Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is now available in early access for those who pre-ordered the Deluxe Edition of the game, with the official release date set for February 2. That means that many players are taking their first steps into Metropolis right now, jumping into the shoes of the Suicide Squad to take on members of the Justice League who have been corrupted by an invading Brainiac.
Swapping out the Caped Crusader's exploits to hone in on DC's mismatched band of miscreants themselves, Rocksteady is recasting Harley Quinn, Captain Boomerang, Deadshot, and King Shark recast as heroes. The good guys are set to go dark side as a brainwashed, corrupted Superman and company go head-to-head in the ultimate script-flipped showdown. And yes, Rocksteady says "we really do Kill the Justice League", so don't hold out for another Batman Arkham game any time soon.
We can't wait to step into Metropolis and experience the Batman Arkham universe in a whole new light; we mean that literally, since KTJL does not look like it's set in the midst of a perpetual night time anymore. Lucky for all of us, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is launching very, very soon. Here's everything you need to know about what Rocksteady's been working on.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League release date
The Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League release date is set for February 2, 2024, with a pre-order early access period commencing on January 30th. This comes following a delay implemented by Rocksteady early in 2023.
Rumours of this delay had been circulating for some time already. This comes off the back of an initial Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League delay that pushed the game out of 2022. When Hill announced the news back in March 2022, he said: "I know a delay is frustrating but that time is going into making the best game we can. I look forward to bringing the chaos to Metropolis together. Thanks for your patience."
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League preview
We went hands-on with Rocksteady's upcoming action shooter in our Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League preview.
"Running amok through the city of Metropolis was never going to be anything like the Batman Arkham games. Gone is the gritty, brooding, permanently nighttime world of Gotham, and in its place is a technicolor playground where there's no such thing as being too flashy," writes Jasmine Gould-Wilson, GR+'s Staff Writer. "At the heart of it, Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice league is an all-out party. It's way more fun than I thought it would be – especially in the face of last year's backlash."
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League platforms
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will launch on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. While Rocksteady Studios and WB Games Interactive are yet to comment directly on why Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League won't be coming to PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, it is only inevitable that developers are beginning to focus their attention on the ninth generation of home consoles – two years after the introduction of the PS5 and Xbox Series X to the market.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay
In a series of insider clips, our most recent look at Kill the Justice League gameplay introduces us to each character and their unique traversal capabilities. Boomerang seems to be using...well, a boomerang, while Harley's more momentum-based grapple swinging looks it it carries her across Metropolis entirely differently.
Each character moves up, down, and across the map in unique ways that speak to each of their characteristics and qualities. From what we've seen so far, it looks like a great opportunity to experiment with which character's moves best match your own playstyle.
The gameplay clip above also walks us through some of the Squad's weapons and special abilities, including King Shark's Suicide Strike and how effortless it feels to pull off Boomerang's juggle kills. Deadshot is also, predictably, pretty spiffy with a sniper rifle. Baked into all of this is what Rocksteady describes as a "reimagined version of the counter system" as seen in the Arkham games, something that will be a familiar sight to returning fans.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League trailer
There have been three Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League trailers released so far. The first was released alongside the Suicide Squad's reveal at DC Fandome in 2020, setting the stage for what is sure to be an absurd adventure. The second trailer arrived in October 2021, focusing on story as it introduced the great array of famous super heroes the Suicide Squad will need to take on in Metropolis. We received the first Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay trailer in December 2021, which gives us a glimpse into each character's unique combat and traversal mechanics, and how the four can play off of one another in co-op. Be sure to watch the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League gameplay trailer above.
Oh, and there's even a couple of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League easter eggs that you may have missed from that story trailer. The prison uniforms that each of the former inmates are wearing carry a number that corresponds to the character's first appearances in comic books – issues of The Flash, Batman, and Superboy. Naturally, Harley Quinn has no inmate number, as she actually made her debut in Batman: The Animated series.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League setting and story
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is far larger in scope than any of the Rocksteady Batman: Arkham games. The city of Metropolis is being invaded by an alien force, and Brainiac has somehow corrupted the minds of some of the most famous DC super heroes that call it home – turning the likes of Superman and Flash against the people they once vowed to protect. Metropolis' only hope? Four DC super villains whose heads could explode at the first sign of defiance.
Rocksteady has written an original story for Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, but if you've ever come across the Suicide Squad – be it in the comic books in which Task Force X was born, or in the movies that followed – you'll have some idea of what to expect in terms of tone and the general carnage that this team is capable of creating. We know that Amanda Waller recruits most of this motley crew from Arkham Asylum (rather than the Belle Reve Federal Penitentiary), although Rocksteady is yet to confirm whether we'll be able to explore Arkham or the surrounding Gotham City.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League traversal
Developed by Rocksteady Studios, the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League traversal systems are expected to build on the flow and momentum exhibited in the Batman: Arkham trilogy. Naturally, given the presence of four playable characters – and a mission to take down The Justice League – the scope of play will be massively expanded. Creative director Sefton Hill describes Suicide Squad as "a hybrid of Rocksteady's experience of bringing characters like Batman to life, combined with really awesome gunplay."
"Each one of them has a richer moveset, more things you can do, and more skill required to master them than you even had with Batman," Hill adds. So, how does that look within the open-world of Metropolis? Deadshot, Captain Boomerang, King Shark, and Harley Quinn will each have their own unique melee and ranged weapons, as well as individual ways to traverse the city. For example: master marksman Deadshot is able to wield a long-range rifle, when up-close-and-personal Harley will be able to whip out a baseball bat, and Boomerang appears to be able to tap into the Speed Force to quickly burst across the environment.
