Batman: Arkham Origins

Gameplay

Arkham Origins is an open world action-adventure game incorporating stealth game tactics. Batman can use his cape to glide around Gotham City and the grapnel gun's retracting rope to attach to hard-to-reach ledges and extend his flight. Some gadgets from previous Arkham games are present at the start of Arkham Origins, while others become available during play. Returning gadgets include the Cryptographic Sequencer, used to hack security consoles; the Batclaw, used for hooking onto surfaces; the Batarang, a throwing weapon; the Remote Batarang, its remote-controlled counterpart; Explosive Gel, used to destroy weak surfaces and knock down enemies; Smoke Pellets, used for stealthy exits and entrances; the Disruptor, which can remotely disable guns and explosive mines, and the Grapnel Accelerator, an earlier version of the Grapnel Boost. New equipment in Batman's arsenal include the Remote Claw; this allows Batman to target two objects and pull them together, allowing him to throw enemies into each other or hit them with objects (tethering two walled points creates a tightrope for Batman to cross); Shock Gloves, which allow Batman to block electric attacks, disable some enemies and stun shielded ones, and short-circuit objects, and the Concussion Detonator, capable of stunning large enemy groups.

The game introduces a fast travel system, allowing Batman to remotely summon his plane (the Batwing) to transport him to other areas of the game world quicker than gliding or grappling could. Enemy tower installations prevent Batman from summoning the craft in some areas and must be disabled to make the Batwing (not player-controlled) available. Some towers may be disabled only when the player has the necessary equipment.

Players can traverse enemy-controlled areas by stealth or combat. Using an enhanced version of the series' Freeflow combat system, combat introduces a tracking system assessing the players' efficiency and highlighting battle achievements (such as avoiding damage and using gadgets). Chaining attacks to maintain momentum, performance is rewarded with experience points. These points can be used in a branching upgrade system to enhance Batman's abilities and gadgets, allowing players to upgrade several paths or specialize in one. Enemy attacks are prompted with a warning icon, indicating that the attack can be countered. Enemies are armed with weapons such as knives, lead pipes, and shields. The game introduces new enemy types: the Martial-Artist (capable of blocking, evading, and countering Batman's attacks), the Armored Enforcer (invulnerable until he is dazed and de-armored) and Venom-infused henchmen (who possess superhuman strength, allowing them to grapple Batman and launch attacks which cannot be countered). Some enemies are armed with guns, which can damage Batman, and a player can use stealth predatory tactics to tilt the odds in their favor. Many areas feature stone gargoyles or high outcrops, helping Batman remain concealed while setting traps and knocking out enemies.

Multiplayer

Arkham Origins introduces a multiplayer component to the series. Invisible Predator Online revolves around a gang war between supervillains Joker and Bane, in one of four choosable maps voted by players before each match. The maps include: Wayne Chemical Plant, Blackgate Prison, Joker's Funhouse, and Wonder City Robot Factory. Three Joker gang members fight three Bane gang members and in turn the team of Batman and Robin. Gangs win by killing all the opposing team's reinforcements, while Batman and Robin win by acquiring intimidation points (from eliminating gang members). A gang member can become a boss (Joker or Bane), gaining more powerful abilities. Gang members can access guns and explosives; Batman and Robin can access gadgets and abilities from the main game, including Detective Vision. Gang members have a limited Enhanced Vision, which requires recharging. Hunter, Hunted sets three Joker thugs and three Bane thugs against Batman in a last-team-standing match in which each character has one life.

Synopsis

Characters

Arkham Origins features a large ensemble cast of characters from the history of Batman comics. The main character is Batman (Roger Craig Smith), a superhero trained to the peak of human physical perfection and an expert in martial arts who is aided by his butler, Alfred Pennyworth (Martin Jarvis). Arkham Origins brings Batman into conflict with sadistic, brutal crime lord Black Mask (Brian Bloom). The most powerful man in the city and ruler of Gotham's criminal underworld, Black Mask has vast wealth and resources, has eliminated his opposition and is consolidating his power. His ebony mask conceals his identity, allowing him to operate publicly as Roman Sionis (head of Janus Cosmetics). Black Mask has a bounty on Batman, which attracts eight accomplished assassins: the physically imposing Bane (JB Blanc); expert marksman Deadshot; veteran mercenary Deathstroke (Mark Rolston); poisonous contortionist Copperhead (Rosa Salazar); the pyromaniac Firefly (Crispin Freeman); the highly charged Electrocutioner (Steve Blum); deformed criminal Killer Croc (Khary Payton), and master martial artist Shiva (Kelly Hu).

