The latest DC Comics game is almost upon us - but unsurprisingly, the Caped Crusader is the hot topic, with many wondering if a Gotham Knights Batman cameo is on the cards. So, is Batman in Gotham Knights? WB Games Montreal's Gotham Knights shines a light on the former sidekicks of the Bat-family, raising an important question of what Bruce Wayne is getting up to to cause the group to play a more prominent role.
In this Gotham Knights guide, we'll break down whether Batman makes an appearance or not. Given the game's story and setting is so deeply rooted in Batman lore and Gotham City, it's no surprise that fans of the beloved hero want to know if he shows up or not.
Elsewhere, we've got plenty of other guides for you to check out. With the new Call of Duty game looming, read our breakdown of the Modern Warfare 2 release date. For tips in another hit FPS, our Apex Legends tier list and best guns guide should help you out.
Is Batman in Gotham Knights?
Readers beware - this is your official spoiler warning! Don't read on unless you're happy to have some plot elements and surprises revealed for you.
Still here? Okay. Let's continue...
Yes, Batman does make an appearance in Gotham Knights. We already knew that Bruce Wayne was going to show up, given his appearance in pre-release trailers. Since the game focuses on Robin, Nightwing, Batgirl, and Red Hood dealing with Batman's death, it doesn't come as much of a surprise that the Caped Crusader shows up.
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Batman is actually the first character you meet in Gotham Knights. In the game's opening cutscene, we catch up with Batman in the Batcave as he fights against Ra's al Ghul, head of the League of Shadows.
That's it for Batman's appearance, though Bruce Wayne does show up even later in the game. Beware of spoilers down below for the very end of Gotham Knights!
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When our heroes go to confront Talia al-Ghul as the final boss of the game, she lets us in on a big surprise. Bruce Wayne isn't dead after all: instead, he was resurrected by Talia using the Lazarus Pit, training him to become the next League of Shadows leader.
Before tackling Talia, you'll have to fight a brainwashed Bruce Wayne as the penultimate boss fight. After defeating him he snaps out of his trance, and helps defeat the Court of Owls for good by crashing the Batwing into the Lazarus Pit, sacrificing himself in the process.
As such, Bruce is ultimately Gotham's saviour in the game, stopping the Court from harnessing the League of Shadows' regenerative abilities to rule over Gotham forever.
Can you play as Batman in Gotham Knights?
Unfortunately, there's no way to play as Batman in Gotham Knights. That's not a surprise however, given the hero is initially assumed to be canonically dead.
Instead, your job is to mix and match between Nightwing, Robin, Batgirl, and Red Hood. They all provide a slightly different take on nightly vigilantism, though Batgirl is probably the most similar to Batman in terms of gameplay.
Equally, it's unlikely that any future Gotham Knights DLC will let you control the cowled hero. Despite making Batman: Arkham Origins back in 2013, it's clear that WB Games Montreal is using Gotham Knights to give traditional sidekicks a more prominent role.
How does Batman die in Gotham Knights?
It's during that destructive fight in the Batcave opening scene, which we see in its entirety, that Batman triggers an explosion within the Batcave to kill Ra's al Ghul. The noble sacrifice results in Bruce Wayne's demise, presumably crushed by the debris.
It's from here that the events of Gotham Knights are set into motion: the sidekicks learning of Batman's death and taking over the mantle as Gotham City's protectors.
Or at least - spoiler alert - that's what the game wants you to think. As you can see from our summary above, Batman's death isn't quite that simple.
That's it for our look at whether Batman appears in Gotham Knights or not! For even more on the game, we've got you covered. Read up on the PC requirements you'll need to play, as well as whether the game can be played in single-player or not.