Batman: Arkham Origins Announced and Dated

Warner Bros. has announced the next title in the Batman: Arkham franchise will be Batman: Arkham Origins, currently in development for the PC, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Wii U.

It's currently slated for release on October 25 this year, but there's no mention of the game appearing on next-gen consoles.

The game, which is the subject of Game Informer's latest cover, will not be developed by Rocksteady Studios this time around, instead being worked on in-house at Warner Bros. Games Montreal.

The new development team will be using many of the assets that Rocksteady has used in the past, including its customised Unreal engine so as to try and avoid any discrepancies in the aesthetic of the franchise. Eric Holmes, lead designer of games including The Incredible Hulk: Ultimate Destruction and Prototype, is heading up the project.

The game will apparently take place long before both of the existing Arkham titles, when a young and inexperienced Batman will encounter many familiar villains for the first time. As can be seen in the Game Informer imagery, the assassin Deathstroke will be one such foe, making his core Arkham game debut.

Alongside the console game though, Warner Bros. has also announced a handheld title, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate. The game, which will be released on PS Vita and 3DS again on October 25, is set after the events of Arkham Origins and is being developed by Armature Studio, the company that was founded by several of the brains behind the Metroid Prime trilogy. With this in mind, it's not too surprising to find it described as a "2.5-D Metroid-style exploration action game".

What do you reckon? Are you excited about the idea of a Batman origins title, or does the fact Rocksteady isn't involved worry you? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK Junior Editor. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on IGN and on Twitter.

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