New Batman Arkham Game Rumor Points to a Massive Gotham City and 2028 Release

A new rumor has provided more details about Rocksteady Studios' next Batman project, including its reported protagonist, setting, gameplay features, and potential release window. The info comes from Fortress of DC, a DC fan account that claims to have internal sources and has previously talked about an upcoming Superman game. 

However, none of these details have been officially confirmed by Warner Bros. Games or Rocksteady, so you should treat the information as an unverified report. According to the latest claims, the studio has moved away from earlier Batman Beyond and Justice League concepts and is now working on another Batman Arkham game starring Bruce Wayne.

The report claims that Rocksteady previously discussed both a Batman Beyond game and a Justice League project. 

Apparently, neither project progressed beyond the planning stage, meaning the studio did not develop either idea further. The decision to pursue another Batman game reportedly came after discussions involving DC Studios co-head James Gunn and the leadership of Rocksteady and NetherRealm Studios. 

The rumor is that Bruce Wayne will once again be the center of the story, but it’s unclear exactly where this new project sits within the Arkham timeline. The game could reportedly be a prequel to Batman: Arkham Asylum, a sequel to Batman: Arkham Knight, or a complete reboot of the series. 

The report does not provide enough information to establish which direction Rocksteady has chosen. What it does claim is that the game will feature a version of Gotham City that aims to be the largest map the series has seen. A larger Gotham could also give you more room to explore the city and allow Rocksteady to expand its open-world gameplay beyond what was offered in the previous Arkham games.

The Batmobile is also reportedly returning, although it will apparently work differently from its implementation in Batman: Arkham Knight. The original game's Batmobile was heavily integrated into exploration, combat, and certain puzzle sections, making it one of the most noticeable additions to the Arkham formula. 

The new report does not explain exactly how Rocksteady intends to change the vehicle this time around. That could mean anything from a redesigned driving system to a different role for the Batmobile within the larger Gotham City map.

The potential scale of Gotham is particularly interesting because another account, Just Xavier Is Un, reportedly responded to the Fortress of DC claims with information from its own alleged sources. According to that account, major development on the new Arkham game began in 2025. It questioned whether a project aiming to create the biggest Gotham City ever could realistically launch as early as 2028.

One possibility is that Rocksteady could build upon the Gotham City established in Arkham Knight rather than starting everything from scratch. 

The previous game was developed with Unreal Engine 4; the new title is said to be developed with Unreal Engine 5. But it would still take a lot of work to update the environment and technology, even if existing assets and concepts could serve as the basis for a larger version of Gotham. 

Another big question is whether this Batman game would be part of James Gunn’s new DC Universe. The report leaves that open, with other rumors suggesting before that the project could be set in the same universe as the new DC movies. But separating the game from the film universe could also make it easier to develop. 

It takes five, six, sometimes even seven years to finish video games. Movies usually come together much faster, so keeping stories and characters in sync without creating contradictions gets hard. Keeping both sides connected could also force developers to change parts of a game's story to match the direction of the movies.

The uncertainty surrounding Warner Bros. Games might also impact the future of the project. Warner Bros. went through a massive restructuring period in 2025, while the company’s gaming division continues to prep several major releases for the years to come. 

The report identifies Hogwarts Legacy 2 and the next Batman game as two of the major Warner Bros. Games projects expected around the 2027 and 2028 period. If the Batman project is already in major development, a 2028 release would fit within that broader window.

The report also brings up other DC projects that have been associated with Warner Bros. Games. 

One of them is the rumored Superman game reportedly being developed by WB Games Montreal, which has previously been the subject of similar speculation. There was also Monolith Productions' Wonder Woman project, which WB Games Montreal canceled after the studio closed. 

Interestingly, the cancellation of Wonder Woman does not necessarily mean every idea associated with Monolith's technology is gone. The studio is best known for creating the Nemesis System, one of the most recognizable gameplay features of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and Middle-earth: Shadow of War. 

The rumor says that the Nemesis System might be adapted for the new Batman game. A system that allows Gotham's criminals and villains to build relationships with Batman could easily fit into a larger open-world design, but there is still no word on whether Rocksteady is actually using it.

The future ownership of Warner Bros. has come up in the conversation around the game’s development. The report notes that a Paramount purchase of Warner Bros., including its gaming division, could be finalized around the end of 2027 or sometime in 2028. If such a deal happens, Warner Bros. Games could eventually operate under a new corporate structure. 

For now, the most consistent part of the rumor is that Rocksteady is reportedly returning to Batman after moving away from previously considered ideas. A Bruce Wayne-led Arkham game would represent a return to the character and gameplay formula that established Rocksteady as one of the biggest superhero game developers. 

The reported pairing of a huge Gotham City, a redesigned Batmobile, and Unreal Engine 5 would also allow the studio to expand the formula rather than simply repeat the previous games. However, the studio has yet to confirm the story, setting, release date, and its connection to the wider DC Universe.

If the reported 2025 development start is true, a 2028 release would give Rocksteady years to build the new Gotham City and develop the game’s systems. 

The timeline could also explain why the studio hasn't officially announced the project yet. Warner Bros. Games could potentially wait until the project is further along before showing gameplay or confirming the direction of the next Arkham game. 

Until that happens, the details surrounding Bruce Wayne, the Gotham map, the Batmobile, and the possible use of the Nemesis System should all be treated as rumors rather than confirmed features. Nothing has been officially announced by Rocksteady or Warner Bros. at this point, so these details could still change significantly before the game is revealed.

For now, the reported project appears to be positioned as a return to the Arkham series rather than the Batman Beyond or Justice League games that were allegedly considered earlier. Rocksteady has not officially announced the game, and there is no confirmed release date, but the rumored 2028 window would place it among Warner Bros. Games' major projects for the next few years.