GAME · 2011 · UK
Batman: Arkham City
- Developer
- Rocksteady Studios, WB Games Montréal, Feral Interactive
- Publisher
- Warner Bros. Games
- Platforms
- PlayStation 3, Wii U, macOS, Microsoft Windows
- Original title
- Batman: Arkham City (The Movie)
263 archived facts 7 topics 2 sources Last reviewed Nov 2026
263 Interesting Facts About Batman: Arkham City
Interesting Facts (161)
- #001
- #002
- #003
Contains a major spoiler — show
After the launch of this game, Mark Hamill announced his retirement from voicing the Joker. He said, however, that he would return to the role if an adaptation of the comic book "Batman: The Killing Joke" were released. Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) served as a return to the event, and Hamill came back as the Joker for it.
- #004
Contains a major spoiler — show
In the downloadable content (DLC) for this game, "Harley Quinn's Revenge" (2012), it is revealed that the hint in the main story that she was pregnant was either a false positive or that she lost her baby in a miscarriage. The game's writer, Paul Dini, was not consulted about this decision and claimed he did not even know a story-changing DLC was in the works until he saw its trailer on the television in his home. Reportedly this angered him so much that he quit writing the games. Batman: Arkham Origins (2013), unaware of Dini's vision for the third installment of the series, was written as an origin story rather than a sequel. In the end Dini was persuaded to return, but production on Origins had already begun. Dini claims the DLC ruined his sequel plans, although some of his plans were salvaged for Batman: Arkham Knight (2015).
- #005
Contains a major spoiler — show
Before realizing he is a fake Joker, you can hear Harley Quinn say something along the lines of "Oh Mistah J you look perfect! Oh wait it isn't you is it?" The Joker replies, "Be quiet Harley!" This foreshadows that Clayface will later impersonate the Joker.
- #006
- #007
Contains a major spoiler — show
At the start of the game, when you are told to line up, a prisoner says, "Bruce Wayne. You're on my list. Bang!" This is Deadshot without his costume. Later in the game you track a sniper assassin through Arkham City and learn that he is Deadshot and that he has "a list of targets," one of whom is Bruce Wayne.
- #008
Contains a major spoiler — show
In the Joker boss fight that takes place a few minutes before Protocol 10, if you enter detective mode while fighting him, you can see that, unlike the thugs and the lieutenant, he has no skeleton. This is one of the many hints given throughout the main story that the Joker is being impersonated by Basil Karlo/Clayface.
- #009
- #010
- #011
Contains a major spoiler — show
At the end of the third Catwoman DLC mission, the player is given a choice: leave Arkham City with the loot, or leave it in the vault but rescue Batman, who is trapped in the Steel Mill. A green arrow on the ground marks where the "better" option (rescue Batman) is, and likewise a red arrow indicates the "lesser" option (leave Arkham City).
- #012
In one of the unlockable interview sessions between Hugo Strange and the Joker, Strange tries to draw out the Joker's origins and his relationship with Batman. The Joker goes on to tell Strange how he was a failed stand-up comedian, got mixed up with the mob, and was forced to enter the Ace Chemicals factory, where he himself had worked under the "Red Hood" mask, which led to his encounter with Batman and his being thrown into a vat of chemicals that transformed him. Strange then states that the Joker is lying about the whole story, to which the Joker replies, "If you have to have an origin story, you're better off making it multiple choice." Both the story and the quotes are taken almost directly from Alan Moore's hugely popular comic book "The Killing Joke."
- #013
- #014
- #015
- #016
- #017
- #018
- #019
- #020
Gray Delisle did not know she was the voice of Catwoman until she came in to record. Initially an unnamed actress was supposed to play Catwoman on camera. For unknown reasons, Gray Delisle was called in by Collette Sunderman to take a role in an unknown project and was not made aware that she was Catwoman until she entered the recording studio.
- #021
- #022
- #023
- #024
- #025
The front of the ice cream truck Harley uses to crash into the church reads "Mind the child". This is the first clue in the game that Harley may (or may not) be pregnant. Harley Quinn's Revenge also comes into play. Near the beginning, Commissioner Gordon interrupts his interview with Vicki Vale during a radio broadcast when she asks why no one is allowed to see the Joker's body. In a flashback, when Batman is about to infiltrate the steel mill, talking to Gordon reveals that after the hostage situation is resolved, Batman needs his help with "that other problem," which is ominously left unexplained (this subject is dealt with in more detail in the Endgame comic). Also, as soon as you enter, you see Mechanical Guardians posed around Harley's hideout. At the end of the DLC she releases a bunch of active guardians on you.
- #026
In one of the game's ending screens, Hugo Strange says, "So, you failed to live up to his expectations. How predictable." Who "his" refers to is not explained, but it seems likely he is talking about Quincy Sharp, who believed Batman was a valuable successor to his work. In fact, he is talking about Ra's Al Ghul.
- #027
- #028
Contains a major spoiler — show
If you do not jump out of the church when the Joker announces he has rigged it with bombs, he gives a few hints about the film's ending. Joker: Sometimes I wonder if all of this will end with one of us looking at the other's corpse and trying to think about what to do next. The only question is: whose corpse will that be? When a new game is started, the first thing seen is the painting of Cain and Abel, the duality of man. Of course, in the final cutscene Batman and the Joker imitate exactly this painting.
