No, Gotham Knights is Not Canon to Arkham Origins or the Arkham Series
While speculation persists amongst some fans, Gotham Knights and Arkham Origins do not share continuity and tell completely separate Batman stories outside the acclaimed Arkhamverse canon. Gotham Knights introduces an original premise centered around Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing and Red Hood in a fresh creative direction for DC‘s gaming landscape.
The Acclaimed Arkham Series Canon
Arkham Origins serves as an origin entry in the main Arkham trilogy of Asylum, City and Knight developed by Rocksteady Studios. Below is a release timeline of the critical and commercially successful Arkham saga known for its groundbreaking gameplay, dark storytelling and faithful adaptation of iconic Batman characters/lore:
| Game | Developer | Release Year | Plot Summary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkham Asylum | Rocksteady Studios | 2009 | Batman recaptures escaped inmates at Arkham including the Joker |
| Arkham City | Rocksteady Studios | 2011 | Batman investigates "Arkham City" prison/slums run by Dr. Hugo Strange |
| Arkham Origins | WB Games Montreal | 2013 | Younger Batman faces assassins hired by Black Mask including new adversaries like Bane |
| Arkham Knight | Rocksteady Studios | 2015 | Scarecrow returns with entire rogues gallery to destroy Batman and Gotham City |
Arkham Origins acts as a prequel focused on formative events early in Batman‘s crimefighting career with more straightforward combat/predator encounters contrasted to the complex narratives of later Arkham chapters.
Gotham Knights‘ Alternate Continuity
Meanwhile, Gotham Knights splits from existing Batman game canon by introducing its own continuity and storyline spotlighting former sidekicks in the wake of Batman‘s death. Some key differences:
| Game | Gotham Knights | Arkham Series |
|---|---|---|
| Developer | WB Games Montreal | Rocksteady Studios |
| Main Characters | Batgirl, Robin, Nightwing, Red Hood | Batman, Joker |
| Narrative Focus | Batman is dead, "Bat Family" protects Gotham alone | Batman battles enemies, trauma, maintains control |
| Tone | Character-driven, emotional | Dark, psychological |
So while superficially similar, Gotham Knights diverges tonally through emphasizing the bonds between Batman‘s disciples as they struggle to fill his shadow. The co-op gameplay also supports a heroic camaraderie absent from the brooding power fantasy of the Arkham series.
Based on insights from my 20+ years gaming fandom, it‘s an exciting pivot expanding the creative scope of DC‘s gaming portfolio beyond just Batman‘s exploits.
Addressing Connections Theories
Some fans speculate about narrative connections between Gotham Knights and Arkham canon. Common theories argue:
1. Gotham Knights is a direct sequel to Arkham Knight: Developer statements explicitly refute any narrative continuity
2. The game is an Arkhamverse "what-if" spinoff: Separate continuity nature makes this impossible
3. Knights will crossover with Suicide Squad game: Rocksteady‘s Suicide Squad game stays firmly grounded in original Arkham canon unrelated to Knights
While I‘d personally enjoy seeing the Gotham Knights cast interact with Arkham or Suicide Squad characters, Warner Bros. comments consistently reinforce their standalone, self-contained nature.
Part of a Larger Batman Canon
However, one must consider Batman‘s multimedia canon spanning 80+ years has always embraced reinvention across countless comics, shows and films. Gotham Knights manifests this tradition through evolution beyond the Arkham series to ask bold new questions about who could succeed The Dark Knight‘s crusade.
Just as fans have accepted myriad on-screen Batmans from Bale to Affleck, Arkham and Gotham Knight offer parallel gateway into the characters we cherish via interactive game experiences. Their contrasting tones give players an enriching choice in shaping their ideal Batman fantasy.
In many ways, the decentralized, almost experimental nature of Batman canon empowers each incarnation like Gotham Knights to take thrilling risks respecting legacy foundations while pioneering new directions. Its continuity freedoms may controversially abandon sacred Arkham lore, but open up gameplay and storytelling possibilities that dutiful Arkham sequels could never explore.
Conclusion
So does unbound creative license justify dissolving connections to such an acclaimed saga? As an avid gamer and Batman enthusiast, I say absolutely!
Gotham Knights refusal to limit its scope and ambitions within the framework of previous games demonstrates the courage to put innovation over continuity. This clean break from the Arkhamverse frees it to proudly redefine interactive Batman storytelling for a new generation.
While lack of brand synergy between Batman titles does frustrate some franchise fans, we must have faith that each reinterpretation serves to advance gaming possibilities even further. Gotham Knight‘s efforts to empower the wider Bat Family over recycling the same Batman-centric narrative makes it an exciting new frontier for DC games lore!
