DC needs to drastically improve its output of video games

The Batman: Arkham series carried the DC video game brand for years, but now they are in need of a more consistently fulfilling release schedule.

From 2009 to 2015, there were four quality action-adventure Batman games that gave so much love to that character’s world and history. And then suddenly it just stopped.

There were still DC games being released like Batman: The Telltale Series, Injustice 2, Lego DC Super-Villains, and DC Super Hero Girls. While not terrible, that output could be significantly improved upon.

Marvel seems to have found its footing in gaming. Insomniac released Spider-Man and Miles Morales, which were beloved. While the Avengers game was polarizing, the same developer of that game made Guardians of the Galaxy, which people seem to really enjoy. Then there was Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3 on the Switch which did well.

Their upcoming games include the tactical RPG Midnight Suns, which feature a variety of beloved characters. Then Insomniac is making Spider-Man 2 and Wolverine, which are going to be a big deal when they release.

It took a while but Marvel is doubling down on the video game market and capitalizing on their popularity. The next couple of games based on DC comics could make or break them.

Gotham Knights

Gotham Knights is the next big DC game made from the ground up by WB Montreal, who made Arkham Origins back in 2013. This is an open-world RPG game where people can team up online as either Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, or Red Hood. It sounds awfully ambitious.

WB Montreal hasn’t made a game since Origins. They scrapped a Damian Wayne game they were working on and started all over for this

At first, when the game was revealed during DC FanDome, fans were excited, but there was no release date, which meant it was a ways off.

When a recent trailer got released, the reception was mixed. Arkham Knight is a 2015 game, and it still looks better and appears more responsive than Gotham Knights; a game coming exclusively to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

The game should still be given a chance, but it’s going to take work and time for it to be up to standard.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

Rocksteady is behind what’s considered the best of the Arkham series. The second entry, Arkham City, is considered by many to still be the best comic book video game ever, with only Insomniac’s Spider-Man competing with it.

After Arkham Knight, they went silent and many fans wondered if they’d ever make a superhero game again. Many wanted them to make a Superman game, which people have been demanding for years.

It was revealed that it was a co-op Suicide Squad game with Harley Quinn, Killer Shark, Captain Boomerang, and Deadshot. The trailers that followed were praised for the tone and witty dialogue. But as of now, it’s slated to release in 2023 with a lot more details yet to be revealed.

This is another ambitious game that is abandoning past hardware in favor of the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Since Arkham VR, it seems like they’ve been working on Squad for years on end.

It’ll be interesting to see the team behind such beloved Batman games and explore the DC universe through a unique lens.

Will it work? It could go either way, but Rocksteady were the ones that set the standard for modern superhero games, so maybe they could do it again.

Wonder Woman

It was announced that Monolith Productions, known for Middle Earth: Shadow of Mordor was working on a Wonder Woman game.

In the brief teaser trailer, a CGI Diana is shown along with the title of the game, but no gameplay or release date as of right now. That means it’s going to be a while.

It was announced that this game will be using the nemesis system seen in Mordor, which has NPCs react to past actions a player does.

All of that sounds like it could be an incredible experience, but not much more can be said until more is released.

Is that it for DC Games?

So another Batman-centric game, a Suicide Squad game after there have been two movies, and an overdue Wonder Woman game. People really wanted Rocksteady, the people who redefined Batman, to do the same for DC’s other flagship character. And there are also other heroes who’ve had a lack of representation as well.

Green Lantern, The Flash, Aquaman, Teen Titans, Cyborg, Justice League Dark, etc. could all have awesome big-budget games, but they’re just not making them. It would be hard to pull off, but developers can get creative and technology gets better every day.

The fact that there isn’t a meaningful modern Superman game that pays homage to his 80-year-plus history is quite baffling and it should become a priority.

Make or Break

These next three AAA DC games could make or break the DC brand going into this new generation of consoles. While yes there are other games that could potentially release like a Lego spin-off, a possible Injustice 3, etc. it still seems like DC is not living up to the potential of characters and stories it could put in games.

Video game development is extremely difficult and should not be taken for granted. However, when Marvel is putting out the variety of games they are now, it’s possible for DC’s output to improve, especially with the roster of characters they have,

The CEO of the recently merged Warner Discovery has reportedly been frustrated with the film side of things and their inconsistent track record. He should also be looking at WB Interactive as well to improve.

What they could also start doing is licensing out their IPs to other developers. Disney is finally starting to do that with Star Wars and Marvel and they have plenty of exciting projects to look forward to.

Maybe the upcoming games are all quality experiences, but WB/DC need to start letting other developers with creative ideas tackle their IP in order to fill up the gaming space with even more fun experiences that DC fans of all demographics could enjoy.

Are you looking forward to the future of DC video games or are there other properties you’d like to see? Let us know in the comments below!