Like DCU and Elseworlds, DC Games Can’t Be Afraid to Explore Another Batman

[[{“value”:”

Superhero storytelling can be a funny business, and flagship franchises like Batman make that more clear than ever. While the Caped Crusader seems to be mostly retired from the realm of video games for now, it’s likely only a matter of time before he squeezes his way back into the interactive world. How exactly this return will manifest is a mystery, though.

One interesting path that Warner Bros., the controlling entity of DC Comics, could take with future Batman games is a bifurcated one: the IP could be diversified rather than consolidated into one single continuity or franchise. This would reflect what DC is doing with the DCU and DC Elseworlds series, as the former contains the myriad DC rebirth films, TV shows, and games, while the latter is mostly retentive of the Arrowverse and its characters. This approach, having multiple versions of the same characters existing at once, in two separate continuities, might give audience and C-suite executives pause, but it actually makes a lot of sense.

Long-Running Continuity Is Rarely Successful in Comic Book Media

Taking a look at the longest-running comic book franchises—Batman, Superman, Spider-Man, et cetera—the uninitiated might be at a loss about how they have endured so many decades of relevance. But those familiar with comic book storytelling know that, even though a character like Batman has technically existed for almost a century now, the Batman of today is not the same Batman of the 1940s.

This is true in both a literal and figurative sense. Batman stories have changed to reflect the interests and values of their era and respective creators, but the character himself has literally changed as part of the series’ canon. In-universe events like Flashpoint have created multiple different versions of Batman, allowing Batman comics to deviate wildly in terms of tone, plot, and consequences.

This is to say nothing of the distinctions across different mediums. For many years, the Batman Arkham games existed alongside the Christopher Nolan Batman films, and audiences could enjoy both the games and the films without feeling confused or discombobulated: it was clear that these were two different visions of the Batman mythos. Moreover, the coexistence of these two franchises allowed for more diverse and refreshing stories; one could enjoy both the stylized, more comic-accurate world of the Arkham games and the grounded, action-thriller world of the Nolan films in equal measure. There was a wealth of choice for Batman fans, especially those open to different interpretations.

How Two Batman Video Game Franchises Could Exist Simultaneously

If Batman video games were to adopt the same release philosophy as the DCU and Elseworlds, with Warner Bros. licensing the IP to two or more development teams, gamers could get more, and more diverse, Batman game adaptations. Perhaps the Arkham series could come back in full swing, bringing Bruce Wayne back from the dead or starring Terry McGinnis of Batman Beyond. These new games could retain the open-world design of their predecessors, while another Batman franchise could be more linear or story-driven, with a different approach to combat, puzzle, and narrative design.

This would mean a denser release schedule, leading to more games in the hands of players. But perhaps more importantly, it would mean a broader spectrum of creative takes on Batman, as one team could explore the more sober and philosophical aspects of the character, while another could hone in on action-adventure elements, for example. There could be fears of one franchise cannibalizing the other, which might not be unfounded, but two concurrent Batman game series could just as easily attain massive success, supporting each other and keeping the broader IP strong and in-demand.

“}]] Projects like the newborn DCU and Elseworlds prove an important truth about superhero franchises, and Batman video games should explore it.  Read More