- #029
- #030
- #031
- #032
- #033
Batman: Arkham City was remastered for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 as part of the Batman: Return to Arkham (2016) collection. When the remaster first surfaced on 18 May 2016, there was so much outrage over very noticeable graphical downgrades and stylistic changes that the remaster's premiere date was pushed back from 26 July 2016 to 21 October 2016 to fix the issues. The final product did indeed look better than the trailer, but, to fans' horror, most of the stylistic changes remained.
- #034
- #035
- #036
- #037
- #038
- #039
- #040
- #041
Contains a major spoiler — show
When you use the cryptography tool, there are several stations that give seemingly random numbers followed by a ringing sound. This is a system Russia legitimately used during the Cold War. However, if you decrypt them, a major foreshadowing about Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) and Scarecrow's return is revealed.
- #042
- #043
- #044
- #045
- #046
Contains a major spoiler — show
Batman: Arkham City (2011) implied that Harley Quinn was pregnant. The downloadable content (DLC) reveals that the pregnancy was either a false positive or that she lost the baby through a miscarriage. The game's writer, Paul Dini, was not consulted about this decision and claimed he did not even know a story-changing DLC was in development until he saw its trailer on the television in his home. This reportedly angered him so much that he quit writing the games. Batman: Arkham Origins (2013), unaware of Dini's vision for the third installment of the series, was written as an origin story rather than a sequel, while new writers developed a story for the sequel Batman: Arkham Knight (2015).
- #047
- #048
In the Harley Quinn's Revenge DLC, it is revealed that the pregnancy hint in the main story was either a false positive or ended in a miscarriage. Writer Paul Dini was not consulted about this decision and did not learn of it until he saw the DLC's trailer on television. He was so angry about it that he left his writing role on the series; without his plans, Arkham Origins was written as an origin story rather than a sequel.
- #049
- #050
The game strongly implies that Harley Quinn is or was pregnant. Next to a mannequin displaying her costume is a "Fruitful Endeavors" brand pregnancy test and a positive result box. Additionally, during the credits, Harley is heard singing an altered version of the song "Hush, Little Baby."
- #051
In the DLC mission where Catwoman takes back her loot from Two-Face, Two-Face says, "Whoever kills the cat becomes my number one... guy." This line closely resembles what Jack Nicholson's Joker says to Bob in Tim Burton's 1989 film Batman: "And remember... you... are my number one... guy."
- #052
On a barge in the harbor area, there is an easter egg referencing Scarecrow. When you decode the code "City of Terror" with the decoder, you enter a room full of neon bug zappers. At the end of the corridor sits an unconscious prisoner; when you approach, he wakes up in terror, screams, and falls back asleep. He is thought to be a victim of Scarecrow's experiments.
- #053
- #054
- #055
- #056
- #057
- #058
- #059
At the end of the third Catwoman DLC mission, the player makes a choice: leave Arkham City with the loot, or abandon the loot and rescue Batman, who is trapped in the Steel Mill. The green arrow on the ground indicates the option to save Batman, while the red arrow indicates the option to leave the city.
- #060
- #061
In one of the unlockable interviews between Hugo Strange and the Joker, Strange tries to figure out the Joker's origin and his relationship with Batman. The Joker recounts that while he was a failed comedian he got involved with the mob, had to enter Ace Chemicals dressed as the "Red Hood," and there encountered Batman and fell into a chemical tank. When Strange says the story is a lie, the Joker says, "If you're going to have an origin story, it's best to make it multiple choice." This story and line are taken almost word for word from Alan Moore's famous comic book "The Killing Joke."
- #062
- #063
- #064
- #065
- #066
- #067
- #068
- #069
- #070
- #071
There are many hints in the game that Clayface is impersonating the Joker: after Harley Quinn locks you in the Joker's office, she says, "Oh, Mr. J, it's a miracle! You look great! But that's not you, is it?" The Joker's voice silences her. The line "You fell for the fake Joker gag, Batman!" is actually spoken by Clayface. The Joker tells Harley, who wants to remove Batman's mask, "Nobody is who you think they are, dear." In enemy conversations, it is discussed that the Joker has recovered and is seen in two places at once. After the Mr. Freeze fight, two Joker cards sent by fax are found in the vault. When the Joker looks at himself in the mirror he appears sickly, and when he turns around he is healthy; in fact, the real Joker is walking behind the glass. In the fistfight with the Joker, detective mode shows that he has no skeleton. During the Joker's broadcast, the real Joker holding the camera coughs. The Joker's manner of speech sometimes changes, he uses British slang and addresses Batman inconsistently with nicknames.
- #072
- #073
- #074
- #075
- #076
- #077
- #078
On the front of the ice cream truck Harley crashes into the church, "Mind the child" is written. This is the first hint that Harley may be pregnant. In Harley Quinn's Revenge too, Commissioner Gordon dodges Vicki Vale's question about the Joker's body and tells Batman about "the other problem." Also, ornate Mechanical Guardians are seen in Harley's lair.
