Batman Arkham Origins multiplayer: Splash Damage responds to "bolt on" fears

Batman: Arkham Origins delivers a PvP take on the Arkham-verse, courtesy of developer Splash Damage. The studio has responded to scepticism surrounding fears that the multiplayer component has been tacked-on to the full pakage.

Speaking with OXM, creative director Alastair Cornish was asked how the game's online component - which sees two teams of three facing off against each other, and a Batman and Robin duo - slotted into the overall package, and how the studio responds to fears that it's merely been bolted on.

Cornish replied, "It's something that we bore in mind; there can often be cynicism in some quarters - not in others - about this. And I think the two things that are very important to stress there are - these are being developed in parallel, so the single player is being developed by Warner Bros. Montreal, with no kind of interference or distraction from Splash Damage, who have been purely creating the multiplayer component. It's the same disc and it's a component of the same product, but neither one has distracted or detracted from the other.

"And we've worked together to ensure consistency of tone, because they're the same Arkhamverse and in the same fictional window. So that was the first thing - if it's the same team doing both, then I think it's a bit more understandable that people have reservations, to be like "well hold on, can't those guys be making me more single player levels instead?" so it was important that there were two separate studios, both playing to their strengths."

Cornish stressed that this wasn't one of those times where multiplayer was included as a seemingly obligatory inclusion to flesh out the core package, and added, "It wasn't that at all; it was a discussion about, what would the natural growth of the franchise be like? And it's a really cool premise! That simple premise of, hold on, what would invisible predator be like if you were stalking other human players? And again, not just gang members but elite gang members.

"So those kind of "what if" questions, the questions that we asked ourselves about how we could evolve that really strong pillar of the single player, just made sense and led to the fantastic asymmetrical gameplay that we've got now. And as, as I say, unique and distinct and worthwhile in itself. Because you're right, no-one wanted it to feel like something that was tacked on or that took away from the single player at all, and I'm really happy that its developed the way that it is because that is absolutely not the case. It's a distinct offering from a distinct studio."

What do you think of the game's PvP offering so far? Stay tuned for my own interview with Splash Damage and Warner Montreal on the matter soon. In the meantime, check out the game's multiplayer trailer here.

Batman: Arkham Origins will launch Worldwide on October 25 for PC, PS3, Xbox 360 and Wii U.