We're truly living in uncertain times when it comes to industry jobs and sadly, Rocksteady appears to have been the latest victim in a round of layoffs. The studio itself recently brought us Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, which ma??y be partly responsible for the layoffs.

The report comes from Eurogamer, wi??th some unnamed staff members from the studio's QA team in particular noting a series of redundancies. The department is said to have been "cut in half over the past month," though losses within the company may have affected other teams as well.

One member of staff has apparently spoken out on social media about how they were laid off from Rocksteady while on paternity leave. At th?e time of writing, publisher Warner Bros. has ?yet to comment on these reports.

Kill the studios, it seems

In a classic case of cause-and-effect, it appears as though the poor sales of Suicide Squad has been cited as one of the reasons for the studio "restructuring." Rocksteady senior managemen?t has acknowledged that product quality will now suffer as a result?, per Eurogamer's report.

Perhaps many won't be surprised by this revelation. Kill the Justice League was not exactly welcomed with open arms by the community. Currently, the game is showing as "Mixed" for all reviews and "Mostly Negative" for recent ones over on Steam.

However, if all this is true, it's still a sad time to be working in the?? games industry at the moment. We've seen thousands of developers lose ??their jobs over the past year or so, as well as entire studios being shuttered. There doesn't appear to be light at the end of the tunnel for job security in gaming, at the moment.

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As if there wasn't enough reason to be skeptical about Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, it appears controversial DRM Denuvo has been added to the PC version of the live service game just days before launch. The Steam Page for Suicide Squad was updated just yesterday to include the following warning message: I?ncorporates 3rd-party DRM: ??Denuvo Anti-Tamper.

Tough Nut to Crack

While historically Denuvo DRM has done a decent job of serving its ?purpose: preventing the game from ??being cracked and able to spread via piracy, it comes at a cost to those who legally purchase games with it included. In order for the DRM to properly work, every installation must include the Denuvo Anti-Tamper.

Unfortunately, Denuvo often leads to performance issues restricted to PC versions of games. Recently released Tekken 8 made sure not to include Denuvo after Tekken 7 launched on PC with horrid performan??ce issues due to Denu?vo.

Over on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League's Steam Discussion Boards, players are already voicing their displeasure over the recent addition of Denuvo.

Nothing new for Warner Bros. Games

Honestly, I can't remember the last title published by Warner Bros. Games that didn't include Denuvo. Mortal Kombat launched with it, as did Hogwarts Legacy. By that metric alone, it's not necessarily unexpected that Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League will launch with Denuvo integrated. I think what's more disappointing is that it was seeming?ly added last minute, with no indication of its inclusion until just a couple of days before launch.

Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League launches on February 2 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S. Players who buy the $100 edition can get Early Access today, though servers may be down unexpectedly.

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After a steady stream of leaks following the game's “closed alpha tech test�/a> in late November, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League developer Rocksteady has issued an official statement urging players to “avoid spoilers where they can.�/p>

Rocksteady addressed the situation via their Twitter account, writing that “it is very disappointing to see details being shared�and asking players to avoid them until the game officially releases on Fe??bruary 2. Check out the full statement down below:

Even though the alpha test that ran from November 30 to December 3 only featured a small part of the campaign to test online infrastructure, some plot details found their way online. Several details, including several well-known characters from the DC ensemble who’re making an appearance in the game and more, have reportedly been leaked online.

This isn't the first time details about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League have surfaced on the internet against the dev's wishes. An earlier leak this year involved the game's online features and battle pass. Suffice it to say, that didn't garner a whole lot o?f positive reception f??or Rocksteady.

Warner Bros. is issuing copyright strikes to pull the images that are circulating, but if you want to avoid spoilers absolutely, you may need to mute the social media pages related to this game, or the Suicide Squad ?and Justice League in general, for the time bei??ng.

In fact, I’d avoid reading the replies to ?that Rocksteady tweet too. I certainly regret not doing so now.

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Despite its gameplay debut going over as well as Snorlax clearing a high jump, WB Games' and Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League moves on �shattered femurs notwithstanding. And you may be able to try Suicide Squad later this month during a closed alpha playtest you can sign up for now.

The closed Suicide Squad playtest cracks off next week. WB Games sent out the invite earlier today, allowing some a chance to sign up ahead of time. The test starts on November 30 at 6 am PT and ends on December 4 at midnight PT. Warner Bros. states in the invite that the Suicide Squad playtest is comprised o??f a "smaller, specific section of the campaign" and "will not be rep??resentative of the full/final experience."

Who can join the Suicide Squad playtest?

According to the invite, the technical test is opening for a "limited audience." You can sign up and pick a platform, which includes PlayS??tation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (via Steam). But you'll need to sign an NDA to participate, which restricts you from sharing images or screenshots, v?ideo, or any impressions. As typical with closed tests, there'll be a watermark superimposed on your gameplay that's meant to shy folks away from sharing anything.

The test is, of course, preparing Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League for its big launch next year. Rocksteady's next action game was meant to land this last May. It got hit by a massive delay, pushing it to February 2, 2024 (so far). The delay notice came out not long after its gameplay trailer reveal during Sony's State of Play. It wasn't fully known if the unenthused reactions caused the delay, but it seemed folks were more cautious over the apparent? live-service features of the game.