- #079
- #080
- #081
- #082
- #083
- #084
- #085
If you do not jump out when the Joker announces that the church is rigged with bombs, he gives hints about the ending: "Sometimes I wonder if it will all end with one of us looking at the other's corpse and wondering what to do." The painting of Cain and Abel seen at the beginning of the game is mirrored exactly by Batman and the Joker in the final scene.
- #086
- #087
- #088
- #089
- #090
- #091
Batman: Arkham City was remastered for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 as part of the Batman: Return to Arkham Collection. When the first trailer on 18 May 2016 drew heavy criticism for noticeable graphical downgrades and stylistic changes, the release date was pushed back from 26 July to 21 October 2016. Although the final product looked better, many of the stylistic changes remained.
- #092
- #093
- #094
- #095
- #096
- #097
- #098
- #099
- #100
- #101
- #102
- #103
- #104
- #105
- #106
Batman: Arkham City had implied that Harley Quinn was pregnant. This DLC reveals that the pregnancy was either a false positive or ended in a miscarriage. Writer Paul Dini was not consulted and did not learn about it until he saw the DLC's trailer on television. He was so angered by this that he left the series; without his plans, Arkham Origins was written as an origin story, and new writers developed the story of Arkham Knight.
- #107
After the game's premiere, Mark Hamill announced that he was retiring from voicing the Joker. He said, however, that he would return to the role if an adaptation of the comic book "Batman: The Killing Joke" were released. Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) made a return to this event, and Hamill came back as the Joker for it.
- #108
In the downloadable content (DLC) for this game, "Harley Quinn's Revenge" (2012), it turns out that the hint in the main story that she was pregnant was either a false positive or that she lost her baby through a miscarriage. The game's writer, Paul Dini, was not consulted about this decision and claimed that he did not even know a story-changing DLC was being worked on until he saw the DLC's trailer on the television in his home. Reportedly this angered him so much that he quit writing the games. Batman: Arkham Origins (2013), which did not know Dini's vision for the third part of the series, was written as an origin story instead of a sequel. In the end Dini was persuaded to return, but production on Origins had already begun. Dini claims that the DLC ruined his sequel plans, although some of his plans were salvaged for Batman: Arkham Knight (2015).
- #109
- #110
It is heavily implied in the game that Harley Quinn is pregnant or was pregnant. This is suggested by an examination of Harley's costume on a mannequin and sliding it down toward the floor. At the mannequin's feet is a box labeled "Fruitful Endeavors pregnancy test." Lying next to it is a positive test. Also, in the final title sequence, Harley can be heard singing an alternative version of "Hush, Little Baby."
- #111
During the Catwoman DLC mission to take back her loot from Two-Face, Two-Face says "Whoever kills the Cat gets to be my number one… guy" in a way very similar to how Jack Nicholson's Joker in Tim Burton's Batman (1989) film says to Bob (the henchman) "And remember… you… are my number one… guy."
- #112
A hidden nod/reference to Scarecrow can be found on a barge in the docks area. While on the barge, use the sequencer device to decode the code "City of Terror." A panel opens. When you enter, you are in a room full of neon bug zappers. At the end of the corridor is a passed-out prisoner sitting in a chair. When you zoom in on him, he wakes with a start and lets out a loud scream. He falls back asleep. He is presumed to be a victim of Scarecrow's experiments.
- #113
There are several references to the ABC series Lost (2004). One is that while flying over Arkham City, a prisoner asks another: "So, did they ever explain what the island was?" And then more dialogue: "… why did it end in a church?" Its writer, Paul Dini, was part of the "Lost" writing team for the first two seasons before leaving the series.
- #114
At the beginning of the game, when you are told to line up, a prisoner says "Bruce Wayne. You're on my list. Bang!" This is Deadshot without his costume. Later in the game you track down a sniper assassin in Arkham City and learn that he is Deadshot and that he has "a list of targets," one of whom is Bruce Wayne.
- #115
In the Joker boss fight that takes place a few minutes before Protocol 10, if you switch to detective mode while fighting him, you can see that, unlike the thugs and the lieutenant, he has no skeleton. This is one of the many hints given throughout the main story that the Joker is being impersonated by Basil Karlo/Clayface.
- #116
- #117
This is the first known project in which Tara Strong voices the role of Harley Quinn, who was predominantly voiced by creative Paul Dini's friend Arleen Sorkin. Strong is better known in the Batman animated universe for the role of Barbara Gordon, also known as Batgirl, and in this game as Oracle.
- #118
At the end of the third Catwoman DLC mission, the player is given a choice: leave Arkham City with the loot, or leave it in the vault but rescue Batman, who is trapped in the Steel Mill. The green arrow on the ground marks where the "better" option (rescue Batman) is, and likewise the red arrow indicates the "lesser" option (leave Arkham City).
- #119
- #120
In one of the unlockable interview sessions between Hugo Strange and the Joker, Strange tries to draw out the Joker's origins and his relationship with Batman. The Joker goes on to tell Strange how he was a failed stand-up comedian, got mixed up with the mob, and was forced to break into the Ace Chemicals factory, where he himself had worked under the mask of the "Red Hood," which led to his encounter with Batman and his being thrown into a vat of the chemicals that transformed him. Strange then states that the Joker is lying about the whole story, to which the Joker replies, "If you have to have an origin story, you're better off making it multiple choice." Both the story and the quotes are taken almost directly from Alan Moore's hugely popular comic book "The Killing Joke."
