DC FanDome, which occurred this past weekend is the venerable comic publisher?s attempt to pivot in a world where comic conventions weren?t happening. It?s a streaming event where the company can announce new multimedia projects and provide updates in a controlled environment. Amongst the television, movie and comic book news was updates from WB games. Announced at last year?s event WB Games showed two new trailers for teams who have been primarily known for developing Batman titles.
Rocksteady Studios, who is primarily known for the trio of Arkham titles showed a new trailer for their first non-Batman title since 2006?s Urban Chaos: Riot Response, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. The trailer doesn?t explicitly show gameplay but provides a glimpse as to why the Task Force X was assembled to undertake a mission in Metropolis. Amanda Waller, the mastermind behind the squad is revealed and she bears a striking resemblance to Debra Wilson who voices the tough as nails government operative. We also get to hear WWE Superstar Samoa Joe as King Shark, a character whose profile in the public consciousness certainly has been on rise. Although I?m skeptical as to what?s alluded to in the game?s title will happen, I guess we?ll have to wait till 2022 to find out.
The other title comes from WB Montreal who is best known for Batman: Arkham Origins, a title which isn?t considered part of the Rocksteady Studios? Arkham canon despite having Arkham in its title. Gotham Knights has you controlling one of the four members of Batman?s closest allies, taking place in a world where Batman and Commissioner Gordon have died. Since these tragedies, Gotham has been on the decline and a once clandestine faction has seemingly revealed itself. The Court of Owls is a secret society which has been in control of Gotham City long before Batman began his operations and serves as the core antagonist in the title. Since the Court is a relatively new creation (introduced by the duo of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo in 2011), the trailer serves as an introduction to the group to the greater public and to set the mood that they are not to be trifled with. Looks like the remainders of the Bat family will take on this avian themed illuminati group when the title comes out in 2022.
It will be interesting to see Rocksteady Studios? interpretation of the greater DC universe and to have WB Montreal get another shot at the Batman IP. With both titles slated for a nebulous 2022 release, let?s up conventional wisdom prevails and both titles will not release too close to each other so each title can breath on it?s own.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Official Story Trailer ? ?Ticking?:
Gotham Knights – Official Court of Owls Story Trailer:
Gotham Knights – Court of Owls: Behind The Scenes:
