Batman: Arkham Asylum revealed by Game Informer

by Ross Miller { Aug 12th 2008 at 6:24PM }

While the rumored "Bat Theft Auto" Pandemic title may still prove true, we now have definite news of a new Batman game in the works care of Game Informer. Batman: Arkham Asylum is being developed by Rocksteady Studios (Urban Chaos Riot Response) and Eidos. According to Game Informer's online teaser, the Joker will be the main villain in the story of a prison break gone awry, written by Paul Dini (Justice League, Batman Beyond).

Additionally, a 10-digit countdown can be seen on Rocksteady's site. Our math is a little fuzzy, but it's going to take approximately "a good while" (i.e. over 2 years) to reach zero.

Update: Some details reportedly from GI have been posted on NeoGAF (read: we can't confirm any of this at the moment). The Unreal Engine 3-powered game is going for a gritty, Chronicles of Riddick-esque feel. DC Comics' Wildstorm is crafting the characters' look. Some villains in the game include Joker, Harley Quinn, Killer Croc, Penguin, Riddler, Scarecrow and more. According to the post, Arkham Asylum is projected for a 2009 release on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 and is not being rushed to tie into any TV or film marketing cycles.

Tags: arkham-asylum, batman, batman-arkham-asylum, breakingnews, eidos, rocksteady-studios

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Isaac @ Aug 12th 2008 6:27PM

Edios?

Really?

Dan @ Aug 12th 2008 6:29PM

I think we can be fairly sure that either the countdown on the site isn't a proper countdown or that my maths is crap. I worked it out at 21 years to complete...

jesusjuice @ Aug 12th 2008 6:43PM

yeah i got 21 years too... someone sucks at their elementary grade math

Unknown @ Aug 13th 2008 5:21PM

That's what I got as well... something tells me that this isn't a 21 year countdown, though... :)

Deadpool @ Aug 12th 2008 6:45PM

Well I got around 2.16 years, somewhere around that. Just move the decimal and you got it.

So yea! We got the answer! Booo! We have to wait till 2010? I'll be an old fart by then.[26]

guidedbyvoip @ Aug 12th 2008 7:05PM

I posted the same too (on shacknews). 21 years? Wouldn't it be Batman Beyond: Arkham Asylum by that point?

theturtle363 @ Aug 12th 2008 6:32PM

*HEAD EXPLODES*

xGeneral DEATHx @ Aug 13th 2008 8:10AM

*Grabs mop*

theturtle363 @ Aug 13th 2008 1:35PM

thanks dude, dont want anyone to slip

Danny @ Aug 12th 2008 6:32PM

Drool...this could be good. But only if they make it in the same vein as this http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arkham_Asylum:_A_Serious_House_on_Serious_Earth

Nightvortez @ Aug 12th 2008 6:32PM

I was wondering when this will get posted, looks real good, I'm glad they didn't just go off the movie and created their own video game direction. I'd like to see Hamill come in to voice the Joker.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Aug 12th 2008 7:07PM

I'm going to guess that that's what this game is based on.

Megadanxzero @ Aug 12th 2008 6:35PM

I make that about... 8000 days 'til it finishes? Give or take a few hundred...

theturtle363 @ Aug 12th 2008 6:39PM

Getting over the head exploding initial excitement, although I'm deeply pleased by the addition of the phenomenal Paul Dini, im unsure about the rather unproved developer.

Andy @ Aug 12th 2008 6:42PM

I think that the right-most digit is changing faster than once per second, and the next digit to the left is either right around one per second, or close to that. So, assuming the second changes one time per second, the countdown will hit 0 in approximately 2.1 years.

Maybe they just want to beat Duke Nukem Forever to the punch? ;)

cwhitely @ Aug 12th 2008 6:43PM

ummmmmmm according to that countown, it'll be about 21 years before it comes out hahaha

Don @ Aug 12th 2008 6:45PM

I think you math is a little off. I calculate it to be a little over two years. The last digit is tenths of a second.

Don @ Aug 12th 2008 6:47PM

I think you math is a little off. I calculate it to be a little over two years. The last digit is tenths of a second.

guidedbyvoip @ Aug 12th 2008 7:09PM

9 place holders not including the tenths of seconds.

Momentarily:
681419510 / 60 seconds = 11,356,992 minutes
113,569,973 / 60 min = 189,283 hours
189,283 / 24 hrs = 7,887 days
7,887 / 365 days = 21.6 years.

Vii @ Aug 12th 2008 6:55PM

I hope this is a game based on the graphic novel of same name. Arkham Asylum was a cool Batman story which takes place within the confines of Arkham. Anyway my interest is piqued.

theturtle363 @ Aug 12th 2008 7:05PM

considering the style on the covers and that Paul Dini is the writer, I doubt that's the case

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Aug 12th 2008 7:09PM

Or you know it is possible that Paul Dini could be adapting the original story into the video game.

theturtle363 @ Aug 12th 2008 7:18PM

i suppose, but to me the radically different art styles that were so central to the Arkham graphic novel would not fit with what the game seems to be

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Aug 12th 2008 7:23PM

I honestly don't see how you could implement the art style from the book into a video game.

theturtle363 @ Aug 12th 2008 7:45PM

well couldnt you have said the same about japanese wood cuts and oil paintings and Okami?

Vii @ Aug 12th 2008 9:44PM

Well its possible that theturtle363 is right. Especially when you consider that Grant Morrison (who I believe is currently writing the Batman RIP story arch) is not the writer for this game, but rather the aforementioned Dini.

Vegeta (aka Ska Oreo) @ Aug 12th 2008 10:11PM

As I said before, it is quite possible that Paul Dini is doing an adaptation of the original story(I could be wrong though). Also, Okami is a bit different since the art style is a bit easier on the eyes. If this game had the same visiuals as in the comic, well then the game would be one massive head trip then.

cyrax @ Aug 12th 2008 7:46PM

Riot Response was one of the best little gems of last gen imo. Can't wait to hear more.

kftgr @ Aug 12th 2008 7:47PM

Unreal Engine 3? Lucky the play-from-hard-drive feature comes out before the game.

Glitch W @ Aug 12th 2008 9:50PM

Any Idea who voices batman? i'm hoping for Kevin Conroy

theturtle363 @ Aug 13th 2008 1:38PM

God I hope so, and Mark Hamil better be the Joker

Tom @ Aug 12th 2008 10:46PM

You guys are wrong with your math- the first number starting from the right is a tenth of a second, making the second number a full second...so at the moment:

68,140,465 seconds/60= 1,135,674 minutes
1,135,674 min/60= 18,927 hours
18,927 hours/24= 788 days

which is still 2.1 years, which is still too long

Waqman @ Aug 13th 2008 1:10AM

Wary about the unproved developer. But bloody excited by the magazine covers and idea of the game. Especially if they take some elements from the Grant Morrison graphic novel.

Looks like its finally a good time to be a Batman fan (besides the comics). We finally have an awesome movie series with Nolan taking charge, the best comic book movie of all time (arguable) and hopefully some good games.

helios_eclipsed @ Aug 13th 2008 2:00AM

Yeah, they've definitely got their tenths of a second in a stitch. If this releases in 2029, it had better be where you put on the Batman suit and conquer the evil in Gotham City. And I don't mean in a game.

DarkGeist @ Aug 13th 2008 2:19AM

The art looks fantastic! I really hope they take their sweet time developing the game.

I also hope they do their research by playing the other Batman games in order to be well...not like them.

DarkGeist @ Aug 13th 2008 2:22AM

The art looks fantastic! I really hope they take their sweet time developing the game.

I also hope they do their research by playing the other Batman games in order to be well...not like them.

Psaakyrn @ Aug 13th 2008 4:36AM

Theory: The person who set the webpage has their clock messed up.

Rationale: the timer is not server based. Change your clock date, refresh, new timer.

Psaakyrn @ Aug 13th 2008 4:45AM

And on that note, 01:46:40 18 March 2030.

Psaakyrn @ Aug 13th 2008 4:53AM

And on that note again, that's +8 GMT...

FranklinBluth22 @ Aug 13th 2008 1:45PM

Umm..........is it just me or is it actually more like 2 days???? It's counting down by seconds obviously...

3,600 seconds per hour x 24 hours = 86,400 seconds per day

The countdown is at about 166,700 as I see it right now which would mean it'll hit zero this Friday.

jason @ Aug 13th 2008 3:51PM

are you guys just slow with math or did they change the countdown? it's about 47 hrs away, whatever it is. 2 years? try 2 days.

Dan @ Aug 13th 2008 8:18PM

They most definitely changed the countdown (it used to be 10 digits long, with the second last digit counting down seconds, work it out).

TidalSpiral @ Aug 16th 2008 6:58AM

If you guys haven't seen the magazine in-game pictures, you need to. It looks damn good, especially a few images - 1) the Riddler's asylum cell with blood and question marks, 2) Batman putting the drop kick on a thug, 3) the Joker laughing in a Hannibal style restraint and 4) Killer Croc looming over Batman with some mad fangs. I think this will be the first Batman game that is enjoyable.