Either way, some players will be able to check out the game for the first time in just over a week. Hopefully, the delay will bear some fruit. Personally, I am somewhat interested in trying out the game and seeing what I can do as Captain Boomerang armed?? with his iconic shotgun.

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Dinna-dinna-dinna-dinna...

During today's Nintendo Direct presentation, Nintendo and Rocksteady Games announced that the critically acclaimed Batman: Arkham Trilogy is headed to Nintendo Switch in Fall 2023.

//??www.youtube.com/watch?v=lVMNvvaXJ2s&?amp;ab_channel=NintendoofAmerica

The trilogy, which consists of Batman: Arkham Asylum, Batman: Arkham City, and Batman: Arkham Knight, represents three of the greatest video games starring Gotham's prot??ector, The Dark Knight. Featuring gothic overworlds, brilliant character designs, and hugely dramatic storylines, th??e Batman: Arkham Trilogy is more than deserving of its overwhelming praise, and is as playable and engaging today at it was on release.

Batman: Arkham Trilogy launches on Nintendo Switch this fall.

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Rocksteady shifts the squad into next year

Warner Bros. Games and Rocksteady have officially moved the Suicide Squad into 2024. Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has been delayed to February 2, 2024.

A report from Bloomberg in March said that Warner Bros. was looking at moving Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League from its May date out to sometime later thi?s year. Today's news pushes it even further out, roughly nine months away.

"We have made the tough but necessary decision to take the time needed to work on getting the game to be the best quality experience for players," reads today's statement on social media. "Thank you to our amazing community for the continued support, patience and understanding. There is much more to s?hare in the months ahead and we looked forward to seeing you in Metropolis next year."

//twitter.com/suicidesquadRS/status/1??646593761022038017

The Justice League lives, for now

Rocksteady's four-player co-op action game has been in development for some time, and already experienced some delays. Major shifts like this are not too uncommon, but the suddenness, combined with previous delays, makes Suicide Squad's case a bit stranger.

We had also just seen a significant chunk of this game at a recent Sony State of Play. The full co-op gameplay showcase didn't get everyone on-board with the direction though, and growing concern over a live service-focused structure took root.

So, now, Rocksteady's co-op Suicide Squad game is pushing the launch time back further.?? With an actual date set, that's at least something. But even the concept of February 2024 seems so distant right now, I've got to wonder what sentiment will be like when Warner Bros. and Rocksteady resurface later on.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is now launching on February 2, 2024 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and?? PC.

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The squad is taking more time for launch

DC's band of misfits is moving back its release date. A new report from Bloomberg says Warner ??Bros. has delayed the video game, pushing it from May out to sometime later this year.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League was originally planned for 2022, until a delay pushed Rocksteady's new DC project in??to 2023. No official confirmation has happened yet for this delay, and a representative for Warner Bros. did not respond to Bloomberg's request for comment. No new date was made clear, either.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-iZP0Zzhd0

The Suicide Squad game was the focus of a recent Sony State of Play livestream, which showed off some of its story and gameplay, as well as its quite Destiny-like live-service elements. Those aspects were not all warmly received, however. Now, Rocksteady appea??rs to be taking some?? extra time.

Service squad

No overt reason was mentioned for the?? delay in Bloomberg's report, though it will have to be officially announced soon. The release date, or rather former date, is on May 26 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.

Given the backlash, as well as the fumbles of Gotham Knights, a fellow DC game with live-service elements, I'm now curious to see what the road ahead for Suicide Squad is. While I'm not particularly keen on build-crafting my Captain Boomerang loadout the way I would in Destiny, I'd also wonder what could be ?addressed at this point in development. We'll have to just wait and se?e what the official Warner Bros. response and reasoning for this delay will be.

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What's your Gear Score, Gamers?

Rocksteady is a fantastic developer, make no bones about it, and I'll gladly argue that we might never get a comic-book adaptation in gaming to rival the immersions, emotion, and raw, genre-defining impact of the amazing Batman: Arkham trilogy �But last night's gameplay overview of the studio's long, long in development Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League left me and others in the gaming community less ??than enthused.

Spotlit as the centerpiece of the Sony State of Play presentation Suicide Squad received a brand new trailer, as well as a more in-depth gameplay overview, showing off the characters, mechanics, and hook of the "Good-to-be-Bad" comic book adventure. Unfortunately, while the title undoubtedly featured some great visuals, cool character designs, and a neatly constructed world, it also appears drowned in by-the-book, focus-tested, corporate-approved Video Game Features typica??l of the much-maligned "Games as a Service" model. A model readily enthused by publisher Warner Bros. Games.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-iZP0Zzhd0&ab_channel=SuicideSquad%3AKillT?heJusticeLeague

Suicide Squad is a very specific brand. It is a brand based around anarchic anti-heroes and straight-up scumbags. We aren't talking top-tier precision commandos, we're talking the last hurrah. Idiots with guns, amoral losers sent to take care of the work that nobod??y else wants to do. As such, lumbering them with the most conservative model in gaming is the antithesis of the ??very vibe the franchise embodies.