- #121
When you go to Two-Face's courthouse and enter through the back way, you can go down to the cell next to Calendar Man's cell. While in that cell, turn on detective mode, look up (make sure you are underneath it) and punch. When you do this, they somehow notice you and come running through the door to fight you.
- #122
- #123
- #124
- #125
- #126
- #127
- #128
- #129
There are many hints that Clayface is impersonating the Joker. * After Harley Quinn locks you out of the Joker's office, you can hear her say, "Oh, Mr. J, it's a miracle! You look perfect! Oh, wait, you're not him, are you...?" The Joker's voice can be heard telling her to be quiet. This is because Clayface briefly mistakes his Joker form for the real Joker. What is especially interesting is that this happens very early in the game and is not made clear until the very end. * "You fell for the old fake Joker gag, Batman!" Apparently the Joker had spoken about a dummy, when in fact Clayface had taken on the Joker's guise and the dummy was real. Players can also notice that when the Joker attacks Batman, he does not look sick but normal, because he is Clayface. * After briefly capturing Batman in the Steel Mill, the Joker stops Harley from removing Batman's mask. When the Joker objects, saying he wants to learn Batman's true identity, "No one is who you think they are, sweetheart." * Just before you have to infiltrate the Steel Mill a second time, some Enemy Speakers can be heard talking about the Joker's newly found health. One Mook says, "It's like he was a completely different person before, but now he's back to his old self." In fact, the opposite is true. * During the second infiltration of the Mill, in one piece of Enemy Chatter you can pick up, there are two thugs claiming they saw the Joker in two wildly different places. * After the fight with Mr. Freeze, when Batman opens the safe and realizes the cure has disappeared, there are two Joker cards. One of them has a message faxed to it reading, "Get well soon, Mr. J. XOXO"; the other is physical. Both are hints that there are two Jokers, one real and one who is actually Clayface. * When Batman confronts the Joker after taking the cure, the Joker examines himself in a mirror, looks sick, then turns around and reveals that he is healthy again. It is easy to connect this to one of Batman's hallucinations, but if you look closely, you can see the other Joker walking away; this is the real Joker, and you are now talking to Clayface. There was no mirror, only glass. * Later, using Detective Vision during the fistfight with the Joker will reveal that he has no skeleton, just like Clayface in Arkham Asylum. * When the Joker announces on a broadcast that he has taken the cure, the real Joker holding the camera coughs. * The Joker's speech patterns change slightly several times; such as his use of British slang and his inconsistency in addressing Batman as "Bats" or "Batsy." Clayface is the one who uses slang and never uses the Joker's nicknames for you.
- #130
- #131
Gray Delisle did not know she was the voice of Catwoman until she arrived to record. Initially, an unnamed actress was to play Catwoman on camera. For unknown reasons, Gray Delisle was called by Collette Sunderman to take part in an unknown project and was not informed that she was Catwoman until she entered the recording studio.
- #132
- #133
- #134
- #135
The front of the ice cream truck Harley uses to crash into the church reads "Mind the child." This is the first hint in the game that Harley may (or may not) be pregnant. Harley Quinn's Revenge also comes into play. Near the beginning, during a radio broadcast, Commissioner Gordon cuts off his interview with Vicki Vale when she asks why no one is allowed to see the Joker's body. In a flashback, when Batman is about to infiltrate the steel mill, talking to Gordon reveals that Batman needs his help with "that other problem" after the hostage situation is resolved, which is ominously left unexplained (this subject is addressed in more detail in the Endgame comic). Also, as soon as you enter, you see decorated Mechanical Guardians posing around Harley's lair. At the end of the DLC, she unleashes a bunch of active guardians on you.
- #136
In one of Hugo Strange's endgame screens, he will say, "So, you failed to live up to his expectations. How predictable." It is not explained who "his" refers to, but it seems likely he is talking about Quincy Sharp, who believed Batman to be a worthy successor to his work. In fact, he is talking about Ra's Al Ghul.
- #137
- #138
- #139
If you do not jump out of the church when the Joker announces he has rigged it with bombs, he gives a few hints about the ending of the film. Joker: Sometimes I wonder if all this will end with one of us looking at the other's corpse and trying to think about what to do next. The only question is: whose corpse will it be? When a new game is started, the first thing seen is the painting of Cain and Abel, the duality of man. Of course, in the final cutscene, Batman and Joker imitate exactly this painting.
- #140
- #141
- #142
- #143
- #144
- #145
Batman: Arkham City was "remastered" for Xbox One and PlayStation 4 as part of the Batman: Return to Arkham (2016) Collection. When the remaster first surfaced on May 18, 2016, there was so much outrage over the very noticeable graphical downgrades and stylistic changes that the remaster's premiere date was postponed from July 26, 2016, to October 21, 2016, to fix the issues. The final product did indeed look better than the promotional trailer, but to the horror of fans, most of the stylistic changes remained.
