Now that Cyberpunk 2077 is gaining success as a solid futuristic gaming experience, perhaps it is time for a Batman Beyond game. CD Projekt Red’s adaptation of the cult-classic Cyberpunk tabletop franchise was one of the most hyped games of 2020, with many players actively counting the days until Cyberpunk 2077’s winter release. This was due to its lengthy development cycle, a plethora of interesting features being promised by the developers, and the involvement of Hollywood megastar Keanu Reeves as Cyberpunk 2077‘s compelling rockstar, Johnny Silverhand. However, this excitement soon soured after Cyberpunk 2077 launched with several game-breaking bugs and glitches. The backlash grew so bad that online outlets offered refunds for players who bought Cyberpunk 2077 digitally during its first few months, and it seemed like the once-promising first-person RPG would be regarded as a failure.
Cyberpunk 2077’s luck would turn around as CD Projekt Red began fixing the worst of the game’s technical issues with patches and updates throughout the past couple of years. As a result, players began giving Cyberpunk 2077 a second chance – leading to it being named Steam’s most played title in 2021. This wave of improvement would continue with February 2022’s Cyberpunk 2077 1.5 update, which finally brought a current-gen specific version of the game to the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S consoles. Lastly, the recent release of Netflix’s Cyberpunk 2077: Edgerunners anime caused interest in the game to skyrocket, just in time for the upcoming Cyberpunk 2077 Phantom Liberty DLC. The world and visuals of Cyberpunk 2077 are a big part of its appeal, and DC could use what the game has become as an inspiration for its next triple-A Batman game.
A game based on Batman Beyond could borrow elements from Cyberpunk 2077 to create an impressive post-modern superhero epic. This futuristic sequel to the beloved Batman: The Animated Series was set in a future version of Gotham City similar to the world of Cyberpunk 2077. An aged Bruce Wayne is forced into retirement, passing down the mantle of the Dark Knight to a high school student named Terry McGinnis. This new hero defends Gotham with an updated Batsuit and an arsenal of futuristic equipment, all of which would make for some entertaining gameplay in the vein of Cyberpunk 2077’s hacking mechanics. Terry could use his Bat-gadgets during Batman: Arkham-style stealth sections to disable security systems or temporarily blind cyborg enemies. Players could also improve the Batsuit with new parts that grant Batman updated stats or special abilities.
A Batman Beyond Game Could Learn From Cyberpunk 2077
Even better, a Cyberpunk 2077-inspired Batman Beyond sequel could work as a sequel to the Rocksteady-developed Batman: Arkham Knight. That title’s story concluded with Bruce Wayne abandoning his Batman persona – which could leave a future Gotham to fall into the sort of disarray that plagues Cyberpunk 2077’s Night City. Flying through this open-world dystopia using Terry’s jet-like Batmobile would be an exciting gameplay experience, as would taking down cyberpunk criminals using Batman: Arkham’s excellent combat.
Hopefully a new Batman Beyond game wouldn’t take as long to find success as Cyberpunk 2077 did, but the latter’s surprising comeback proves that there is room for a solid triple-A cyberpunk game. An Arkham Knight sequel based on Batman Beyond could be just such a game, as well as a welcome change of pace following the Batman: Arkham series and Gotham Knights’ focus on the present age of the DC Universe. If this hypothetical Batman Beyond game could copy the strengths of Cyberpunk 2077 while avoiding its early pitfalls, it could very well be the next great video game to star a version of DC’s legendary Dark Knight.