Captain Boomerang and his iconic *checks notes* assault rifle, Harley Quinn famously ensuring that she is wearing the jacket that provids a 0.6% increase in Grenade Drop Potential. There's something just so insidiously corporate about a screen that features "Social" "Store" and "Battle Pass" tabs all on the same banner, propped up by a woeful mish-mash of numbers, "Common-Epic" gear status, unlockable mod slots, and menus within menus within menus, all summarised by Suicide Squad's eye-rolling moniker of "Gear Score".

Yo, bro, what's your Gear Score?

Of course, I'll readily admit that the proof of the pudding is in the eating. And I'll gladly check out Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League on release. After all, Rocksteady has more than proven its pedigree with a history of fantastic games. I have no doubt that this release will look fantastic and play well. But there's something so rote, so tepid, just so bland about getting bogged down with the numbers. And while many video games have previously followed the gear-laden, GaaS model to mostly mixed results, it's not a model that gels with the Suicide Squad �Hell, it similarly failed to gel with The Avengers, and we know how that story turned out.

We're right to have faith in Rocksteady as the designers of a gameplay experience, but I'm not entirely convinced that we should necessarily have similar faith in their masters. This is a publisher that did its damndest to make "gear" and multi-currencies a key element of a one-on-one fighter, and thus, I can't picture a single suit that is looking at Suicide Squad and thinking, "Hmm... we're really getting away from the spirit of these characters". It was also recently revealed that Suicide Squad has an Always-Online policy,? even for single-player mode, a methodology that simply refuses to hit the bricks.

I rarely comment so harshly on a game before its launch. Barely ever. And, as always, I'm more than happy to be proven wrong, and will gladly eat my words if so. But, like many video game fans, I'm just tired, nay, exhausted at these thin efforts to disguise cash registers as Cool Dude Video Games. With certain brands and IPs, it can be a little easier to keep the more money-hungry elements tucked away in the shadows, but when applied to something supposedly as anti-establishment as Suicide Squad, it hits you ??square on the dome like?? a comically oversized mallet.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League launches May 26 on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X.

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The Live Service Squad

It looks like Warner Bros. and Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League may have some live service features tied into it. A new leak, with details corroborated by VGC?, shows mentions of live service features that include a bat?tle pass.

The leaked image circulated out from 4chan and Reddit and was soon picked up by news outlet VGC. According to a source VGC spoke to, the image comes from a recent test?? build and shows menu??s planned for Rocksteady's next game. Among these elements are a battle pass, store, and currencies, which would imply some live service features could be in the game.

VGC reports that a development source has said a battle pass is planned, but it would be focused on cosmetic content. The currencies shown also reportedly pertain to XP and skill trees for characters. These characters won't start off weak, according to VGC's source, but will "start off great and can get ridiculous, like Arkham Knight's Batman."

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB48qOGxNlg

A suicide mission

We haven't seen much Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay yet that could further back this up or not. Most recently, we saw a cinematic tease of the upcoming anti-hero brawler at The Game Awards 2022. Alongside a release date confirmation for May 26, 2023, Rocksteady also confirmed that Kevin Conroy would be the voice of Batman as well. The voice actor, who played Batman in both the Arkham games series and many animated adaptations, including Batman: The Animated Series, died last year.

This is Rocksteady's first game since 2015's Arkham Knight, so fans are likely curious about how these systems pan out. If these shots are from an internal test version, things could potentially shift. Hopefully we'll learn more about what's in store for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League sometime between now and its May release date.

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Kevin Conroy's Batman will be in the new Rocksteady game

Rocksteady has locked in a release date for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Alongside seeing the DC anti-hero squad f?inally debut, we'll also get to hear Kevin Conroy's voice as Batman once ag??ain.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will debut on May 26, 2023 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Ser??ies X|S, and PC. We got a new trailer for it at tonight?'s Game Awards 2022, spotlight the squad dealing with what looks like the aftermath of their rumble with The Flash.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=NdrBPWNns84

As it soon becomes appare?nt, the Caped Crusader is hot on their heels. And he also seems to?? have dropped the "not killing anyone" thing, too.

Confirmed during tonight's Game Awards, the late Kevin Conroy will still be the voice of Batman in the coming Rocksteady game. Conroy lent his voice to many iterations of Batman over the years, including voice acting for Rocksteady's Arkham series. And in Suicide Squad, we'll??? get one more portrayal. The Game Awards trailer closed with a tribute to the actor.

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Sefton Hill and Jamie Walker are moving on to a new adventure

Rocksteady co-founders Sefton Hill an?d Jamie Walker are leaving the company. The pair announced they will depart Rocksteady at the end of 2022.

In a letter detailing the shift, Rocksteady confirms that founding member and longtime director of production Nathan Burlow will take over as studio director. Darius Sadeghian will take over the ??r?ole of Studio Product Director.