Batman is considered an outlaw by the Gotham City police, and is pursued by Captain James Gordon (Michael Gough), Detective Harvey Bullock (Robert Costanzo) and corrupt GCPD officials Commissioner Gillian B. Loeb and SWAT team leader Howard Branden. Other characters include the psychopathic Joker (Troy Baker); black-market weapons dealer Penguin (Nolan North); the mind-controlling Mad Hatter (Peter MacNicol); anti-government, anti-corporate anarchist Anarky (Matthew Mercer); rogue hacker Enigma (Wally Wingert); Alberto Falcone; Gordon's teenage daughter Barbara, and Blackgate warden Martin Joseph (Khary Payton). The story takes place before Batman's partnership with Robin (Josh Keaton)—although Robin is a playable character outside the main story—and before Barbara becomes Batman's ally, Oracle. Dr. Harleen Quinzel (Tara Strong), Gotham News Network (GNN) reporter Vicki Vale, Amanda Waller (CCH Pounder), Quincy Sharp (Tom Kane), and Calendar Man make cameo appearances in the game. Mr. Freeze (Maurice LaMarche) appears in the downloadable content, Cold, Cold Heart.

Setting

The events in Arkham Origins take place about eight years before Batman: Arkham Asylum, in midwinter Gotham City. Batman, an experienced crime-fighter in the second year of his career, is not yet the veteran superhero of Arkham Asylum and Arkham City. He is a mysterious force; even the police do not know whether he is a vigilante, a myth or a supernatural being. Batman has fought ordinary criminals and gangsters and is accustomed to being stronger and faster than his opponents. However, on a snowy Christmas Eve he is confronted with more dangerous foes: eight professional assassins hoping to collect a $50-million bounty placed on Batman's head by Black Mask. Villains (including the Joker) take advantage of the assassins' arrival to launch their schemes, and Black Mask's henchmen instigate a rise in crime and gang activity in the city.

The Gotham City Police Department is aware of "the Batman", and does not condone his approach to crime-fighting. Led by Commissioner Loeb, the GCPD is thoroughly corrupt; Branden and his SWAT team are hunting for Batman to claim the bounty for themselves. The incorruptible Captain James Gordon is one of the most unpopular members of the force. Batman's relationship with Alfred is strained; the butler, an overbearing parental figure, reminds him of his parents' deaths and Alfred sees Batman as a spoiled child squandering his inheritance on a vigilante crusade.

Old Gotham, the section of Gotham City which will become the Arkham City prison, is not yet walled off and has slums, low buildings, a shopping mall, and docks (where Penguin's ship the Final Offer is moored). On the Final Offer, Penguin has added a casino, a fighting pit, and a sales floor with weapons and ammunition. Across the bridge from Old Gotham is New Gotham, a modern metropolitan area filled with towering skyscrapers.

Plot

On Christmas Eve, Batman intervenes in a jailbreak at Blackgate Penitentiary led by Black Mask, who executes Police Commissioner Loeb before escaping. Left to battle the assassin Killer Croc, Batman prevails but learns Croc is only the first of eight killers drawn to Gotham by a $50 million bounty Black Mask has placed on him. Seeking Black Mask's whereabouts, Batman tracks the Penguin to his ship, where he defeats Deathstroke and Electrocutioner. Penguin reveals that Black Mask has allegedly been murdered at an apartment complex. Investigating, Batman discovers the victim was an impostor and that the crime involved a criminal known as the Joker.

To learn more, Batman infiltrates the GCPD to access its criminal database. While escaping, he encounters Captain James Gordon—who is distrustful of Batman—and a corrupt SWAT team eager to collect the bounty. With advice from Gordon's daughter Barbara, Batman accesses the sewers beneath the precinct to establish permanent database access, where he finds Black Mask's men planting explosives. Using the database, he deduces that Black Mask has been kidnapped by Joker, who is targeting the Gotham Merchants Bank. At the bank, Black Mask unmasks himself as the Joker, revealing he had assumed Sionis's identity days earlier to seize his empire and impose the bounty. Batman pursues him to the Sionis Steel Mill, where he frees the real Black Mask and defeats Copperhead.

