Last month Oculus Studios and developer Camoflaj announced a new entry in the Arkham series, Batman: Arkham Shadow. The teaser implied Batman would be tussling with the Rat King (not to be confused with Ratcatcher, we think) in VR, and it would be canon to the Arkham universe that Rocksteady created, but little else was revealed beyond that. Today, we received another pre-rendered trailer, so while we’re still not sure how the game will look and play, we at least have a better idea of the game’s tone and characters. The dramatic cover of a popular song chosen for this cinematic trailer? “Bullet With Butterfly Wings” by the Smashing Pumpkins A.K.A. the rat in a cage song.

The trailer shows Gordon, The Rat King, seemingly in a prison cell, and what appears to be a still-sane version of Harley Quinn. Here is the story outline from the trailer’s press release.

It’s the Fourth of July, and Gotham City is besieged by a new threat: the mysterious Rat King and his cultish devotees. Public officials have been abducted, including Batman associates Commissioner Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent. The Rats have pledged to execute them in one week’s time for “crimes committed against the people of Gotham City.”

As widespread rioting engulfs the city, Batman races to prevent this so-called “Day of Wrath,” but it all goes wrong.

Set between the events of Batman: Arkham Origins and Batman: Arkham Asylum, you’ll experience the origins of such iconic characters as The Scarecrow, Harley Quinn, and more, as Batman grapples with the contradiction at the core of his identity—the use of force in pursuit of
peace.

The press release for the new trailer promises the game will have a “blend of exploration, stealth, and free-flowing combat the series is known for.” The game is coming exclusively to Meta Quest 3 next year.