"With Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League nearly finished, they have both decided to leave Rocksteady?? at the end of 2022 and will begin a new adventure in gaming," reads today's statement. "We have the utmost respect and gratitude for Jamie and Sefton and wish them all the best in their new endeavor, and like many fans, we look forward to what they do next."

No word yet on what the duo will go on to do. Today's letter says the two will be moving on to a "new adventure" in? gaming. Hill and Walker wished Burlow and ??Sadeghian the best in taking the reins of Rocksteady.

"Now with Suicide Squad in safe hands, and the team here stronger than ever, it's time to hand over the reins, and for us to start a new a??dventure together in games," wrote ?Hill and Walker.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=KRKZ1ewc9f0

Keep steady

The duo of Walker and Hill has been behind ?Rocksteady since it was form?ed in 2004. The two had previously worked together at Argonaut Games.

The team would go on to kickstart the Batman: Arkham series of games. The Arkham series grew, expanding out to other studios, ?and has become pretty pivot??al for the modern superhero genre.

Rocksteady is currently working on Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which was pushed out of this year and into spring 2023.

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Good things come to those who wait

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is an upcoming title from Rocksteady that has DC fans buzzing, but unfortunately it's been delayed from its 2022 release date to spring of next year. The studio'??s founder Sefton Hill took to Twitter to announce the news, as well as to say that "a delay is frustrating," but that that time is important in ensuring they release the best product in the end.

The game was first announced as part of the DC FanDome in October of last year, and since then we've gotten both a story and a gameplay trailer to give us a better look into the uproarious romp th??is game is likely to be. We did get a hint that Suicide Squad would get delayed a few months back as well, after the game was mysteriously absent from a report that highlighted the company's upcoming slate of r?eleases at?? the start of the year.

According to that same report, Gotham Knights is still on s?c?hedule for its release date as of now.

//twitter.com/Seftonhill/status??/1506632960858021902

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will be set in the fictional city of Metropolis?, which is best known as Superman's home city in the DC canon. It is also set in the same universe as R?ocksteady's Arkham series, which includes three pr???evious Batman-centric titles. Gotham Knights, on the other hand, is taking pl??ace in Gotham, but will be in a different universe entirely. Classic comic book stuff, am I rig??ht?

Delays in game releases have become in?creasingly common over the past few years due to the s?train that the pandemic has put on development. Fans who were looking forward to Suicide Squad may be disappointed, but whil?e the delay only adds a few more months of waiting, it's likely that it could have a huge impact on the final experience of playing the game.

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Traditionally, the collection includes three games

Batman: Arkham Collection Switch is?? potentially on the ?way, thanks to a new listing from a retailer who has leaked several other high-profile games.

As you may recall, back in 2018, the French retailer/distributor WT&T indirectly confirmed the existence of Witcher 3 on Switch. That same source is at it again, as it recently put up a listing for Batman: Arkham Collection, which is potentially due out on Nintendo Switch on August 31 of this year (if it's not a placeholder). It seems like the perfect thing to announce at E3, then release a few months later. It's also great ammunition for softening the blow if a major upcoming AAA game is delayed.

A reminder: the Arkham Collection is actually out on several platforms already (PC, PS3, Xbox), and consists of three games: Arkham Asylum, Arkham City, and Arkham Knight (as well as "all post-launch content"). Yep, it gives us the main "Rocksteady trilogy" and skips over the prequel, Origins.

This is mostly believable, as Batman: Arkham Collection Switch isn't a huge stretch. Isn't it wild that Arkham City, but not Asylum or Knight, was released on a Nintendo platform (Wii U)? Origins too! This would mark the first time Asylum and Knight have been available on a Nintendo device.

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The crew may be putting their plans on hold until next year

It looks like one of the big DC games set for this year has been pushed into next. A new report from Bloomberg says Warner Media has quietly delayed Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League into 2023.

Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reports this, according to people famil??iar with development. The outlet didn't receive a response to its requests for comment.

The Suicide Squad game was slated to arrive this year alongside several other big Warner Media games, including Hogwarts Legacy and fellow DC Comics game Gotham Knights. Both were highlighted as part of this year's schedule in a recent earnings call. But Suicide Squad was conspicuously absent.

It's been quite a while since Rocksteady's Arkham Knight, but Suicide Squad falling into 2023 isn't wholly surprising. Other games under the Warner umbrella have taken some extra time for polish.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=72RyZMzcIB0

We did get a new look at gameplay of Suicide Squad recently, and it looked pretty promising. The story looks to follow Cap??????????????????????????tain Boomerang, King Shark, Deadshot, and Harley Quinn as they're sent out to take on the impossible: kill the Justice League. It looks like the main idea is to have you jumping between different characters to fight against some of the most powerful heroes around. Which, well, the odds don't look so great for the motley crew of anti-heroes.

We'll keep an eye out for confirmation of the date shift. But with 2?022 already looking pretty packed for big games, one blockbuster slipping into next year seems just? fine.

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It's what they do...

