E3 2016: Batman Is Coming to PlayStation VR
It looks like Rocksteady Studios is still not quite yet done with the Batman: Arkham franchise. At this week’s Sony PlayStation E3 2016 press briefing, it was announced by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment that Batman: Arkham VR is in the works. Rocksteady Studios is developing the VR experience for PlayStation VR. You can check out the reveal trailer below.
This virtual reality experience will allow gamers to be “Be the Batman” unlike anything seen before. Batman: Arkham VR will allow players to step into the role of the Caped Crusader. This marks the first ever Dark Knight VR experience. Players will get to utilize Batman’s gadgets in Virtual Reality to unravel a plot that could threaten the live of Batman’s closest friends and allies.
Speaking on the announcement, Warner Bros. Interactive President David Haddad stated: “Virtual reality is expanding the video game space and entertainment overall, so it is extremely exciting to have our incredible team at Rocksteady Studios dive into this new storytelling medium with the Batman Arkham franchise. Rocksteady is one of the best at creating story-driven content, and Batman: Arkham VR will deliver a more immersive experience than anyone could have imagined only a few years ago.”
Rocksteady Studios Game Director Sefton Hill added: “Rocksteady is always looking for new ways to further engross players into the worlds we create and Batman: Arkham VR is an example of how we’re taking advantage of the latest technology to do that. The team is committed to delivering a Batman experience that stays true to the character and allows players to fully immerse themselves in the role of the World’s Greatest Detective.”
This week PlayStation Blog released a blog from Rocksteady game designer Bill Green, who said this will be a new story set in the Batman Arkham universe. Green also discussed fans will be able to explore Wayne Manor and the Batcave. You can explore Wayne Manor as Bruce Wayne, and then desccend into the Batcave to transform into Batman. Green also indicated that the story is an “intense murder mystery” in the style of classic Batman comics, but it will be mixed with the dark psychology of the Arkham games.
The new trailer features a monologue by The Joker, obviously voiced by Mark Hamill, talking about a “mask that fits.” The trailer doesn’t have any actual footage. VR is still a developing format, but this could potentially be an experience that could help the PlayStation VR platform take off. Still, it’s interesting to see that after Arkham Knight looked like it would be Rocksteady’s last foray into the Batman mythos that they still had something else up their sleeve.
Batman: Arkham VR will be available exclusively for the PlayStation 4 with PlayStation VR later this October.