Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is an upcoming action-adventure game developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Warner Bros. Games. The game is scheduled to release for PlayStation 5, Windows and Xbox Series X/S on February 2, 2024.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League | |
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Developer(s) | Rocksteady Studios |
Publisher(s) | Warner Bros. Games |
Director(s) |
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Artist(s) | David Hego |
Series | Batman: Arkham |
Engine | Unreal Engine 4[1] |
Platform(s) | |
Release | February 2, 2024 |
Genre(s) | Action-adventure |
Mode(s) | Single-player, multiplayer |
Kill the Justice League is the fifth main installment in the Batman: Arkham series, taking place five years after the events of Batman: Arkham Knight, and the first not to feature Batman as the main protagonist, though the character still appears, posthumously voiced by Kevin Conroy in his final performance as Batman.[2][3] Based on the DC Comics supervillain/anti-hero team the Suicide Squad, the game revolves around the titular team of super-criminals, who are assembled by Amanda Waller and sent to Metropolis to stop the alien invader Brainiac and save the members of the Justice League brainwashed by him.
Gameplay
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a genre-bending action-adventure game[4] set in an open world based in Metropolis.[5] The game features four playable characters: Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, and King Shark.[6] While it can be played solo, the game also features a four-player cooperative multiplayer mode. When played solo, players can switch between characters at will, while the other characters are controlled by the AI.[7][8]
Premise
The game is set in the universe previously established by the Batman: Arkham series, taking place five years after the events of Batman: Arkham Knight.[9] Amanda Waller (Debra Wilson)[10] creates a task force known as the Suicide Squad, which is composed of Arkham Asylum inmates Harley Quinn (Tara Strong),[11] Captain Boomerang (Daniel Lapaine), Deadshot (Bumper Robinson) and King Shark (Samoa Joe),[12] for a covert mission in Metropolis.[13] Only when they arrive in the city do they realize the severity of the situation: Brainiac has invaded Earth and has started brainwashing its inhabitants, including Justice League members Superman,[14] Flash (Scott Porter), Green Lantern,[15] and Batman (Kevin Conroy), with Wonder Woman as the only apparent member who is not under Brainiac's control.[16] It is up to the Suicide Squad, with reluctant aid from Wonder Woman, to save the world by freeing the Justice League from Brainiac's control and stopping Brainiac himself before he takes over Metropolis and the world.[17]
Development
A video game based on the Suicide Squad was first announced by then DC Comics chief creative officer Geoff Johns in July 2010.[18] In February 2012, he elaborated that the game was in development, adding that "Because of the concept, you have a game where any of the lead characters can conceivably die and it's not a stunt. Some really cool story could come out of that."[19] The formation of the Suicide Squad was teased at the end of Batman: Arkham Origins in 2013 – developed by WB Games Montréal – which featured a post-credits scene in which Deathstroke is asked by Amanda Waller to join the team, and in Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate, in which Deadshot and Bronze Tiger join the team with Bane under consideration.[20][21] In the years since Batman: Arkham Knight was released, there have been rumours suggesting that WB Games Montréal was working on a Suicide Squad game, but no official announcement was made from the development team or publisher.[22] In December 2016, Jason Schreier from Kotaku revealed that the title was cancelled.[23]
Rocksteady Studios announced Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League in August 2020.[24] Rocksteady, the creator of the Batman: Arkham franchise, was initially rumored to be working on a Superman-themed game, which they later debunked.[25] The first trailer for the game premiered at DC FanDome on August 22, 2020. As the game is set in the "Arkhamverse", plot threads established in the Batman: Arkham series, including the Joker's death in Batman: Arkham City and the public revelation of Batman's identity as Bruce Wayne in Batman: Arkham Knight, would continue in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.[26] The Los Angeles-based company Unbroken Studios are assisting Rocksteady in the developing of the game.[27]
Prequel comic
A prequel comic titled Suicide Squad: Kill Arkham Asylum was originally going to be released on May 30, 2023, four days after the game was originally set to release, but was delayed to October 2024. Its story takes place between the events of Batman: Arkham Knight and Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, and is about how Amanda Waller took control of Arkham Asylum and recruited Task Force X for their mission to save the Justice League.