It's been a very, very long time coming, but last night's Game Awards finally featured debut gameplay footage of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, the new DC Comics adventure coming from studio Rocksteady, previously responsible for the Batman: Arkham series, one of, if not the finest comic book ??video game franchise ever made.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=72RyZMzcIB0

The trailer sees our motley crew of Captain Boomerang, King Shark, Deadshot, and, of course, the irrepressible Harley Quinn laying waste to armies of enemies amidst a frankly stunning-looking cityscape. The trailer emphasizes Suicide Squad's heavy multiplayer slant, which will require players to capitalize on each team member's unique skills and abilities wh??ile on an insane mission to? take down that body of all that is right and true: The Justice League. Yep, it looks like America's Greatest Heroes have turned evil (yes, again), and it will be up to our band of ragamuffin scumbags to save the day... and their own necks.

Honestly, I wasn't sold on this title at all, but this "gameplay" looks really promising to me. I dig the smoothness a?nd fluidity of the motion, ?the spectacular carnage, the huge open fighting arenas, and I even didn't mind the comedy too much �always the hardest thing to pull off where the DC universe is concerned.

I won't deny that the heavy multiplayer element is a bit of a hurdle, and we're yet to see whether Warner Bros. will pack this title up the wazoo with Games-as-a-Service BS ala Square Enix's much-maligned Marvel's Avengers, but this new footage has turned me around on the game, and I move from trepidatious to, let's say, positively cautious. Hope we ?get to see mor??e real soon.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League launches on PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC in 2022

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This is not just a signal... It's a warning

In an hour from now, DC Comics will kick off its DC FanDome 2021 live stream?, offering up several hours of info pertaining to the company's upcoming movies, TV shows, video games, comic events, and more. The show kicks off a??t 10:00 PT / 13:00 ET / 18:00 BST / 19:00 CEST and is expected to run around four hours in total.

Fans tuning in can expect a glut of updates and info and most of the DC Comics/Warner Bros. properties. Scheduled to make an appearance are updates on Warner Bros. Montreal's Gotham Knights, and the first gameplay footage of Rocksteady's anticipated Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Ed Boon is also scheduled to make an appearance, thou?gh i??t is uncertain whether the NetherRealm Studios' director is planning to reveal any new film or video game projects.

Speaking of film, audiences wait with bated breath for a new trailer for The Batman, which will see Robert Pattinson take up the mantle of The Dark Knight. More info is also expected on the cinematic adventures of Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam as well as sequels for Shazam! and Aquaman.  On smaller screens, fans can expect updates on an array of TV shows including Batwoman, Harley Quinn, Supergirl, and The Flash, as well as debuting shows Peacemaker?, and Superman & Lois. These titles represent a small selection of the DC Comics brands and panels expected to appear this aftern?oon.

You can watch the entire event below, or tune in via the official DC FanDome website. Have fun!

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=RADmFACrWWQ

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DC FanDome begins Oct. 16 at 10:00 a.m. Pacific

Given Rocksteady's track record with the fondly remembered Batman: Arkham series, I should be down for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League without caveats, but I'll need more convincing b??efore it ev??en approaches no-brainer territory. For now, here's a screenshot.

The news-filled DC FanDome 2021 event starts tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. Pacific, and to get us in the Superman-stopping (or at least slowing down) mood, Rocksteady's Sefton Hill tweeted out an image of the upcoming Suicide Squad game for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.

It feels like such a long time coming �are?? we getting gameplay this weekend?

??//twitte??r.com/Seftonhill/status/1448997568793427998

Yep, that's Deadshot, Cap?tain Boomerang, King Shark, and Harley Quinn all right. All four characters are playable �if you're alone, you'll have AI assistance, otherwise, you can team up with three other players in "open-world Metropolis." There's so much left to learn.

Even if this isn't my preferred cast of characters for a comic-based video game, especially when we're talking about Rocksteady's once-in-a-blue-moon output, I think I can be convinced, and I have no doubts about Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League probably looking cool and fun and polished. For me, it really just comes down to the "genre-bending action-adventure shooter" foundatio??n and h??ow that resonates with solo play compared to co-op.

It's not the end-all-be-all �or at least I don't think it'll be once the dust settles �but fans are still concerned about potential live-service-game woes, and real or not, those unfilled blanks are impacting the perception of this game. We've been burned before!

Hopefully tomorrow's DC FanDome showing will be illuminating and we're left feeling confident about the Suicide Squad game. (Reminder, it's not coming to PS4 or Xbox One; it's next-gen and PC only.) The launch is still penciled in for 2022, so we might get a release date or window, and worst case, there's going to be a new trailer for The Batman.

The post A last-minute Suicide Squad: Kil??l t?he Justice League screenshot before DC FanDome appeared first on Destructoid.

Straight Outta Gotham

Warner Bros. Interactive, alongside studio Rocksteady, dropped the key art for the upcoming comic book epic Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which is currently in developmen??t for PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S.

The simple but effective artwork sees the viewer a hapless victim of the posse of rampaging reprobate?s, as the POV lies flat on its back, looking upward at the colorful but frightening visages of Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, King Shark and, of course, the irrepressible Harleen Quinzel. It seems we've come off for the worse in this particular encounter. Time to tap out, methinks... Where's Peacemaker when you need him?