Tracking the Joker to the Gotham Royal Hotel, Batman finds the building rigged with explosives, its staff murdered, and guests taken hostage. Joker mocks the assassins for failing to kill Batman, throwing Electrocutioner to his death. Batman claims his electric gloves and continues through the hotel. While most assassins depart, Bane remains, anticipating Batman will come to the Joker. On the rooftop, Batman battles Bane; worried for his safety, Alfred alerts the police so they will intervene. Bane flees by helicopter, firing a rocket that sends Joker plummeting from the roof. Batman rescues him, confounding Joker as to why Batman would save someone like him. Joker is arrested and placed in Blackgate under the care of Dr. Harleen Quinzel. There, Joker tells her that he and Batman were destined to meet.

In the Batcave, Alfred urges Bruce to abandon his crusade, fearing it will kill him, but Batman refuses. He also learns Bane has uncovered his identity as Bruce Wayne. Firefly's attack on Pioneers Bridge forces Batman and Gordon to work together to stop him. Meanwhile, Bane infiltrates the Batcave and nearly kills Alfred. Batman revives him with Electrocutioner's gloves, and Alfred admits Gotham needs Batman to face such threats. Elsewhere, Joker incites a riot and seizes control of Blackgate.

Development

By July 2012, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment (WBIE) was planning Rocksteady Studios' next Batman game as a prequel based on the Silver Age of Comic Books, featuring Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and the Flash. The game would explore Batman's first confrontation with the Joker, with a release date no earlier than 2014. In August 2012, Paul Dini said he would not be involved in writing a sequel to Arkham City. He did not write any of that game's downloadable content (including the story-based Harley Quinn's Revenge DLC) and said that Warner Bros. and Rocksteady suggested he accept other work if offered. Dini added that he had taken on other projects, preventing his involvement until 2013. In February 2013, it was reported that a new game in the Batman: Arkham franchise would be released by a developer other than Rocksteady.

The development of Batman: Arkham Origins began in late 2011 by Canadian development studio WB Games Montréal (WB Montréal), and the game was announced on April 9, 2013. WB Montréal was chosen to develop the game given the amount of time Rocksteady, developer of the first two Arkham games, needed to create Arkham Origins's successor, Batman: Arkham Knight, which would have resulted in "a long time without an Arkham game." WB Montréal had worked on the Wii U adaptation of Batman: Arkham City, familiarizing itself with the modified Unreal Engine 3 development engine used by Rocksteady. WB Montréal decided not to heavily modify the established combat system (believing it already worked well) but introduced new enemy types with opportunities for new tactics and combat moves to defeat opponents. The plot was partly inspired by the comic-book series Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight and the graphic novel Batman: Year One, detailing the first year of Batman's career, with Arkham Origins described as a "Year Two" story. Parts of the plot (such as Batman's relationships with the Joker, Gordon, and the game's Christmas setting) was partly inspired by Batman: The Man Who Laughs, Batman: Turning Points, and Batman: The Long Halloween, respectively. The story is written by Dooma Wendschuh, Ryan Galletta and Corey May, with input from DC Comics and comic-book writer Geoff Johns. Eric Holmes acted as Arkham Origins' creative director. Explaining the decision to develop a prequel, Holmes said while the Batman of Arkham Asylum and Arkham City is comparable to his comic counterpart—a fully formed, experienced character— Arkham Origins could explore other aspects of the character (such as his lack of experience and greater vulnerability). The game was considered 80 percent complete by January 2013, and WB Montréal used the remaining development time to tweak the final product.

Design

Holmes described the Christmas setting as a juxtaposition between the joyful time of the year and the grim world of Gotham City, including decorative Santas near Gothic gargoyles and Christmas lights in dark alleys. The city is dislodged from time and space, contrasting 1930s (and older) buildings with Batman's futuristic technology. The New Gotham area was designed for vertical movement, allowing the placement of enemies above and below Batman to create areas dense with activity. The game features high contrast between darks and lights, with exaggerated shadows and few balancing colors. The city was divided into residential, industrial, and commercial neighborhoods, which were decorated accordingly: the industrial setting is bleak, the commercial area has corporate decorations and the residential neighborhoods have lights in their windows.

