How to play the Batman Arkham games in chronological order
The chronological and release order for the Arkhamverse.
The Batman Arkham games are considered some of the best comic book adaptions around. And before Rocksteady had taken on the mantle of adapting the Dark Knight's adventures, licensed games were by and large a mixed bag - with too many disappointing tie-ins that didn't do the original justice.
That all started to change when Arkham Asylum debuted in 2009, giving Batman fans the game they had long deserved. Since then the celebrated series has spawned numerous sequels and spin-off games. If you're not sure where to start, then our Batman Arkham games order guide is here to help.
We'll talk you through how to play the Batman Arkham series in order looking at both the chronological and release date order.
How to play the Batman Arkham games in order
There are two main ways you can play the Batman Arkham series. If you have time to spare and want to play every game in the franchise, you can either go through the games chronologically or in order of release date.
Chronological: If you want to play the series chronologically, you would start with the prequel game Arkham Origins and work your way through the timeline to Rocksteady's latest effort Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League. Doing this, however, could end up spoiling other Arkham games which were released earlier, but are chronologically later.
Release date: The other option, and arguably the best way, to approach the series is to simply play it in release date order, beginning with Arkham Asylum and working your way through each subsequent game. This will let you experience the series as Rocksteady intended, meeting iconic villains like the Joker at the right point in the series, and will help give the needed lore to understand the intentions of each returning character.
Ultimately, the consoles you own will also determine which games in the series you can play, and you may have to miss out on some - like Arkham Origins which isn't available on some current generation consoles, or the VR-specific games such as Arkham Shadow. You may just want to stick with the main trilogy of Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Knight as those games can easily be played on modern formats. But if you're pressed for time and can't commit to multiple games just start with whichever one appeals to you the most, as they can still be enjoyed as a standalone experience.
Batman Arkham chronological order
The Batman Arkham series has 11 games in total. Three of these games, however, are mobile-only and are no longer available. To keep things simple, we'll stick to the eight Batman Arkham games you can still play today, but for some of them you'll have to dust off your old PS3 or Xbox 360.
While we recommend playing through the Arkhamverse in release order, if you really want to do it in chronological order, here's how:
Batman: Arkham Origins (2013)
Batman: Arkham Origins is chronologically the first game in the Arkhamverse, but it's the third mainline game released in the series. The prequel is set eight years before the events of Arkham Asylum, the game which started the Arkhamverse, and follows a less experienced Caped Crusader who has a bounty put on his head by the Black Mask. This hit brings eight fearsome assassins, including Bane and Deadshot, to Gotham City who are out to hunt Batman.
Inspired by Frank Miller's classic Year One graphic novel, Arkham Origins was developed by WB Games Montreal, instead of the series creator Rocksteady. It still features all the hallmarks of the Arkham series, including free-flowing combat and stealth sections, but there is more of a focus on the Dark Knight's detective skills, with Batman getting the ability to scan crime scenes to virtually recreate how it played out. This is done via the first-person Detective Vision mode, with players able to fast forward and rewind the virtual recreation of the crime, look at it from different angles and in slow motion as they search for clues.
In our Batman: Arkham Origins review, we said WB Montreal had delivered a game "that recaptures a lot of what made Arkham Asylum and Arkham City so playable". If you want to play Arkham Origins today, the easiest way is to play it on PC. For PlayStation fans, you'll have to dust off your PS3 (if you have one) as Arkham Origins hasn't had a re-release on more modern consoles.
If you're on Xbox, you can get a physical copy of the 360 version and play it on your Xbox One or Xbox Series X thanks to backwards compatibility. Unfortunately, if you're on Series S you won't be able to play it on the digital-only console. When Xbox originally announced backwards compatibility for Arkham Origins it was only for the disc version.
Arkham Origins is available to play on: PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X (via backwards compatibility), Wii U and PC
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (2013)
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate is a side-scrolling beat 'em up that was originally released for the 3DS and PS Vita handhelds. Set three months after Arkham Origins, it acts as a companion piece to that game, with the Caped Crusader attempting to stop a riot at Blackgate Penitentiary which the Penguin, Black Mask and the Joker are behind.
Things that are synonymous with the Arkham series, like its free flowing combat and detective segments, have all been translated into a 2.5D world. While cutscenes now look like hand-drawn comics. The game first came out on handhelds, but an enhanced version was later released digitally for consoles. Like Arkham Origins, if you want to play Blackgate now the easiest way is to get it for PC. Otherwise, you'll have to dust off one of your old retro handhelds to play it.
Arkham Origins Blackgate is available to play on: PS Vita, PS3, Xbox 360, 3DS, Wii U and PC
Batman: Arkham Shadow (2024)
Batman: Arkham Shadow is the most recent game released in the Arkhamverse, and the second VR game released in the series. Released exclusively for the Meta Quest headset, it's set three months after the events of Arkham Origins Blackgate. Players take control of a less experienced Batman, who has to stop a villain called the Rat King from destroying Gotham City.
