Batman has become one of the most iconic heroes of the modern age, and his many excellent video game adaptations are partially to thank for that success. But with HBO’s The Penguin, a spin-off of The Batman, showing success, the next Batman game might not need to be about the hero.
The Penguin has long been one of Batman’s more unusual villains and is often left out of the fun when it comes to more serious adaptations of the story. For that reason, it was a bit of a surprise to see him pop up in Matt Reeves’ The Batman as a gritty crime lord expertly played by Colin Farrel. His appearance in the movie was so well received that HBO has premiered The Penguin, a show following Oswald Cobb as he becomes a key player in Gotham’s underworld. Though it has been reported that Batman himself won’t appear in the series, fans are hoping to see other Batman characters in The Penguin. The fact that the studio believes in the show enough to leave Batman out might be a signal that a Batman story, or even a Batman game, doesn’t need to star Bruce Wayne.
A Batman Game Could Still Work Without the Hero
It’s safe to say that Batman games aren’t going anywhere any time soon, especially with Batman: Arkham Shadow officially continuing the Arkham series this coming October. The hero will always be the star of his franchise, but part of what captures fans in his stories are the excellent, nuanced villains that he faces. Gotham is full of rogues, villains, and anti-heroes that could shine in a game of their own, and The Penguin proves that there is an audience for this type of story.
Games with morally gray characters are nothing new, and no series expounds on that moral gray area better than Batman with characters like Mr. Freeze, whose ultimate goal is to cure his wife’s fatal Illness, or Poison Ivy, who harms humans in order to try and save the planet. These types of characters would offer not only a deep introspective story but also create dynamic gameplay opportunities that fans aren’t used to. With so many Batman villains who have never appeared in live-action movies, new fans might just be introduced to old favorites for the first time.
Batman Games Should Still Try to Improve a Winning Formula
The Arkham games, as well as other Batman titles, will probably always be enjoyable for players and successful for developers, but nothing grows by staying the same. Focusing on new characters who haven’t been explored in video games would offer players a new experience in a familiar world. Batman’s action-packed fights have their place, but not all players enjoy the same type of content. Characters like Catwoman with her burglary or Clayface with his ability to transform could offer stealth-based gameplay that Batman isn’t able to. Deadshot could offer a focus on ranged combat with sniper options, altering the way players would do battle. There are a whole host of underrated Batman villains who could allow fans to see Gotham through new eyes. By taking a series that fans are familiar with and incorporating new elements, developers can ensure that the series doesn’t become stale by repeating old habits.
The Case for Cross-Promotion
Games could also work wonders for studios who want to highlight new projects and characters. The Penguin is shaping up to be a great show on its own merits, but there’s no hiding that it raises awareness of Matt Reeves’ Batman universe, which will be continuing in The Batman Part 2. It’s still unknown who the villain in The Batman Part 2 will be, but one way of teasing that reveal would be by creating new games for new villains within that world. A prequel for the next movie could introduce new versions of familiar villains, hype players up for their big-screen debut, and ensure fans are interested in the film.
Both movie and game studios have a tendency to play it safe, which is why Batman is usually the star of Batman properties, but shows like The Penguin and films like Joker show that villains can still provide stories that fans will be drawn to. Batman’s rogues gallery features villains that are disturbing, comical, heartbreaking, satirical, and everything in between, and it’s time that someone examines them in more detail. Perhaps the games industry is the perfect place to showcase what Batman’s villains could do in the spotlight.