Designers aimed to make the younger Batman's outfit look "assembled versus manufactured", pieced together from several sources. Holmes said, "[Batman's suit is] not something that was made in a factory. He's taken pieces of tech either he's invented, he's fabricated, or things from the Wayne facilities, and he has made this costume out of these pieces." To emphasize the mystery and fear instilled by Batman in this early stage of his career, art director Jeremy Price and the design team used silhouettes and film noir-style low-key lighting to make the character more imposing. The name "Batman" is used sparingly in this game to emphasize his urban-legend status and the lack of understanding of the character. It was suggested that Batman occasionally make unavoidable mistakes during gameplay because of his inexperience (such as tripping or missing with batarangs), but this idea was discarded as inconsistent with the character. His inexperience was instead personality-based: learning how to be the city's protector and overcoming his obsession with vengeance. In designing Batman's abilities and gadgets, the gameplay took precedence over narrative consistency with the previous games; the designers thought that removing features players had already experienced in those games would make playing Arkham Origins feel less empowering.

Holmes acknowledged that Black Mask is not as well known as some of Batman's other villains (such as the Joker and Penguin), and the character required expansion to make him interesting and scary. Black Mask was considered an appropriate antagonist for Batman's early career because of his practicality; he transitions from the typical criminals Batman has been facing and the neurotic, quirky super-villains he will confront in the future. The team decided to make Arkham Origins' Copperhead a female (in contrast to the comic's male character) with input from Johns. The contortionist character required three motion-capture actors to animate: a stunt woman, a Cirque du Soleil performer, and a martial artist. This version of Copperhead was later added to DC Comics' The New 52. Anarky, an anti-villain based on anarchist philosophy, was updated in appearance for the game to a street protester with a gang resembling a social movement. The character would appeal to Batman for a partnership (since he is not necessarily evil) but, as Holmes said, "is multidimensional in the Batman Universe." The popularity of anti-corporate and anti-government protest movements factored in the character's inclusion, and Holmes thought that of all of the villains Anarky was the most timely. The developers drew upon "original Alan Grant and Norm Breyfogle appearances" of Anarky for his character. Each main-story boss reinforces the player's mastery of a specific game mechanic (such as Deathstroke, whose fighting focuses on countering attacks). The assassins selected for the game were chosen for abilities that would challenge the game mechanics. The boss fights were inspired by Arkham City's battle against Mr. Freeze, which tasked players with exploring the full range of Batman's strategies and abilities to overcome the villain.

Music

The score for Arkham Origins was composed by Christopher Drake, replacing Ron Fish and Nick Arundel (who composed the scores for Arkham Asylum and Arkham City), with included an original song by Dutch DJ Don Diablo called ''Origins'', published by the famous music label Spinnin' Records. It was partially inspired by the 1988 action film Die Hard (also set during Christmas), which features sleigh bells in its soundtrack to punctuate specific moments. Drake said that since the game is a prequel, it allowed him more freedom in the score while adhering to "the DNA" of Batman music. He added that although the previous scores were elegant and orchestral, he chose more electronic elements. Drake approached the cinematic scenes like a traditional film score, with the design team describing scenes over the phone while he worked out of Burbank, California. The in-game music was created with layers that activate with action (such as Batman entering a location or beginning a fight) and can be added or subtracted depending on what is occurring. Drake hoped the in-game music would not be boring, since those sections work at differing lengths of time (dependent on how long a player takes to complete a task).

The Batman: Arkham Origins – Original Video Game Score was released by WaterTower Music on October 22, 2013, and features 32 tracks composed for the game.

Release

Batman: Arkham Origins was released worldwide on October 25, 2013, for PlayStation 3, Wii U, Windows, and Xbox 360. A week before its scheduled release in Europe, the retail Wii U and Windows versions were delayed until November 8. A companion game, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, was released with Arkham Origins for Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation Vita. A spin-off beat 'em up game, also entitled Batman: Arkham Origins, was developed by NetherRealm Studios for iOS and Android. The iOS version was released on October 16, 2013, and the Android version was scheduled for release in late 2013. NetherRealm Studios previously developed Batman: Arkham City Lockdown, a spin-off of Arkham City. The brawler game has players using touchscreen controls to fight enemies one-on-one (including villains such as Bane and Deathstroke). Defeating enemies earns points which can upgrade Batman's statistics or unlock gadgets and costumes; costumes unlocked in the game can unlock costumes in the console version and vice versa. In August 2017, the Xbox 360 version was made playable on Xbox One consoles through backward compatibility.

