At the 2010 San Diego Comic-Con, DC Comics’ Geoff Johns announced that a video game based on Suicide Squad was in the works. Unfortunately, four years later, gamers do not have much to show for that announcement. However, recent actions by Warner Bros. Games Montreal inspire more hope than ever before that a Suicide Squad game is closer to happening than ever. The making of a focused, dark, quality Suicide Squad Game could go a long way toward establishing Warner Bros. Interactive as a huge player. It would also be a great experience for fans.
Eric Holmes, creative director at WB Games Montreal and also the creative director Batman: Arkham Origins, recently added fuel to the fire with his rather interesting response to a fan’s statement on Twitter. When a fan tweeted Holmes, “we fans [want a] Suicide Squad video game,” he responded with “Hmmm!” Well, it was not an outright denial.
The Suicide Squad talk is based on how the origins of the group, typically incarcerated super-villains forced to take part in black ops missions for the government, are depicted in Arkham Origins. The stinger scene features the Suicide Squad founder, Amanda Waller, recruiting Slade Wilson, aka Deahstroke, to work for her. Events escalate in the PS Vita sequel to Origins, Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate. The cinematics show that Amanda Waller has also recruited Deadshot and Bronze Tiger. On top of that, the new DC Universe animated movie, Batman: Assault on Arkham, is a new animated spin-off of the Batman: Arkham franchise. The new story heavily involves Waller sending the Suicide Squad into action. The lineup for the movie features: Deadshot; Harley Quinn; Captain Boomerang; Killer Frost; King Shark; and Black Spider (fun fact: Black Spider was actually referenced in an Easter egg for Arkham Origins as one of the rejected assassins in a file folder).
The next step here would be for Warner Bros. Interactive to pull the trigger on something outside the box. The Suicide Squad would be a bold choice for a video game. The other issue is that it would be outside the typical Warner Bros. Interactive/DC Entertainment comfort zone of Batman or Justice League-inspired game titles. Considering that Warner Bros. Interactive is now the publisher of the Mortal Kombat franchise, a dark and violent title based on the Suicide Squad would not be too much of a stretch.
The key to making a Suicide Squad game great is giving WB Games Montreal all the time and resources it needs. The storytelling of Batman: Arkham Origins is actually one of the game’s strongest points. The strength of the narrative for Arkham Origins is probably what is making fans and gamers so hungry for a Suicide Squad game in the first place. Plus, Arkham Origins was a pretty dark and suggestive game, despite a T for Teen rating. However, Arkham Origins was still a rough final product. So, they would really need to work harder to deliver a much better, smoother and polished product. If WB Games Montreal does get the opportunity to make a Suicide Squad-themed game, it will finally get the chance to truly shine as a developer. So, WB Games Montral will have to prove itself after the major criticisms against Arkham Origins.
The lineup for playable characters probably does not need to go beyond four or five members. The assets to make Deathstroke and Harley Quinn as playable characters are likely already available due to their appearances in other Arkham games. The Suicide Squad is getting an increased mainstream profile through its appearance in an animated movie and its depiction on the hit TV series Arrow. Now is the time for Warner Bros. Interactive and WB Games to strike while the iron is hot.