The newest Gotham Knights, is coming later this year, and as usual, there has been rampant speculation regarding the villain lineup. The trailers reveal surprisingly little about the newest round of adversaries and focus mostly on showcasing each character's gameplay style, and this is no accident. Although Warner Bros. Games confirmed this entry is separate from the Arkham series, it is still within the Batman universe, so their reluctance to reveal the game's most anticipated story feature is a bit surprising. That said, Warner Bros. Games' refusal to show their hand will make the secret villain reveals so much more satisfying.
The premise of the title is drastically different from previous Batman games since Gotham Knights features a version of Gotham City where both Batman and Commissioner Gordon are dead. Instead, the player controls Bruce's various proteges as they try to restore order in their mentor's absence. The team of heroes includes Nightwing (Dick Grayson), Batgirl (Barbara Gordon), Robin (Tim Drake), and Red Hood (Jason Todd), all of whom have appeared in Arkham games in the past.
Warner Bros. Games did reveal the main antagonist in the trailer, and as relatively obscure Batman enemies go, the Court of Owls is an excellent choice. The group is an organization of wealthy, influential Gotham residents that control the city's politics behind the scenes and carry out their whims with an elite cabal of assassins called the Talons. At least one Court of Owls Talon in Gotham Knights is seen in a story trailer sporting the signature infrared goggles and armor, and though there may not be any instantly recognizable villains in the Court of Owls' ranks in Gotham Knights, the mysterious Illuminati-like organization is a very promising threat.
Gotham Knights' Secret Villain Lineup Is A Good Thing
There are a couple of other villains who are confirmed to make an appearance, mainly Mr. Freeze and The Penguin. Mr. Freeze looks to be filling the role of villain and is seen engaging in a fight with Batgirl. The penguin, on the other hand, is only shown explaining the Court of Owls to Nightwing, suggesting he might act as an ally to the protagonists.
At this point, it seems WB Games might keep most of the lineup a secret, and the mystery will certainly build anticipation. The creative director did tease Harley Quinn and The Riddler as possible villains at Comic-Con, but their roles are still ambiguous. However, he did confirm that The Joker won't be featured in Gotham Knights. Fans can only guess what iconic of Batman's rogues' gallery will make the cut, but it looks like the only way to find out is to play the game.
Gotham Knights releases on October 25 for Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
Source: Gotham Knights/YouTube