- #146
- #147
- #148
- #149
- #150
- #151
- #152
- #153
When you use the cryptography, there are several stations that give seemingly random numbers followed by a ringing sound. This is a system Russia legitimately used during the Cold War. But if you decrypt them, a major foreshadowing about Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) and Scarecrow's return is revealed.
- #154
- #155
- #156
- #157
- #158
If you look down after finding Deadshot's weapon cache, you'll find something resembling the hilt of a lightsaber. Mark Hamill, who voices the Joker, had played Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films, and his weapon was a lightsaber. However, this is actually a scope for a rifle, which makes more sense.
- #159
- #160
At the beginning of the Catwoman Missions, we see a painting of Cain and Abel, "The Duality of Man." While this literally foreshadows that Batman carries the Joker in the same way, it may also foreshadow Arkham Knight, in which The Duality of Man depicts the first murder. In Arkham Knight, Batman struggles with wondering whether he killed the Joker.
- #161
Batman: Arkham City (2011) implied that Harley Quinn was pregnant. This downloadable content (DLC) reveals that the pregnancy was either a false positive or that she lost her baby due to a miscarriage. The game's writer, Paul Dini, was not consulted about this decision and claimed he didn't even know a DLC that changed the story was being worked on until he saw its trailer on the television in his home. Reportedly, this angered him so much that he quit writing for the games. Batman: Arkham Origins (2013), whose writers did not know Dini's vision for the third installment of the series, was written as an origin story instead of a sequel, while new writers developed a story for the sequel Batman: Arkham Knight (2015).
Production Story (27)
- #162
- #163
- #164
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- #166
- #167
- #168
Batman: Arkham City was "remastered" for the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 as part of the Batman: Return to Arkham (2016) Collection. When the remaster was initially revealed on May 18th, 2016, there was so much outrage about the very apparent graphical downgrades and stylistic changes that the remaster's release date was pushed from July 26th, 2016, to October 21st, 2016, in order to address the issues. The final product indeed ended up looking better than the reveal trailer footage, but many of the stylistic changes remained, much to fan dismay.
- #169
- #170
Contains a major spoiler — show
Batman: Arkham City (2011) implied that Harley Quinn was pregnant. This downloadable content (DLC) reveals that the pregnancy was either a false positive or she lost the baby through miscarriage. The game's writer, Paul Dini, was not consulted on this decision, and he claimed that he did not even know a story-altering DLC was being worked on until he saw a trailer for the DLC on his TV at home. Reportedly, this angered him so greatly that he quit as writer for the games. Not knowing Dini's vision for the 3rd installment in the series, Batman: Arkham Origins (2013) was written as an origin story instead of a sequel while new writers developed a story for the sequel Batman: Arkham Knight (2015).
- #171
Contains a major spoiler — show
In the downloadable content (DLC) for this game called "Harley Quinn's Revenge" (2012) it is revealed that the hint of her being pregnant in the main story was either a false positive or she lost the baby through miscarriage. The game's writer, Paul Dini, was not consulted on this decision, and he claimed that he did not even know a story-altering DLC was being worked on until he saw a trailer for the DLC on his TV at home. Reportedly, this angered him so greatly that he quit as writer for the games. Not knowing Dini's vision for the 3rd installment in the series, Batman: Arkham Origins (2013) was written as an origin story instead of a sequel. Eventually, Dini was convinced to return, but production of Origins was already underway. Dini claims that the DLC destroyed his plans for the sequel, though some of his plans were salvaged for Batman: Arkham Knight (2015).
- #172
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- #181
The developers of Batman: Arkham City chose villains from Batman's comic history to convey that the prison was a melting pot of people from Gotham, and gave each a small part of their story rather than focusing on a select few so players could meet more characters and feel they were in a superprison full of supervillains.
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Behind the Scenes (5)
- #189
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- #191
The X-ray-like "Detective Vision" mode was redeveloped for Batman: Arkham City because it was considered too useful in Arkham Asylum, where some players used it through almost the entire game and its visual effect obscured the design aesthetic; a time limit was rejected as something Batman "wouldn't make a gadget like that", so the mode was instead made difficult to use in situations such as combat, where enemy strikes blur the screen, and Rocksteady art director David Hego described the new version as an "augmented reality mode".
- #192
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Characters & Cast (10)
- #194
Grey Delisle did not know she was the voice of Catwoman until she arrived to record. Initially, an unnamed on-camera actress was supposed to portray Catwoman. Due to unknown reasons, Grey Delisle was called in by Collette Sunderman for a role in an unknown project, and was not made aware of the fact she was Catwoman until she walked into the recording studio.
- #195
This is the first known project where Tara Strong has voiced the role of Harley Quinn, which has predominantly been voiced by creator Paul Dini's friend Arleen Sorkin. Strong is better known in the Batman animated universe in the role of Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl and in this game aka Oracle.
- #196
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- #199
At the start of the Catwoman missions we see a painting of Cain and Abel, "The Duality of Man." While this literally foreshadows that Batman carries Joker in the same way, it may also foreshadow Arkham Knight, in which The Duality of Man reenacts the first murder. In Arkham Knight, Batman struggles with wondering whether he killed Joker.
