Batman: Arkham Knight is finally ready for PC

By Jon Martindale October 26, 2015

warner bros admits defeat and offers refunds to arkham knight pc owners arkhamknight02 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Despite being delayed around eight months from its initial fall of 2014 release date, when Batman: Arkham Knight was finally unleashed upon the public in June this year, it was an unmitigated disaster on the PC. The console versions were fine and quite well-received, but the Windows version was a mess, with endless bugs, performance issues and graphical hiccups.

So it was suspended from sale. Delayed, some might say, again. It’s only this week, over a year on from the game’s first intended release date, that PC gamers will finally get the game they may have even preordered back in mid-2014, as it was supposed to be. And new buyers can get a look at it too.

That said, the game has been playable before now. As Techspot points out, the big patch to fix a lot of the problems with the game was released back in September, but it’s only on Oct. 28 that Warner Bros feels confident enough in the game to put it back up for sale again on the PC.

Along with the re-release of Batman Knight on PC, Warner Bros is also releasing a new patch that we’re told brings that version up to date with all of the additional content that has been released on consoles since the game’s original run earlier this year. Some of that content will only be unlocked for those who previously purchased the season pass, though those with only the base game will still receive updates like photo mode for free.

What will be interesting about this whole thing, though, is how much Warner decides to charge potential buyers for a game that is now several months old. If it had been out this whole time, it would likely have dropped into a Steam sale by this point, though perhaps we will see it at full price initially and then discounted during the Christmas period.

What do you think a fair price for Batman: Arkham Knight would be?

Topics

Computing Coordinator

Jon Martindale is the Evergreen Coordinator for Computing, overseeing a team of writers addressing all the latest how to…

Computing

Alienware finally improved PC gaming controllers, but this one’s still not perfect

Scroll wheels on the Concept Nyx controller.

Dell is expanding its Concept Nyx efforts with a vital piece of kit: an Alienware-branded controller. A controller isn't something I'd normally write about; they're a dime a dozen. But this concept has some unique ideas, even if it still needs some work before it's ready for prime time.

First, let's discuss Concept Nyx. Alienware debuted this idea at last year's CES, and it's expanding on the idea this year. Nyx is a whole-house server, and the idea is that you can carry your gameplay to any screen you have. Move from the desktop onto the couch and pick up immediately -- and I do mean immediately -- where you left off. If someone else is playing a game or using the server for anything else, you can even split the screen and enjoy Cyberpunk 2077 while someone else is ranking up in Overwatch 2 or chatting on a video call.

Gaming

Gotham Knights is unplayable on Steam following latest update

Red Hood fights a Talon in Gotham Knights.

Gotham Knights players are reporting that the game is no longer playable on Steam following the latest software update.

Fans took to social media outlets to complain about the problem that began last night, when they downloaded an update with a patch that would improve keyboard issues, co-op gameplay problems, and overall game stability -- all complaints that cropped up since Gotham Knights launched last week. According to PC Gamer, the patch temporarily removed controversial anti-piracy software Denuvo on Wednesday, but when it was patched back in 15 hours later, the update rendered the game unplayable.

Gaming

Gotham Knights’ ending explained: Batman’s death, the Court of Owls, and more

The four heroes of Gotham Knights walking in a purple street below text of the game's title.

WB Games Montreal’s Gotham Knights, which finally launched on October 21, follows the adventures of Nightwing, Red Hood, Batgirl, and Robin after Batman is killed. This bold move sets off an unpredictable plot that ultimately centers around two secret societies that want Gotham for themselves.
While the game’s middling reception and a plethora of performance issues might turn you off from picking the game up, Batman fans might still want to learn about its entertaining story. As such, here's a recap of what goes down in Gotham Knights and how it all comes to a head in its exciting ending.
Gotham Knights - Official Cinematic Launch Trailer
How does Batman die in Gotham Knights?
Gotham Knights kicks off by showing you exactly how Batman died. Ra’s Al Ghul ambushes Bruce Wayne in the Batcave, resulting in an entertaining brawl throughout Batman’s iconic base of operations. Batman sends out a call to his sidekicks, but none of them are close enough to help him in time. When it becomes clear that the only way to defeat Ra’s Al Ghul is by blowing up the Batcave, Batman does so and also kills himself in the process.
Nightwing, Red Hood, Batgirl, and Robin arrive on the scene soon thereafter and find Bruce’s dead body. We then see his funeral, where Kane Industries CEO and Bruce Wayne’s uncle Jacob Kane gives a speech about how Bruce Wayne served Gotham City well. The former sidekicks quickly realize they now must defend Gotham City and decide to investigate Batman’s final case. Their efforts bring them to the murder scene of Dr. Kirk Langstrom, where they learn they need to infiltrate the GCPD to get a biometric key off his body.
There, they run into Talia Al Ghul, who’s burning the body of Ra and claims that she is not in charge of the League of Shadows anymore. From there, the case continues as the crew sets up a base of operations at the Belfry in Gotham City and confronts the likes of Harley Quinn and the Penguin, who is now reformed but knows about Gotham’s secret society.
The secrets of the Court of Owls in Gotham Knights
Penguin directs the Bat Family to The Powers Club, an old-money Gentleman’s Club in Gotham City. There, they find an entrance to an underground cave network and the Court of Owls, a secret society thought to just be an urban legend, even by Batman. They are led by The Voice of the Court, who eventually catches the heroes and throws them into a death pit. The heroes escape and obtain a key in the process.

Using that key, they find information about how the Court of Owls murdered the brother of Judge Elena Moreno as she tried to stop construction at Gotham City’s Chelsea Tunnel. Sneaking into that build site, the Bat Family comes across feral zombified creatures called Talons, who the Court of Owls revived with an element called Dionesium. After escaping the tunnel, Talia reveals that Dinoseum has the same properties as the Lazurus pit, causing the League of Shadows to declare war on Gotham.
She asks the heroes to take down the Voice of the Court to stop the conflict, and they comply. After more investigating, they learn that Bruce’s uncle Jacob Kane is the Voice of the Court and knows Bruce was Batman. He escapes in the chaos of the League of Shadows, murdering many Court of Owls members at a masquerade. Penguin then calls, asking for the heroes’ help, but it turns out to be a trick, and whoever you’re playing as is sedated and brought to the Court of Owls’ Labyrinth.
The Labyrinth is a massive mechanical stage that, combined with toxic gas, makes the captured hero hallucinate and question whether Batman actually cared for them. Eventually, the captive hero breaks out of the illusion, but the Court of Owls starts to attack Gotham City more publicly. The Bat Family decides it’s time to take down Jacob Kane and work with Renee Montoya and Judge Moreno to get a warrant for his arrest.