The best video games are imaginary. They often exist entirely in our minds, or in the dreamy span of time between their initial announcement and what we eventually play. That’s where “Arkham world” consists. Born out of a 2011 Video Game Awards gag, the entirely fictional entry is in the hugely popular Batman Arkham series is now all some fans can talk about.
Earlier this month posts about a supposed Arkham world began to take over the Batman Arkham underreddit. Despite being dedicated to an aging single-player series, this particular internet watering hole remains surprisingly active. It has over 150,000 members with hundreds or more active at any given time. “This subreddit is dedicated to the discussion of all Batman Arkham lore,” the subscription reads. “Including the Rocksteady trilogy, Arkham origins and all related games and comics including the latest edition Arkham world.”
Arkham world isn’t real, but that hasn’t stopped the subreddit from doing so celebrates the one year anniversary of its launch on August 2nd. “I loved the open world in this game the most because it was a literal world,” wrote Reddit user FrozeninIce248. “A world of criminals and lunatics and the updated gameplay of Arkham Knight makes this the best superhero game ever.”
Dozens of other commenters responded with their own critical views, sharing their favorite moments and biggest surprises. “Dude I’m high at a Rob Zombie concert right now and I’m 90% sure this game isn’t real and I’m scared to know if it is,” read a comment deep below hidden from critical praise.
The one-year anniversary was just the beginning Arkham world‘s week-long tribute. The lore surrounding him has since expanded by a special mission where you play as Alfred, a Crossover with Spider-Manand even one Boss fight against Darth Vader. Players from the Spider-Man community have even joinedwho treat the crossover as canon. Reddit is full of shitposting, but it’s still rare to see fans rallying a bit so aggressively and keeping it up for weeks. So why go to all the trouble of manifesting a game that never existed?
FrozeninIce248 tells my box in a Reddit chat that they stole the idea from him Titanfall community where that pretends titan case 3 already exists is a ongoing part of the subculture. The name Arkham worldmeanwhile, was an obvious choice as it was a codename teased by The Joker in a cutscene created for him by Rocksteady claim the best character award at the 2011 VGAs. The game that was eventually released was Arkham Knightleaving Arkham World free to fill the void in players’ imaginations when they didn’t have a real Batman game to look forward to in the near future.
In the upcoming game Gotham Knightsmanufactured by Warner Bros. Montreal, the studio behind it Arkham originsBatman is already dead. It’s not technical either part of Arkham
“suicide squad takes place in the same universe but isn’t really about Batman at all, we don’t even know if he’s even going to show up,” said Reddit user BigSexy17 my box. “r/ArkhamGames and Arkham fans in general were drawn to the series because of Batman, Batman fans around the world praise and adore these games as the true Batman experience.”
now unleashed, Arkham world has developed a life of its own. “You have this whole group of people claiming that we’re all talking about a game that ‘doesn’t exist,'” said Unhappyworker77.
Reddit user LukeDBZ2 likened it to the allure of the Morbius meme “It’s Morbin time‘ from earlier this summer. It was stupid, wonderful, and became so popular that it may or may not have convinced Sony to burn millions of dollars brings Morbius back to theaters so it could bomb a second time. “Morbius never said ‘it’s time for Morbin’ and there’s no sequel to that Arkham Knight
There is also a precedent for Arkham world in other fandoms. When elden ring For years the development went without new details, some fans feared the worst. As in titan case, That elden ring once subreddit started pretending The game has already been released invent famous boss fights and more. “It exists because the fans are starving [for] content and enjoying the time awaiting the release of the next one Arkham title,” said TheXpender my box.
The shitposting is still going on and even resulted in some Reddit users trying to spin Arkham world off to its own subreddit. Some fans want to outsource the memes there. “If we flood the sub with more Arkham world and less recent posts about the real games, then everything should be moved to its own sub r/ Arkhamworld‘ wrote Fanboyxxx. “We need to take a step back and think about what we’re doing and honestly if it’s smart and fun it’s good for me, just let it to itself for now.”
But that doesn’t seem likely. Arkham world was born on r/BatmanArkham and that’s where it’s likely to stay. At least until Gotham Knights, suicide squador an actual one Batman Arkham sequel starts. “Arkham world means the world to me,” said Redditor Nadongus my box. “Nothing brings a community together like a collective fever dream fueled by incoherent shit posts. I’m out here having the time of my life.”