- #200
- #201
Rocksteady selected Hugo Strange as a primary antagonist for Batman: Arkham City because his power and controlling manner help maintain the lockdown on Arkham City once Batman enters. Strange is aware of Batman's true identity, which, according to Hill, makes Batman vulnerable and exposed in a way he had never been before.
- #202
Catwoman was included in Batman: Arkham City based on her long history with Batman, and was given her own agenda running parallel to the events within Arkham City. Late in development, the developers added an alternate choice letting players have the morally grey Catwoman leave the city with her loot, an addition implemented in two days.
- #203
Robin appears in Batman: Arkham City with a shaved head and contemporary costume design intended to move away from his traditional "Boy Wonder" image. Senior concept artist Kan Muftic said the shaved head was inspired by cage fighters, while the red and yellow colors, cape and mask of Robin's classic appearance were kept.
Easter Eggs & References (49)
- #204
An Easter egg/reference relating to The Scarecrow can be found on a barge in the docks area. When on the barge, use the sequencer gadget to solve the code "City of Terror". A panel opens. Once inside, you are in a room filled with neon bug zappers. At the end of the hall, there is an unconscious inmate sitting in a chair. Upon zooming in on him, he is startled awake and gives a loud shriek. He goes back to sleep. It is assumed that he is a victim of The Scarecrow's experiments.
- #205
During the Catwoman DLC mission to get her loot back from Two-Face, Two-Face says, "Whoever kills the Cat gets to be my number one... guy" in a manner very similar way to how Jack Nicholson's Joker says to Bob (the goon) "And remember... you... are my number one... guy" in the Tim Burton's Batman (1989) movie.
- #206
There are several references to Lost (2004), the ABC television show. One when flying around Arkham City, an inmate asks another, "So, did they ever explain what the island was?" And later, more dialogue: "...why did it end in a church?" Writer Paul Dini was part of the "Lost" writing staff for the first two seasons before leaving the series.
- #207
- #208
- #209
When you go to Two Face's courthouse and you enter the back way; you can go down to the cell next to the Calendar Man's cell. When you're in that cell turn on detective mode, look up (make sure you are under them), and punch. When you do that they somehow notice you and run through the door and come to fight you.
- #210
- #211
- #212
- #213
The memory card Catwoman steals from Two-Face and inserts into her smartphone-like device displays a map of Park Row, otherwise known as Crime Alley; the place where Bruce Wayne's parents were murdered. When Batman visits this location in the game, Strange has left an audiotape for him to listen to.
- #214
- #215
- #216
- #217
- #218
- #219
- #220
During one of Hugo Strange's game-over screens, he will say "So, you failed to live up to his expectations. How predictable." It isn't explained who the "his" is, but it seems likely that he is talking about Quincy Sharp, who believed Batman to be some sort of worthy successor for his work. He's actually talking about Ra's Al Ghul.
- #221
During one of the unlockable interview sessions between Hugo Strange and the Joker, Strange is attempting to deduce Joker's origins and his relationship to Batman. Joker proceeds to tell Strange about how he was a failed stand-up comedian who got mixed up with the mob and was, under the "Red Hood" disguise, forced to break into the Ace Chemicals plant, where he was also employed, which, in turn, led to his run-in with Batman and being dropped into the vat of chemicals that transformed him. Afterwards, Strange states that Joker is lying about the entire story, to which Joker replies "If you have to have an origin story, you're better off making it multiple choice". The story, and the quote, were both taken, almost directly, from Alan Moore's immensely popular graphic novel, "The Killing Joke".
- #222
The boat filled with cockroaches and a screaming man you can find in the middle of the flooded downtown district, that was supposed to be delivered to Scarecrow. This foreshadows events in Batman: Arkham Knight (2015). The glass-fronted cockroach boxes show up again in Knight, on Stagg's airships.
- #223
After finding Deadshot's weapon cache, if you look downward, you will find what appears to be the hilt of a lightsaber. Mark Hamill, who voiced the Joker, portrayed Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films and his weapon was a lightsaber. However, this is actually a scope for a rifle, which makes more sense.
- #224
The ice cream truck Harley uses to crash into the church has "Mind the child" written on the front. This is the first hint in the game that Harley may (or may not) be pregnant. Harley Quinn's Revenge gets in on the act, too. During a radio broadcast near the beginning, Commissioner Gordon cuts an interview with Vicki Vale short when she asks why no one has been allowed to see the Joker's body. In the flashback, when Batman is about to infiltrate the steel mill, talking to Gordon reveals that after the hostage situation is resolved, he needs Batman's help with "that other problem," which is left ominously unexplained (it is elaborated on more in the Endgame comic). You also see dolled-up Mechanical Guardians posed around Harley's lair as soon as you walk in. She sics a load of active ones on you at the DLC's end.
- #225
Contains a major spoiler — show
It is heavily implied at in the game that Harley Quinn is or was pregnant. This is suggested by examining Harley's costume on a dummy and panning down to the floor. At the dummy's feet is a box reading "Fruitful Endeavors pregnancy test". Lying beside it is a positive test. Also during the end credits, Harley can be heard singing an alternate version of "Hush, Little Baby."
