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‘Batman: Return To Arkham’ Release Date Now Gliding Into November

By David Cornell
Published on: 09:20 PST, Jul 12, 2016

The Batman: Return to Arkham release date was originally slated for this month, but it seems Chinese developer Virtuous Games needs more time to polish the Dark Knight’s cape. The game has been delayed, and is currently gliding over to a possible November release date.

This could mean that Warner Bros. Games’ remastered version of the best solo superhero series of all time will be competing for your gaming dollar right around the time that the Xbox One S and the PlayStation Neo hit. Some might suggest that this means a possible Batman bundle on one of the consoles, including Batman VR (for PS4), Batman: Arkham Knight, and Return to Arkham on its release date.

The original Batman: Arkham Asylum was a more puzzle-based adventure in which the Joker is assumed to be captured and taken to the infamous asylum for Gotham’s criminally insane. Shortly after arriving, and several taunts supplied by Star Wars alum Mark Hamill, it turns out that the Joker had his capture planned all along, and the inmates had taken over. Batman defeated Joker in the end and had thought he had taken Arkham Asylum back.

However, in Arkham City, it turns out that Batman is dying, and Joker as well, from a toxin both had been exposed to called Titan. This toxin was based on the very chemical which gives Bane his superhuman appearance and strength, and there was a race for the antidote. As expected, Batman uses it on himself and survives.

Arkham Knight wasn’t really Batman’s return to the asylum, but it marked the return of Scarecrow as Batman began battling some familiar demons. He was haunted by a certain voice in his head, as well as the assumed death of a former ally. This final chapter in the saga had been made for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, a first for the series.

Batman: Arkham Origins was developed by Warner Bros. Games outside Rocksteady, and they decided, possibly after the disappointment felt by fans, not to include it in the upcoming remastered bundle.

Batman: Arkham Knight had also been the subject of two delays, one of which had moved it from a third quarter release date to late Spring. The other had delayed it for a small amount of time, which was likely due to the disappointing Batmobile which had been included in special editions.

A similar delay is now plaguing Batman: Return to Arkham‘s release date, and the reasons appear to be a frame rate issue. The graphical upgrade apparently gave the game some programming problems, and Virtuous Games doesn’t want their own repeat of the Arkham Knight PC release.

There had been a recall for initial releases of Batman: Arkham Knight on PC due to lacking textures, severe frame rate problems, and other things which made the game unplayable at launch. In this case, the delay of the Batman: Return to Arkham release date could be good news.

It means that Virtuous Games wants to get the game done right, even if it ends up delayed past November.

Yes, November is the current placeholder release date, and if it doesn’t make it by then, we will likely see it early in 2017. Virtuous Games’ official statement mirrors their decision to delay it.

“We do not have a release date yet and will be sure to communicate that once we are sure the game will be ready. We know this is disappointing news, but we feel the extra time will allow the team to create the best gaming experience for our fans.”

Do you think the Batman: Return to Arkham release date will successfully hit in November?

[Feature image via Warner Bros. Games]

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