Eidos Unmasks Batman: Arkham Asylum

Rocksteady Studios will develop the next Batman title, which follows the hero as he attempts to deliver the Joker to the infamous Arkham Asylum.

Riding the wave of Batmania kicked up in the wake of The Dark Knight, Warner Brothers and Eidos Interactive announced Wednesday that they would introduce a new Batman game in 2009. Batman: Arkham Asylum will put players in the shoes of Batman as he takes on the task of delivering the Joker to Arkham Aslylum, where a trap from other super-villains awaits.

Rocksteady Studios will develop the title, and Batman writer Paul Dini has penned an original script for the storyline. Although the company has released few details on gameplay, Eidos CEO Phil Rogers said that the Arkham would force Batman to use his “intuitive detective skills and aggressive melee attacks,” hinting at both strategic and action-based sides to the game.

Eidos and Warner Bros will release Arkham for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC some time in 2009. A countdown in seconds on Rocksteady’s home page adds up to roughly 2 days and 3 hours– perhaps indicating a date (August 15) when more information or a teaser page will be available.