- #226
Contains a major spoiler — show
Before you realize there is a fake Joker, you can hear Harley Quinn say something along the lines of "Oh Mistah J you look perfect! Oh wait it isn't you is it?" And Joker says "Be quiet Harley!" This is a foreshadowing hint that Clayface impersonates Joker later on.
- #227
Contains a major spoiler — show
During the Joker boss fight that takes place a few minutes before Protocol 10, if you switch to detective mode while fighting him, you can see that he doesn't have a skeleton while the thugs and lieutenant do. This is one of the many hints given throughout the main storyline that Joker is just being imitated by Basil Karlo/Clayface.
- #228
Contains a major spoiler — show
At the beginning of the game when you are told to get in line an inmate says "Bruce Wayne. You're on my list. Bang!" This is Deadshot out of costume. Later in the game you track a sniper assassin throughout Arkham City and find out it is Deadshot and he has "a list of targets." One of which is Bruce Wayne.
- #229
- #230
- #231
Contains a major spoiler — show
When you are using the cryptographer, there are a few stations that give off seemingly random numbers followed by a chime. This is a system that was legitimately used by Russia during the Cold War. But if you decode them, a major foreshadowing occurs to Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) and the return of The Scarecrow.
- #232
Contains a major spoiler — show
If you don't jump out of the church when Joker reveals that he's wired the place with bombs, he drops a few hints about the ending. Joker: Sometimes I wonder if all this would just end with one of us looking down at the other's corpse, trying to work out what to do next? The only question is, whose body will it be? The very first thing seen when launching a new game is a painting called Cain and Abel, the duality of man. Sure enough, the final cutscene has Batman and Joker emulating exactly that painting.
- #233
- #234
- #235
- #236
- #237
Contains a major spoiler — show
At one point in the game, Vicki Vale's news helicopter crashes and Batman needs to save her from snipers trying to shoot her from neighboring rooftops. After you succeed and rescue her, Batman quickly grabs Vicki by her side and uses his Line-Launcher gadget to escape. Usually Batman uses a grapple gun to rescue people, the Line-Launcher is a direct reference to the 1989 live-action film, where Batman saves Vicki Vale from her "date" with the Joker at the museum.
- #238
Contains a major spoiler — show
In the end of the third Catwoman DLC mission, the player is presented with a choice: Leave Arkham City with her loot, or leave it behind in the vault, but save Batman who has become trapped in the Steel Mill. On the floor, a green arrow points towards where the "better" option of the two is (save Batman), and likewise for the red arrow pointing towards the "lesser" choice (leave Arkham City).
- #239
- #240
Contains a major spoiler — show
There are a lot of hints dropped about Clayface impersonating the Joker. * After Harley Quinn locks you out of Joker's office, you can hear her say "Oh, Mr J, it's a miracle! You look perfect! Oh, wait, that's not you, is it...?" to which Joker's voice can be heard telling her to shush. That's because she briefly mistook Clayface's Joker form for the real Joker. What's particularly interesting is that this happens at a very early point in the game, and the statement isn't clarified until the very end. * "You fell for the old fake Joker gag, Batman!" Apparently spoken by Joker about a dummy, actually Clayface disguised as the Joker, and the dummy was the real deal. Players may also notice that when the Joker attacks Batman, he looks normal, not sickly, because it's Clayface. * After briefly capturing Batman in the Steel Mill, Joker stops Harley from taking off Batman's mask. When she protests that she wants to know Batman's true identity, Joker replies "Nobody's who you think they are, my dear." * Just before you need to infiltrate the Steel Mill for the second time, some Enemy Chatter can be heard discussing The Joker's newfound health. One Mook says "It's like he was a completely different person before, but now he's back to his old self again." It's actually the other way around. * During the second infiltration of the Mill, one piece of Enemy Chatter you can catch has two mooks claiming that they each just saw the Joker in two wildly different locations. * After the battle with Mr. Freeze, when Batman opens the safe and finds that the cure has vanished, there are two Joker cards. One of them is faxed with a scribbled message that reads "Get well soon, Mr. J. XOXO"; the other is a physical one. Both are clues that indicate that there are two Jokers, one of them real and the other actually Clayface. * When Batman confronts the Joker after he got the cure, Joker is examining himself in a mirror, looking diseased, then turns around revealing he's healthy again. It's easy to chalk it up to one of Batman's hallucinations, but if you look closely, you can see the other Joker walking away -that's the real Joker and you're now talking to Clayface. There was no mirror, just a pane of glass. * Using Detective Vision during the fistfight with Joker later will reveal that he has no skeleton, just like Clayface in Arkham Asylum. * During one of the Joker's broadcasts when he reveals that he has taken the cure, the actual Joker holding the camera coughs. * A few times, Joker's speech patterns change a bit, like him using some British slang and being inconsistent in calling Batman "Bats" or "Batsy". Clayface is the one using the slang and never uses the Joker's nicknames for you.
