Gotham Knights, an open-world motion sport from Batman: Arkham Origins developer WB Games Montreal, opens with the loss of life of Batman. The Dark Knight battles Ra’s al Ghul within the Bat Cave itself throughout the sport’s opening scene. The confrontation ends with each characters dying as Wayne Manor collapses round them.

Surely most gamers who’re even contemplating selecting up Gotham Knights and guiding the Batfamily — Robin, Red Hood, Batgirl, and Nightwing — by the aftermath of that confrontation are asking the identical query: Is this the identical Batman from the earlier Arkham video games, Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, Arkham Origins, and Arkham Knight?

The reply is straightforward: No, it isn’t. Gotham Knights takes place in its personal continuity that’s fully separate from the Arkham video games. The Batman who dies within the opening scene is a unique Batman, and each different character on this sport who you could have beforehand encountered in an Arkham sport is a unique model of that character, too — together with the 4 most important heroes.

As to why that’s the case, the closest factor that exists a solution comes from WB Games Montreal Creative Director Patrick Redding, who opened up concerning the resolution within the sport’s official Discord server (as noticed by The Direct):

“We wanted to be able to interpret and adapt the characters — that’s both the heroes and their rogues’ gallery — in new ways that would support a new player experience and progression. We wanted to be able to write the history of these characters with an original story without being tied to a particular continuity or feature set.”

Like all Batman and Batman-adjacent tales, Gotham Knights shares loads of primary constructing blocks with different well-known tales. Even although it’s not the identical timeline or universe because the Arkham video games, characters will make references to acquainted occasions. For instance, Harley Quinn mentions doing a little authorities work; clearly, the Suicide Squad exists inside this model of the universe.

As for whether or not this model of Gotham is a spot value visiting, take a look at Polygon’s Gotham Knights evaluation. Then take a look at our guides to the variations between the 4 heroes and what you must know earlier than you begin the sport.