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by Synister Sandman

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is an upcoming online action-adventure game developed by Rocksteady Studios and published by Warner Bros. Games. It is the fifth main instalment 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. Based on the DC Universe 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.

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a genre-bending action adventure game set in an open world based in Metropolis. The game features four playable characters: Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, Harley Quinn, and King Shark. While it can be played solo, the game also features a four-player cooperative multiplayer. When played solo, players can switch between characters at will, while the other characters are controlled by the AI.

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. Amanda Waller creates a task force known as the Suicide Squad, which is composed of Arkham Asylum inmates Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot and King Shark,for a covert mission in Metropolis. Only when they arrive in the city do they realise the severity of the situation: Brainiac has invaded Earth and has started brainwashing its inhabitants, including Justice League members Superman, The Flash, Green Lantern, and Batman, with Wonder Woman as the only apparent member who is not under Brainiac’s control. 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, eventually, the world.

A video game based on the Suicide Squad was first announced by then DC Comics chief creative officer Geoff Johns in July 2010. 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.” The formation of the Suicide Squad was teased at the end of Batman: Arkham Origins in 2013 – developed by WB Games Montreal – 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. In the years since Batman: Arkham Knght was released, there have been rumours suggesting that WB Games Montreal was working on a Suicide Squad game, but no official announcement was made from the development team or publisher. In December 2016, the publisher revealed that the title was cancelled.

Rocksteady Studios announced Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League in August 2020. Rocksteady, the creator of the Batman:Arkham franchise, was initially rumoured to be working on a Superman-themed game, which they later debunked. 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. The Los Angeles-based company Unbroken Studios are assisting Rocksteady in the development of the game.

A prequel comic titled Suicide Squad: Kill Arkham Asylum is set to be released on May 30, 2023, four days after the game’s release. Its story will take place between the events of Batman: Arkham Knight and Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League, and will be about how Amanda Waller took control of Arkham Asylum and recruited Task Force X for their mission to save the Justice League.

On March 23, 2022, Rocksteady announced that the title had been delayed from its initial 2022 launch window to early 2023. At The Game Awards in 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.

On February 23, 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.

Personally, I am hyped for this title release and will bring you any news that is released on this title or any future titles based on the “ArkhamVerse”. The game is scheduled to be released on May 26, 2023 for the Playstation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series S/X.