Robotic ‘Arkham Knight’ suit is seen next to Batman video game’s new ad logo.
Darick T. Earney
Associate Editor
In early March, news broke out confirming that the highly anticipated Batman video game, ‘Arkham Knight,’ had received an “M” (mature) rating from the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB).
This will be the first time that a Batman video game has received any higher than a “T” (teen) rating.
According to Imagine Games Network’s (IGN) website, the rating was given due to the adult content within the game, such as: curse words, torture sequences, and sexually suggestive neon signs, some that read “XXX” and “Live Nude Girls.”
“I think most fans of the character would be prepared for adult themes in such a game as this. He [Batman] is called ‘The Dark Knight’ for a reason, and the most recent round of films by Christopher Nolan have prepared people for a more mature interpretation of the character,” Steve Higgins, a Lewis and Clark English professor said.
The controversy over the game’s rating has raised many questions as to how underage fans of the previous games will have access to the newest entry in the series, or how it will affect Batman’s image.
“Young Batman fans will definitely still have access to the game. We also need to make sure that young people playing these games understand that torture is real and know that it is happening around the world and even here at home,” Professor of Sociology Jenn Cline said.
The game is the third and final installment of the Batman ‘Arkham’ series. The first game, ‘Batman: Arkham Asylum,’ follows Batman’s journey in a psych ward that is being overtaken by his arch nemesis, the Joker.
‘Batman: Arkham City,’ the sequel to the first game, picks up where ‘Asylum’ leaves off with Batman, this time, fighting in a city struggling to find a cure for a poisonous serum called ‘Titan.’
The final game, ‘Batman: Arkham Knight,’ is set to follow the Scarecrow, who reappears for the first time since ‘Asylum,’ to take over Arkham City with the help of the Joker’s girlfriend, Harley Quinn.
For more information on the forthcoming ‘Arkham Knight’ game and it’s controversy, visit gamerant.com, or http://bit.ly/1Mpniq8 to read the full length IGN article regarding Batman’s new mature rating.