Described as a "genre-bending action-adventure shooter", Suicide Squad received an explosive cinematic trailer during E3 2020 before going very dark, as Batman: Arkham veterans Rocksteady continue to chip away at the ambitious game's development. Exciting news is on the horizon, however, as Warner Bros. has previously stated its intention to release new updates on Suicide Squad during DC FanDome 2021, an upcoming one-day s?tream packed with updates and info on all manner of DC Comics-related movies, games, and TV shows. So, hopefully, we'll be getting our first look at Suicide Squad's gameplay, (as well as a possible release window), in a few weeks' time.

DC FanDome kicks off October 16 and can be watched live over on the official site and its related social media.

//twitter.com/??suicidesqu??adRS/status/1441387032475885581?s=20

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Honestly, I just want a Ratcatcher II game now

It's been a helluva long time since we last heard anything from the DC Comics Computer & Video Game Universe (DCCC&VGU), but all that is set to change in October, with the coming of the annual DC FanDome event. For the uninitiated, this is a single-day live stream presentation packed with news, updates, and reveals pertaining to DC Comics, its vide??o games, cartoons, toys, and its te??rrible, terrible movies.

Among what will no doubt be a slew of premieres, trailers, interviews, and Q&A panels, fans can expect to see brand new updates on the two biggest gaming releases currently on deck at Warner Bros. Interactive. This will include new deets on WB Montreal's delayed Gotham Knights, and Rocksteady's multiplayer-centric Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJjRRErYdO4

Gotham Knights, which sees Red Hood, Robin, Batgirl, and Nightwing team-up to patrol the mean streets of Gotham City, was originally scheduled to launch on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms this year, but has since joined the myriad AAA titles that have been pushed back to 2022. Players will guide the team of young heroes on their righteous and tireless crusade �supporting a society that now lives without the security of Bruce Wayne and his dark alter-ego, Batman. Incidentally, WB Montreal released a new poster just this morning, seemingly referencing the sinister Court of Owls.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=2EVFYstVuVk

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League received an incredibly bombastic trailer at E3 2020, and simply hasn't been heard from since. While only a fool would bet against Rocksteady �the team that brought us the masterful Batman: Arkham trilogy �it's also extremely likely that the continually crumbling status of Square Enix' Marvel's Avengers could have potentially put a little trepidation in Suicide Squad's multipl??ayer-centric concept. Hopefully, we'll see Quinn and co. in action at this upcoming event, ahead of their eventual arri??val on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.

Away from the world of gaming, DC FanDome will also spotlight updates on upcoming movies such as The Batman, The Flash, and Black Adam. The stream will also showcase new and returning TV shows such as Batwoman (Poison Ivy!), Supergirl, Superman & Lois, and Suicide Squad spin-off Peacemaker. Among all of these media properties, there might also be some comics. Ratcatch??er II is pretty much my DC obsession right now, so here's hoping for her own run.

DC FanDome kicks off October 16 and can be watched live over on the official site and its related social media.

//twitter.com/DCEU_U??pdates??/status/1432551003031756802?s=20

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Zur-En-Arrh and Anime

Anyone who's still playing Arkham Knight can now dress Bruce Wayne up in a few new outfits. Rocksteady updated the game with two new skins as ?a holiday gift for players.

Here's what they look like:

The Zur-En-Arrh costume has roots in two stories. One is a 50s-era arc where Batman travels to another planet to fight giant robots. The modern version uses the phrase "Zur-En-Arrh" (which is Bruce's misinterpretation of his father's dying words) as a Manchurian Candidate-lik??e trigger to get Batman to torture and/or kill his enemies.

The other one requires far less explanation. The Anime Batman outfit is from the Batman animes. (Actually, it's pronounced "anime.") Putting this in our work Slack sent Chris and Moyse down a rabbit hole of Batman: Gotham Knight and Batman Ninja links. Jordan contributed "Big ani????me pecs" which was low-key very funny.

A??nyway, two ne??w dazzling red carpet getups for the Caped Crusader. Fashion show! Fashion show! Fashion show at lunch!

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Coming in 2022

Harley Quinn, King Shark, Captain Boomerang, and Deadshot are teaming up to take down Superman in Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. During the DC FanDome stream, it was confirmed the game is a continuation of the Arkham universe.

You'll be able to play the game solo with ??three A.I. partners that you can take control of at any time. The entire story will also be playable in online co-op with up to four players teaming up to take down Superman and other members of the Justice League. Each character will have their own unique movesets, as well as customizable weapons and skills.

The game will be set in an open-world Metropolis that is seen in the trailer above. Described as an "action-adventure shooter," Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is set for releas??e in 2022 for Xbox Series X?, PlayStation 5, and PC.

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'We're bad guys... It's what we do'

It looks like all of the rumours, teasers, and guesswork can finally be put to rest. Developer Rocksteady - renown for its fantastic Batman: Arkham series - has revealed that it will be formally announcing a new game on August 22, centered around DC Comics' Suicide Squad.