- #241
- #242
- #243
A hidden nod or reference to Scarecrow can be found on a barge in the docks area. While on the barge, use the sequencer device to decode the "City of Terror" code. A panel opens. When you enter, you are in a room full of neon bug zappers. At the end of the corridor is a passed-out prisoner sitting in a chair. When you zoom in on him, he wakes with a start and lets out a loud scream. He then falls back asleep. He is presumed to be a victim of Scarecrow's experiments.
- #244
There are several references to the ABC series Lost (2004). One occurs while gliding through Arkham City, when a prisoner asks another: "So, did they ever explain what the island was?" Then more dialogue follows: "… why did it end in a church?" Writer Paul Dini was part of the "Lost" writing team for the first two seasons before leaving the series.
- #245
- #246
When you go to Two-Face's courthouse and enter by the back way, you can descend into the cell next to Calendar Man's cell. While in that cell, turn on detective mode, look up (make sure you are underneath it) and punch. When you do this, they somehow notice you, run in through the door and come to fight you.
- #247
- #248
Contains a major spoiler — show
At one point in the game, Vicki Vale's news helicopter crashes and Batman must save her from snipers trying to shoot her from neighboring rooftops. After succeeding and saving her, Batman immediately grabs Vicki beside him and uses the Line Launcher device to escape. Batman usually uses a grapple gun to save people; the Line-Launcher is a direct reference to the 1989 live-action film, in which Batman rescues Vicki Vale from her "date" with the Joker at the museum.
- #249
- #250
- #251
- #252
The Riddler Trophies in Batman: Arkham City were designed toward the end of development and incorporated into every area of the map without overpopulating it, resulting in 440 trophies that require gadgets to solve puzzles rather than being placed in obscure areas as mere collection items.
Deeper Meaning (9)
- #253
- #254
- #255
At the Beginning of the Catwoman Missions, we see a painting of Cain and Abel "The Duality of Man." While this foreshadows the end of the game in a literal sense of batman carrying Joker in the same way, it could also foreshadow Arkham Knight, as The Duality of Man portrays the first murder, In Arkham Knight, Batman struggles with wondering if he killed the Joker.
- #256
Contains a major spoiler — show
The game heavily implies that Harley Quinn is or was pregnant. This is suggested by an examination of Harley's costume on a mannequin, slid down toward the floor. At the mannequin's feet is a box labeled "Fruitful Endeavors pregnancy test." Lying next to it is a positive test. In the final title sequence, Harley can also be heard singing an alternate version of "Hush, Little Baby."
- #257
- #258
Contains a major spoiler — show
There are many clues that Clayface is impersonating the Joker. After Harley Quinn locks you in the Joker's office, you can hear her say, "Oh, Mr. J, it's a miracle! You look perfect! Oh, wait, you're not, are you…?" The Joker's voice can be heard telling her to be quiet. This is because Clayface briefly mistakes his Joker form for the real Joker. What is especially interesting is that this happens very early in the game and is not clarified until the end of the line. "You fell for the old fake Joker gag, Batman!" Apparently the Joker had spoken about a dummy, but in fact Clayface had taken the Joker's form and the dummy was real. Players can also notice that when the Joker attacks Batman he looks normal rather than sick, because he is Clayface. After briefly capturing Batman in the Steel Mill, the Joker stops Harley from removing Batman's mask. When the Joker objects, saying he wants to learn Batman's true identity, he says, "No one is who you think they are, sweetheart." Just before you have to infiltrate the Steel Mill a second time, some Enemy Chatter can be heard mentioning the Joker's newly found health. One mook says, "It's like he was a completely different person before, but now he's back to his old self." In fact the situation is the opposite. During the second infiltration of the Mill, in a piece of Enemy Conversation you can catch, two thugs claim they saw the Joker in two wildly different places. After the fight with Mr. Freeze, when Batman opens the safe and realizes the cure has disappeared, there are two Joker cards. One of them has a message faxed onto it reading "Get well soon Mr. J. XOXO"; the other is physical. Both are clues that there are two Jokers, one real and one who is actually Clayface. After Batman takes the cure and confronts the Joker, the Joker examines himself in a mirror, looks sick, then turns around and reveals he is healthy again. It is easy to connect this to one of Batman's hallucinations, but if you look closely you can see the other Joker walking away; that is the real Joker, and you are now talking to Clayface. There was no mirror, only glass. Later, using Detective Vision during the fistfight with the Joker will reveal that he has no skeleton, just like Clayface in Arkham Asylum. When the Joker announces on a broadcast that he has taken the cure, the real Joker holding the camera coughs. The Joker's speech patterns change slightly several times; for example, he uses British slang and is inconsistent in addressing Batman as "bats" or "Batsy". Clayface is the one who uses slang and never uses the Joker's nicknames for you.
- #259
- #260
- #261
Career & Awards (2)
- #262
- #263
Contains a major spoiler — show
After the release of this game, Mark Hamill announced he was retiring from voicing the Joker. However, he said that if an adaptation of the graphic novel "Batman: The Killing Joke" was ever released, he would return to the role. Batman: Arkham Knight (2015) featured a flashback to this event, and Hamill returned as The Joker for it.
Sources & editorial notes
Sources for the entries on this page
- Wikipedia Batman: Arkham City — Wikipedia
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