Unlike Arkham VR, Arkham Shadow features a virtual reality version of the melee combat the Arkhamverse is known for. Players can attack, stun and counter enemies in fist fights, and use stealth takedowns to silently down foes. Batman also has an array of gadgets and weapons at his disposal, like Batarangs and smoke bombs, and is able to use Detective Vision to analyse enemy patrols and better prepare for fights.
In our Batman: Arkham Shadow review, we said: "Despite some of the limitations in interactivity and the jarring bugs in the later stages of the game, this is easily one of the best VR games I’ve played to date, and by far the best native Quest game I've ever played. The fact that it looks so good and (mostly) runs so well on this portable headset without needing a powerful PC attached is no mean feat, and I applaud Camouflaj for what it's been able to achieve here. It's a glimpse at a wonderful future ahead of us VR enthusiasts, and the fact it's being bundled in with the Quest 3 and 3S makes this a fantastic introduction to what this headset is capable of."
Arkham Shadow is available to play on: Meta Quest 3 and Meta Quest 3S
Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)
Batman: Arkham Asylum is the game that kickstarted Rocksteady's beloved franchise, and laid the groundwork for the entire series. The Joker has taken control of Arkham Asylum, and laid a trap for Batman which has left him there alone. To save the kidnapped Commissioner Gordon and stop the Joker's latest scheme, Batman will have to fight through the inmates of Arkham, including iconic villains Bane and Poison Ivy, and find a way to escape.
The third-person action adventure mixes melee combat with stealth and detective sections to craft the perfect formula that taps into what it's like to be the Dark Knight. The combat system that was pioneered in Arkham Asylum is also one of the hallmarks of the series, with players having to take on multiple enemies at once as they attack, stun and evade blows from numerous foes. Players can also take a stealthy approach and use Batman's array of gadgets to pick-off enemies from afar.
While it's the first game in the series, it's chronologically the fourth game in the Arkhamverse timeline. It's also the beginning of the main Arkham trilogy that includes Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Knight. This trilogy can easily be played on modern consoles thanks to the Batman: Arkham Collection.
In our Batman: Arkham Asylum review from the game's launch, we said: "Rarely does a game do a character justice in such a satisfying way. Arkham Asylum finds room for every major aspect of Batman's enduring appeal, and it does so in a game compelling enough to work even without its masked star."
Arkham Asylum is available to play on: PS3, PS4, PS5 (via backwards compatibility), Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (via backwards compatibility), Switch and PC
Batman: Arkham City (2011)
Batman: Arkham City takes the action to a much larger playing field. It's the fifth main game in the Arkhamverse timeline, and takes place 18 months after the events of Arkham Asylum. The game is set in the eponymous Arkham City, an area of Gotham's slums which have been turned into a massive prison enclosure. It is five times larger than the setting of Arkham Asylum, and acts like an open world in which Batman can use his cape to glide around and explore. Besides the main campaign, Arkham City also offers side missions for players to take on, a New Game+ mode and a secondary playable character, Catwoman, who has her own campaign.
Combat was also tweaked in Arkham City, with Batman now able to counter multiple attacks at once and catch projectiles. Enemies too offer more variety, with a range of different armours and weapons they can carry, and specific ways certain enemies have to be disarmed before they can be downed. Among the villains in the game, the Joker makes a return from Arkham Asylum while other iconic foes like Two-Face, the Penguin and Mr Freeze also make their series' debut.
In our Arkham City review, we said: "Rocksteady's latest certainly knows how to drop the curtain, but it feels like a dark second act or the middle section of a trilogy. If that's the case, it's tantalisingly tricky to figure out what the studio can do next. First they gave us a hero; now they've given us his ideal playground."
Arkham City is available to play on: PS3, PS4, PS5 (via backwards compatibility), Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (via backwards compatibility), Wii U, Switch and PC
Batman: Arkham VR (2016)
Batman: Arkham VR is the first virtual reality game released in the Arkham series. Originally released as a launch game for the PSVR, before later coming to PCs and other headsets, it's set between the events of Arkham City and Arkham Knight. The first-person game follows Batman as he investigates the disappearance of Robin and Nightwing.
Unlike other games in the Arkham series, Arkham VR isn't focused on melee combat, with the only fight taking place in a cutscene. It instead focuses on Batman's detective skills and solving puzzles, and tries to immerse the player in what it's like to be the Dark Knight. Players can look around environments freely from Batman's viewpoint, reach for interactable objects, and unhook and use gadgets from his utility belt. These gadgets are the Batarang, a grappling hook and a forensic scanner that can be used to examine evidence and virtually recreate crime scenes.
In our Batman: Arkham VR review, we said: "Arkham VR could be thrown into the 'tech demo' category that so many games at this stage will be, and that wouldn't be a total disservice - it is more of an experience than anything else. At the same time, however, that's failing to understand or appreciate what this is: a superbly crafted concept that satisfies an itch many people have been craving for years."