Rocksteady tweeted out a stark poster featuring what appears to be The Man of Steel, Superman, with a Suicide Squad-themed crosshair emblazoned on the back of his head. (But n??ote the sinister eyes... Bizarro?) As DC fans are aware, the Suicide Squad ?are a reckless band of incarcerated villains, weaponised by the government to perform dirty, under-the-table operations in exchange for special favours or reduced sentences.

A Suicide Squad game has likely been on the cards at Rocksteady for some time, given hints laid out in the post-credits sequence of Rocksteady Montreal's 2013 release Batman: Arkham Origins. The Canadian sister studio is currently said to be working on its own DC Comics game, Gotham Knights.

More information will be released on August 22, as a part of the "DC Fandome" event - an online celebration of the legendary publisher's wide and varied universe. In the meantime, you can follow the Suicide Squad project over on its brand new Twitter account.

Target locked - #DCFanDome - August 22. #suicidesquadgame pic.twitter.com/HrXZNKwo0f

— Rocksteady Studios (@RocksteadyGames) August 7, 2020

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The PR campaign for the Court of Owls project is slow going

In case you didn't notice, there's two distinct Batman game studios over at WB: ?Rocksteady, who started it all, and WB Games Montreal.

The latter worked on Arkham Origins, and is expected to give us the new assumed Court of Owls game any day now. Yep, any day now: assuredly, during every single event of the ??past year, we've expected this announcement. It's not like WB isn't fueling this expectation either, as it's been drip-feeding marketing materials for the past four months or so.

For now, we shift our focus to Arkham Knight, the polarizing Rocksteady creation that came out in mid-2015 and seemingly heralded the end of the Dark Knight saga. The studio took to Twitter today to announce, "as promised last year, the Earth 2 Dark Knight Skin will be made available worldwide to players who own Batman: Arkham Knight on PS4. The Skin will be available for download on the PlayStation Store from the 28th of Ja?nuary."

This promise was made back in July of 2019, when the Arkham Collection provided that very same skin. Maybe Spider-Man PS4 and Batman: Arkham Knight can have a sk??in-off! The very last game to offer a free skin years after an entry has been released wins. Fi??ght!

Rocksteady Studios [Twitter]

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That's a lot of Batman

Batman Day is a real thing, apparently. I only learned about it yesterday when posting that Fortnite leak, but I guess this "holiday" is a bigger deal than I realized. In celebration of the Dark Knight's own day, Epic Games is gi?ving out six different Batman titles for absolutely nothing. T?hat's a hell? of a free gift and could occupy you for dozens of hours.

If you boot up the launcher, you'll be able to grab the Batman: Arkham Collection and LEGO Batman Trilogy collections. As should be evident, these two bundles contain all three of their respective Batman titles in one easy package. In the case of the Arkham titles, both Asylum and City are the "Game of the Year" editions (which include all of the DLC released for both). Arkham Knight and LEGO Batman 3, though, do not have their DLC present.

That may be a little disappointing, but this is still a solid deal. I don't much care for LEGO Batman 2, but basically, all of these games are worth a look. At the low price of free, you'd be silly t??o pass it up. The offer will be up for grabs until September 26, so you have some time to nab it.

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The Dark Knight Returns... again

There has to be some form of undiscovered civilisation out there that doesn't own Rocksteady's iconic Batman: Arkham trilogy yet, as it appears Warner Bros. are giving t?he magnum opus yet another release.

Online retailer Amazon uploaded (and then removed) a listing for steelbook release of Batman: Arkham Collection Steelbook Edition, featuring the amazing Batman: Arkham Asylum, the critically-acclaimed Batman: Arkham City, and the visually incredible but somewhat weaker Batman: Arkham Knight. As is always the case, Warner Bros. Montreal's prequel Batman: Arkham Origins isn't getting a look-in. This morning, Rocksteady confirmed the steelbook for release.

Given that the casing is a major selling point of this re-release, one would assume that the three games will be featured on a physical disc, rather than just be digital downloads. All three titles will include their post-release content, with the PS4 edition bagging a seemingly exclusive "Earth to Dark Knight" skin for Arkham Knight.

According to the listing Batman: Arkham Collection Steelbook Edition will launch for PS4 and Xbox One Septembe??r? 6 for around £;40/$50.

Amazon UK?? lists Batman: Arkham Collection for PS4 and Xbox One [Gematsu]

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The acclaimed Batman studio is 'hard at work'

Another event, another confirmation that Rocksteady won't be show?ing off its next game. The studio won't be at E3 2019. That's according to co-founder and game director Sefton Hill, who took the unenviable position as bearer of bad news earlier today, exactly one week ahead of this year's show.

Hi all! A number of you have asked so we wanted to let you all know up front that @Rocksteadygames won't be showing at E3 this year. We’ll be watching as fans but remaining in London, hard at work on our next big project. Enjoy the show!

— Sefton Hill (@Seftonhill) June 4, 2019

Given that Rocksteady's last major release was 2015's Batman: Arkham Knight (or 2016's Batman: Arkham VR, depending on who you ask), folks understandably presumed that this E3 was the ?E3 for whatever comes next. The timing felt right. It was in the air! Or so we thought until just now.