Coinciding with Arkham Origins' United Kingdom launch, voice actors Roger Craig Smith and Troy Baker made a public appearance at Stratford's GAME retailer. A series of game-character action figures and a working, life-size grapnel-gun replica were released in October 2013 by DC Collectibles and NECA, respectively. In December 2013, a digital comic book of the same name was released by digital studio Madefire with a prequel to the game. The comic is the first in DC Comics' DC2 Multiverse initiative, featuring dynamic artwork and sound and the ability to choose while reading how the story progresses (with several possible outcomes). Purchasing all eight chapters unlocks two costumes for the game.

Retail editions

The PlayStation 3 version of the game features the Knightfall DLC pack, with alternate Batman outfits based on the character's design in the 1960s TV series and Azrael's Batsuit from the "Knightfall" story arc (1993). The pack also contains five challenge maps (based on "Knightfall") which task Batman with defeating Bane and the inmates of Blackgate prison: "Azrael Does Not Protect", "City On Fire", "No Rest For The Wicked", "Venom Connection" and "Turning Point". The UK, Australian and New Zealand Collector's Edition contains a SteelBook game case and a 30-centimetre (12 in) statue of Batman and Joker. The North American "Collector's Edition" and the Australian and New Zealand "Definitive Edition" contain a light-up statue of the Joker by Project Triforce, a Batman "Wanted Poster", Batwing prototype schematic, Anarky logo stencil, glow-in-the-dark map of Gotham City and a Wayne family photo. The North American version also contains the 2013 DC Comics super-villain documentary, Necessary Evil. All regions also get an 80-page hardback art book, dossiers of the in-game assassins, the Deathstroke DLC and the "First Appearance" skin (based on Batman's first appearance in Detective Comics #27). The PlayStation 3 version also has the Knightfall content. Both editions were released for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.

Downloadable content

Deathstroke is available as a playable character for all the game's challenge maps, with weapons and abilities such as regenerating health and super strength, a rifle-staff with a built-in grapple, explosives, and his version of Detective Vision (Tactical Vision). The Deathstroke pack, available as a pre-order bonus, includes two alternate outfits based on costumes worn by the character in the 2013 video game Injustice: Gods Among Us and the 1984 storyline "Teen Titans: The Judas Contract", as well as two challenge maps, "No Money Down" and "100 to 1". Deathstroke is not playable in the main campaign.

The Black Mask Challenge pack, released in November 2013, contains two additional challenge maps: "Lot Full" and "Hidden Facility". Bruce Wayne is playable in the Initiation pack, released December 3, 2013. The pack contains five challenge maps, with narrative content to explain the setting. Initiation features Wayne before he becomes Batman, as he trains under his ninjutsu mentor Kirigi in a Korean monastery and comes into conflict with Lady Shiva. The DLC also contains two alternate skins for the character: Initiation Bruce Wayne (based on his monastery clothing) and Vigilante Bruce Wayne (a masked-ninja outfit). Also available in December was the "Hunter, Hunted" multiplayer mode. The story-based campaign expansion, Cold, Cold Heart was released on April 22, 2014. Set a week after the events of Arkham Origins, on New Year's Eve, Cold, Cold Heart's narrative focuses on the origin of the supervillain Mr. Freeze and features similarities to the Batman: The Animated Series episode, "Heart of Ice". The content introduces new equipment for Batman, including the XE suit which generates heat, allowing him to melt ice or throw thermal-charged batarangs. In January 2014, the Wii U version of the expansion was canceled by Warner Bros., who cited a lack of demand as the reason.

A number of alternate outfits for Batman and Robin were made available by completing in-game tasks and as downloadable content. Batman's skins include designs worn in the 1960s TV series, Batman: Noël, "DC One Million", "First Appearance”, Brightest Day, Gotham by Gaslight, "Knightfall", Injustice: Gods Among Us, Blackest Night, The New 52 (and a metallic variant), Red Son, Batman: Dark Knight of the Round Table, The Long Halloween, Earth-Two design (and its New 52 variant), and Thrillkiller. Additional skins include his appearances from Arkham City, Batman: The Animated Series, Batman: Earth One, Batman Incorporated, Batman: Year One, Batman: Year One, The Dark Knight Returns, Sinestro Corps suit, and Neal Adams' 1970s depiction of the character are available via multiplayer mode. Additionally, a suit, titled "Worst Nightmare" outfit, an original design based on how criminals perceive Batman, was going to be added into the game, but due to technical glitches, it was removed last minute. Robin's skins include Tim Drake's first and second Robin costumes, his Red Robin costume, the designs from Batman: The Animated Series and Arkham City and a slightly altered version of the default Arkham Origins costume.