Arkham VR is available to play on: PS4 (on PSVR) and PC
Batman: Arkham Knight (2015)
Batman: Arkham Knight is the concluding chapter of the main Arkham trilogy. It's set nine months after the events of Arkham City, with the action this time shifting to Gotham City. Scarecrow has released his latest nerve toxin in the metropolis, causing the city to be evacuated and criminals taking control of the streets. If that wasn't enough, Scarecrow and the Arkham Knight, a new villain created by Rocksteady, are plotting to unite all of Gotham's super criminals to once and for all destroy Batman.
Developed for the eighth generation of consoles, Arkham Knight boasts an open world that is around five times bigger than the setting of Arkham City. The world of Arkham Knight is full of side missions and can be freely explored - either by gliding around the city or with the newly introduced Batmobile. Besides being used for exploration, the Batmobile can also be turned into a tank and used for vehicle battles against other enemies.
In our Batman: Arkham Knight review, we said: "The Batman of Arkham Knight is a complex, contradictory figure, a hero with real depth and dimension, and we get to wear the iconic cowl for one last mind-boggling night of mayhem. Miss out on that? You must be joking."
Arkham Knight is available to play on: PS4, PS5 (via backwards compatibility), Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S (via backwards compatibility), Switch and PC
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League (2024)
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League is Rocksteady's most recent game. It's a big departure from their other Arkhamverse games, with players no longer controlling Batman - and instead taking control of the antiheroes in the Suicide Squad. It's set five years after the events of Arkham Knight, and sees the Suicide Squad being sent to Superman's home, Metropolis, on a mission to stop the Justice League after the alien invader Brainiac has taken control of them.
Developed for the ninth generation of consoles, Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice lets players take control of multiple characters. At launch, the four main playable characters were Deadshot, Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang and King Shark. The live service-style game added the Joker, Freeze and Lawless as playable characters in later seasons. Each character has their own set of weapons, combat style and way of travelling around Metropolis. The open-world, action adventure can be played solo like other Arkhamverse games, but it also offers a four player co-op multiplayer mode, which is a first for the series.
In our Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League review, we said: "There's no certain cause as to why Rocksteady's spent such a long time on the type of game so few people want, much as good old-fashioned corporate avarice is the easy and - probably - most likely answer. And there's certainly no sense that Rocksteady's team was making this with anything less than total conviction. Whatever the cause, the result is nothing if not a totally fascinating game, one with vast potential and reams of signature Rocksteady detail and panache and all the structure necessary to make a live service shooter that's genuinely enjoyable for months to come."
Kill The Justice League is available to play on: PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
Batman Arkham release date order
If you'd rather experience the Arkhamverse the way Rocksteady intended, then here's how you can play the Batman Arkham games in release order:
- Batman: Arkham Asylum - (2009)
- Batman: Arkham City - (2011)
- Batman: Arkham Origins - (2013)
- Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate - (2013)
- Batman: Arkham Knight - (2015)
- Batman: Arkham VR - (2016)
- Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League - (2024)
- Batman: Arkham Shadow - (2024)
The main trilogy of Arkham Asylum, Arkham City and Arkham Knight are available in the Arkham Collection, which includes a remaster of the first two games released in the series.
Batman Arkham spin-offs
Besides the main games in the Arkham series, a few spin-off titles have also been released including:
- Batman: Arkham City Lockdown - (2011)
- Batman: Arkham Origins Mobile - (2013)
- Batman: Arkham Underworld - (2016)
These spin-off games were released for Android and iOS devices previously, and are no longer available on the Apple App Store and Google Play Store. Besides these mobile games, there is one other title worth mentioning that is still playable: Gotham Knights.
Gotham Knights is not technically part of the Arkhamverse, so it isn't officially canon but it does share the same DNA as Rocksteady's games. It was developed by WB Games Montreal, who previously made Arkham Origins, and it's a third-person, action adventure which has a similar, free-flowing combat system to both Origins and the main Arkham trilogy. This time around players take control of Nightwing, Batgirl, Robin, and Red Hood as they attempt to bring order to Gotham after the death of Batman.
The game can be played solo, with players taking control of any of the four main characters whenever they want to, or as a two-player co-op campaign. If you'd like to know more, make sure you check out our Gotham Knights review.
What's next for the Batman Arkham series?
With Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League releasing earlier this year, Rocksteady currently has its hands full supporting the live service-style game. It has been confirmed that the game will be supported for its first year, with the current roadmap outlining four seasons' worth of content. So far, three seasons have been released with one outstanding.
Besides this, towards the end of 2024 a rumour emerged about a potential Arkham Asylum remake, but this was later dismissed by a former developer at Rocksteady.
That's it for our guide on how to play the Arkham series in order. For more on the Arkhamverse, read our feature on the Arkham games, our tribute to Batman voice actor Kevin Conroy and find out about Xbox reportedly securing a deal with the Rocksteady co-founders for their next game.