Last November, Hill made a similar tweet to set fan expectations for The Game Awards 2018. "We're still hard at work in our development bunker so don't expect an announce?ment," he said at the time. "When it's ready to sh??ow, you'll be the first to know. Spoiler: it's not Superman."

At this point, you kind of have to figure that Rocksteady Studios will make waves as part of a next-gen console reveal. It's getting to be that time. On the one hand, I'm as eager as anyone to see the project o??ut in the open. On the other, this team is a known quantity, and it's safe to assume it'll impress us again. If there's any silver lining, it's that the wait from reveal to release could be pretty bearable.

All eyes on Marvel's Avengers this E3, then.

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Don't expect a reveal at The Game Awards

We're approaching four years since Rocksteady Studios' last major game, Batman: Arkham Knight, released. The developer has insisted that it's done with Batman, but we have very few clues as to what's next. And?? it seems to be about time Rocksteady's newest project is an?nounced.

Ahead of next week's Game Awards, there has been speculation that Warner Bros. and Rocksteady would use the show to reveal t??he next game. Not so says Rocksteady co-founder and game director Sefton Hill. In a message on Twitter, Hill states that the developer is hard at work and won't be showing anything at The Game Awards.

Even more interesting, Hill denies that Rocksteady is making a Superman title. This has been the most persistent rumor in recent years regarding Rocksteady's upcoming projects. Warner Bros. has the license to DC Comics, and Rocksteady seems like the dream developer who can possibly pull off a Superman game. No one has really been able to do Superman justice. All the video game takes have ranged from lackluster to a?ggressively bad.

As for what Rocksteady's up to, all we can do is ta??ke our speculation in a different direction -- away ?from the Man of Steel. We'll find out when the time is right.

Looking forward to #TheGameAwards this year! We’re still hard at work in our development bunker so don’t expect an announcement from @Rocksteadygames. When it’s ready to show, you’ll be the first to know. Spoiler: it’s not Superman 😳

— Sefton Hill (@Seftonhill) November 30, 2018

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You have to tell us what it is!

British video game studio Rocksteady, the developer beyond the critically and fan-acclaimed Batman: Arkham seri?es, are currently advertising for team members to work on ?their next major release.

According to the official Rocksteady website over 20 vacancies - both two-ye?ar temporary and permanent positions - are to be filled by applicants working on a "highly-anticipated AAA title" which is in development for "next generation platforms".

Rocksteady has dropped teasing comments about their next release previously, giving away flat zero in terms of brands, genres or licences, but the developer did confidently state that people would "lose ?their minds" when the new project was ultimately revealed. Given the success of the excellent Arkham titles, plus the current fanaticism over Marvel's Spider-Man?, odds are good that Rocksteady will return to the comic-book genre for their mysterious new game.

All that's left now is the waiting...

Rockst??eady open various positions for "highly-anticipated AAA title" [Rocksteady]

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Sefton Hill is listening

There were quite a few games many were expecting to appear at E3, regardless of whether there had been any official announcement or not, that didn't emerge. A new Mortal Kombat was one, with some form of epic comic book?? title from British? developer Rocksteady being another.

Despite the fact that some Superman-themed open-world game or, I dunno, a Birds of Prey soccer title failed to materialise, the Arkham developer released a statement letting fans know that their p??atience will serve them w?ell.

"We know some of you were disappointed that we were not at E3 this year," said company co-founder Sefton Hi??ll. "The whole team has been reading your comments, and all of us here at Rocksteady really appreciate your passion for our next project. Knowing how much it means to you keeps us inspired and energized to deliver a game that you will be proud of. We’ll share it with you as soon as it’s ready."

And so the mystery continues. I know I, for on??e, am slippy with anticipation over whatever the acclaimed studio is beavering away on. Hopefully the hype and hopes of fans will not be disappointed once the curtain raises on Rocksteady's next project.

Rocksteady releases stateme?nt regarding E3 absence [Twitter]

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Lulz if it's another Arkham game after all

A lot of fans are twitching with anticipation to see what UK developers Rocksteady have planned for their next release, following the excellent Batman: Arkham trilogy. The??re has been no news forthcoming, but that doesn't mean something awesome isn't on the table.

Speaking on twitter, Rock??steady marketing manager Gaz Deaves asked fans to be patient and enjoy the silence, safe in the knowledge than when word of the next Rocksteady game final?ly emerges "people are going lose their minds."

Ok, I get it, he's a marketing manager. He is actually paid to drive up hype, but it's hard not to get in a tizzy. The Arkham games were re??ceived so well, and told a really great, immersive and sometimes shocking story, backed up with fantastic voice acting, a good script, great fourth-wall breaking moments and some stunning visuals. Surely whatever the team turn their hands to will ??have the same attention bestowed upon it.

Who knows what's next from the Rocksteady crew? but consider my mind prepped to be lost. What would you li??ke to see the team embark upon as their next venture?

Be patient, fans. I know we're not talking right now..?. but when we do, people are going to lose their minds. Can't wait :D

— Gaz @ Rocksteady (@GazDeaves) September 28, 2017

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