Release
On 23 March 2022, Rocksteady announced that the title had been delayed from its initial 2022 launch window to early 2023.[28] At The Game Awards 2022, the release date was revealed to be May 26, along with the announcement that Batman would appear in the game, posthumously voiced by Kevin Conroy in his final performance as the character following his death in November 2022.[2][29][30]
On 23 February 2023, during a PlayStation State of Play and a separate FAQ, Rocksteady confirmed the game would require an internet connection at all times (even when playing solo), have a battle pass (only including cosmetics) and is set to receive post-launch content (such as new playable characters, missions and weapons).[31][32]
On 13 April 2023, Rocksteady announced that the game had been delayed again to 2 February 2024.[33]
References
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- Plant, Logan (December 8, 2022). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Will Include Kevin Conroy, New Release Date Revealed". IGN. Archived from the original on December 9, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
- Marnell, Blair (November 11, 2022). "Iconic Batman Voice Actor Kevin Conroy Passes Away". Yahoo! News.
- Kim, Matt (October 12, 2021). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Lets You Prank Call Amanda Waller In Real-Life". IGN. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
- Parks, Adam (October 17, 2021). "Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League Starts Off In Batman Arkham Asylum". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
- Lang, Brad (October 13, 2021). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Reveals Amanda Waller's Real-World Phone Number". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- Yin-Poole, Wesley (August 23, 2020). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a continuation of Rocksteady's Arkham-verse". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on August 23, 2020. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
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- Lang, Brad (October 16, 2021). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Finally Drops Chaotic Story Trailer". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
- Dominguez, Noah (August 23, 2020). "WWE's Samoa Joe Voices King Shark in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2021.
- McNulty, Thomas (December 17, 2020). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Could Set Up a Superman Game". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on December 20, 2020. Retrieved February 21, 2021.
- Tinner, Phillip (August 23, 2020). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Trailer Reveals DC Heroes as Villains". Screen Rant. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
- Onder, Cade (October 17, 2021). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Trailer Breakdown". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on October 18, 2021. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- Bankhurst, Adam (October 16, 2021). "DC FanDome 2021: The Biggest Stories and Trailers Including The Batman". IGN. Archived from the original on October 26, 2022. Retrieved October 18, 2021.
- McWhertor, Michael (October 16, 2021). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League got a new trailer at DC FanDome". Polygon. Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
- Hodson, Laura (July 23, 2010). "Geoff Johns Spotlights Green Lantern & Flash Films, 'Suicide Squad' Video Game". ComicsAlliance. Archived from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
- Narcisse, Evan (February 14, 2012). "Geoff Johns Says a Great Superman Video Game Needs the "Right Studio"". Kotaku. Archived from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved August 25, 2020.
- Stewart, Charlie (March 24, 2021). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League - Who is Amanda Waller?". Game Rant. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- Curran, Robert (December 9, 2020). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Is Resolving the Deadshot Continuity Problem". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
- Purslow, Matt (August 7, 2020). "Rocksteady Announces Suicide Squad Game". IGN. Archived from the original on August 7, 2020. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
- Schreier, Jason (December 19, 2016). "Sources: WB Montreal Cancels Unannounced Suicide Squad Game, Shifts To Batman". Kotaku. Archived from the original on September 11, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
- S. Good, Owen (August 7, 2020). "Suicide Squad game in the works from Batman Arkham maker Rocksteady". Polygon. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved June 21, 2021.
- Madsen, Hayes (August 10, 2020). "Why The Superman Game Rumors Were Wrong". Screen Rant. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
- Hernandez, Rafael (September 24, 2021). "'Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League' Poster Reveals a Rough Mission". Collider. Archived from the original on October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 17, 2021.
- Mazanko, Vlad (April 16, 2021). "Unbroken Studios Joins Rocksteady For Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League". TheGamer. Archived from the original on October 16, 2021. Retrieved April 17, 2021.
- Skrebels, Joe (March 23, 2022). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Officially Delayed to Spring 2023". IGN. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
- Cryer, Hirun (March 23, 2022). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League delayed to 2023". gamesradar. Archived from the original on March 23, 2022. Retrieved March 23, 2022.
- Takahashi, Dean (August 22, 2020). "Rocksteady shows off Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League for 2022". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on September 13, 2020. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
- Phillips, Tom (February 23, 2023). "Rocksteady confirms Suicide Squad post-launch plans and cosmetic battle pass". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on March 3, 2023. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
- "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League". Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Archived from the original on July 18, 2013. Retrieved February 24, 2023.
- Stedman, Alex (April 13, 2023). "Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League Officially Delayed to February 2024". IGN. Retrieved April 14, 2023.