Reception

Pre-release

Batman: Arkham Origins was displayed at the 2013 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), and received two Game Critics Awards nominations: Best Action/Adventure Game and Best Console Game. It was also recognized at the expo for "Best Videogame" by Forbes; "Best Action Game" by Game Informer; "Best Comic Book-Related Game" by Newsarama and "Best Xbox 360 Game" by IGN.

Critical reception

Batman: Arkham Origins received "mixed or average" reviews from critics on all platforms except on PlayStation 3, which received "generally favorable" reviews, according to the review aggregator website Metacritic.

Arkham Origins was considered an incremental installment for the series, rather than a transformative one. GameSpot said that Arkham City expanded on Arkham Asylum by applying the game mechanics to a larger open-world setting, but criticized Arkham Origins for replicating Arkham City without moving the series forward. Other critics agreed, saying that the game's well-received elements from the previous game were not significantly developed or augmented and it was routine rather than inspired. However, other reviewers rated it on a par with Arkham City.

Critics cited Arkham Origins' handling of the genesis of Batman's relationships with his adversaries and allies and its question of whether Batman's presence enhances crime in Gotham City as the game's greatest assets. Scenes with the Joker received the most praise, with Polygon saying that although he was also a central antagonist in previous Arkham games, the story shone new light on the character; GameSpot called the story surprising in its exploration of the bond and similarities between Batman and the Joker. The story was criticized for lacking a cohesive narrative (particularly the opening plotline of assassins hunting Batman, largely forgotten by the game's end), but EGM said that when it works, the story was worthy of any Batman film, TV show or comic book.

The game world was well received for its number and variety of side missions and distractions but its scale was criticized as unnecessarily large, with GameSpot describing it as "bigger just for the sake of being bigger"; Joystiq described the city as unattractive, with the expanded play area increasing the commute but not the enjoyment. Others criticized changes in navigating the city; some areas prevented grappling, slowing (or stopping) travel. Polygon called the world more linear, with fewer chances to revisit areas with new gadgets to open new paths and deviation from the most obvious path necessary only to find collectibles. However, some reviewers considered the city's vastness and activities engrossing. Kotaku criticized the side quests as "busy work" for not advancing the narrative or providing appropriate rewards. Others found the use of previous elements tedious, with replacements, simply mimicking the old (such as the glue grenade, with an identical purpose to Arkham City's ice grenades).

Technical issues

After the game's launch, many issues on all platforms were noted by the media and players, including lagging; unending "falling" in the game world, preventing the completion of missions; no "continue" button on the startup screen, preventing a previous game from continuing, and some progression gameplay failing to unlock. On Windows, a bug prevented players from accessing one of Enigma's towers; on the Xbox 360, the save files were corrupted and unplayable, with crashing and freezing problems. On October 31, 2013, these issues were addressed by WB Montréal; in a community post, it said that the development team fixed many of the multi-platform problems and an update would be available by November 7. The company added that the Windows-specific issues were addressed in an update that went live on October 31, and the Xbox 360 issues were still under investigation. In February 2014, WB Montréal announced that they would not release any additional patches to fix any issues, due to the development team focusing on the upcoming single-player DLC. Any future patches would only address issues preventing progression in the game.

Sales

During its first week of sales in the United Kingdom Batman: Arkham Origins was the number-one-selling game in all available formats, topping the all-format chart. Its sales were half those of Arkham City during the same time, and approximately even with those of Arkham Asylum. It was the eleventh-best-selling boxed game of 2013 in the country. It was also the top-selling game on the digital-distribution platform Steam between October 20 and 26, 2013.

Series continuation

Batman: Arkham Knight, the successor to Arkham Origins, was announced in March 2014. The game, which is a sequel to Arkham City, was once again developed by Rocksteady Studios for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One, and is set nine months after the events of Arkham City. An animated sequel, Batman: Assault on Arkham, was released on August 12, 2014. The film features the Suicide Squad, hinted at during the credits of Arkham Origins, attacking Arkham Asylum to recover information from the Riddler, but their plans go awry when the Joker escapes, and Batman is drawn to the facility.

On May 1, 2024, Batman: Arkham Shadow was announced to be releasing for the Meta Quest 3 in October 2024. The game serves as a direct sequel to Arkham Origins, taking place six months after its events, and according to director Ryan Payton, explores the aftermath of the Joker's Christmas Eve rampage while showcasing Batman's transition from a violent and vengeful vigilante into a symbol of hope.