly short period in the mid-90s.
Gallery: The Tokyo Game Show 2013 Square Enix/Play Arts Booth
An annual staple of the Tokyo Game Show's shopping area, this year's Square Enix/Play Arts booth spared no expense in showcasing the future of its incredibly cute and/or highly detailed lines of action figures and statues. Now, we don't really have room for this sort of stuff in our tiny, hopeless apartments, but we'd be lying if we said we haven't already priced out Ikea display cases for some of this loot. But for the folks out there with ample shelf space and a proclivity for placing plastic personnel on pedestals, take note: You want some Metal Gear? You want some tiny little adorable Theaterhythm dudes? You want a hyper-future robotic samurai Batman? Our gallery has you covered, yo.