If you're worried about choosing between the four, Hill has confirmed that "you're never locked to any particular character for any particular section of the game." In single-player, Suicide Squad will have AI bots controlling three of the villains around you at all-times, and you can switch between each character at any time. "If you want to play as Deadshot, jet-packing around and sniping enemies, you can do that; and then boom, just instantly switch to playing as Harley, swinging around and flying into enemies with a baseball bat around the head."
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League battle pass
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League will indeed have a battle pass, but developer Rocksteady says it won't offer any sort of gameplay advantage. "Rocksteady will continue its legacy of supporting the game after its launch," one speaker said in the gameplay showcase released during Sony's State of Play showcase in February. "We're gonna deliver a lot of new content to our players. We're gonna have new playable characters, new weapons, and new missions. For players who like to customize their looks, we'll offer a battle pass that only contains cosmetic items."
Rocksteady has confirmed that all new Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League content will be free for one year post-launch, including the new characters to be added to its roster of playable anti-heroes. One of these we already know will be The Joker, but it's not a retcon of his death in Arkham Knight. Instead, Rocksteady is implementing a form of multiverse in KTJL by way of Elseworlds, and this playable Joker is actually already part of the gang in an alternate universe.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League co-op
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League has full support for four-player co-op and Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League crossplay. You can have any squad configuration that you want, with AI bots filling out the rest of your squad. Creative director Sefton Hill has teased seamless drop-in, drop-out functionality: "If you want to play multiplayer with your friends, they can join in and take the role of one of the other squad members, and the great thing is that this is a dynamic experience. You can play some of the story single-player, some multiplayer – the whole game is accessible in single-player and multiplayer, in and out of those two modes, however you want to do it."
There's no word yet from Rocksteady on whether there will be Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League crossplay support between PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X. However, Warner Bros. Games Interactive is publishing another superhero co-op game this year, Gotham Knights, which has no support for cross-platform multiplayer. Whether that's indicative of how WB will ultimately handle this aspect of Suicide Squad remains to be seen, but you shouldn't get your hopes up.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League characters
There are four playable Suicide Squad Kill the Justice League characters, and they are undoubtedly some of the best Suicide Squad members of all time: Captain Boomerang (George Harkness), Deadshot (Floyd Lawton), Harley Quinn (Harleen Quinzel), and King Shark (Nanaue). Deadshot and Harley Quinn have both appeared in previous Batman: Arkham games, although Captain Boomerang and King Shark have only appeared in the 2014 animated movie Batman: Assault on Arkham – which is canon to the wider Arkhamverse.
The main members of the Suicide Squad aren't the only characters we'll come into contact with throughout Kill the Justice League. Amanda Waller, director of A.R.G.U.S., will be in place to run the Suicide Squad program, while genius inventor Gizmo appears to be in place to help supply the squad with new gadgets and improved weapons.
There is some question as to whether Wonder Woman will be foe or reluctant friend, but given that Diana Prince can be see in the Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League trailers both fighting Superman and whipping the Lasso of Truth around Captain Boomerang, it'll probably be a little of column A and a lot of column B.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League villains
In the wider Arkhamverse, The Justice League is an already established entity. Before the Batman: Arkham Knight incident, its roster was made up of: Batman, The Flash, Green Lantern, Superman, and Wonder Woman. Following the (and apologies for the seven-year-old game spoiler here) supposed death of Bruce Wayne, The Justice League is made up of just four heroes – three of which are confirmed Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League villains. Sadly, there's no indication that the likes of Aquaman, Martian Manhunter, or Green Arrow are a part of the Arkhamverse Justice League.
Naturally, Braniac will be the key villain in the game, using his powers of telepathy and possession to control members of The Justice League to destroy Metropolis. Brainiac appears to have the strongest grip over Superman, although Flash and Green Lantern do appear to have some sentience. Wonder Woman's affiliation is yet to be confirmed. Additionally, we have a confirmed sighting of the Penguin, but it's likely Oswald Cobblepot will be the butt of a few jokes while the squad is recruited from Arkham Asylum, rather than a villain with any skin in the game.
Is Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League in the Arkhamverse?
Rocksteady has confirmed that Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a part of the Arkhamverse. That means that Suicide Squad is set in the same universe as Rocksteady's Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009), Batman: Arkham City (2011), and Batman: Arkham Knight (2015). Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is a sequel to Arkham Knight, set months after the supposed death of Bruce Wayne – so don't expect to see Batman in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
This isn't the first time the Batman: Arkham games have shown the Suicide Squad. The taskforce of DC super villains was actually established in a post-credits scene of WB Games Montreal's Batman: Arkham Origins (2013). In it, we see Amanda Waller recruiting Deathstroke to join the squad, while in Armature Studio's 3DS effort Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (2013), Deadshot and Bronze Tiger link up with Task Force X – with Bane said to be under consideration. Rocksteady is yet to confirm whether Deathstroke, Bronze Tiger, and Bane are alive or dead in the Arkhamverse.
Here's a fun piece of trivia for you: Captain Boomerang and King Shark are actually supposed to be already dead in the Arkhamverse. This universe extends far beyond the Batman: Arkham video games, encompassing animated movies and comic books that are supposedly canon. Captain Boomerang was executed by Deadshot in Batman Arkham Knight #8, Volume 1 after an attempt to assassinate Bruce Wayne goes horribly wrong; while Killer Shark had the bomb implanted in his neck detonated by Amanda Waller, killing him instantly, as part of the Batman: Assault on Arkham film.
Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League is set to launch on February 2, 2024. While you wait, why not check out some of the other highly anticipated upcoming PS5 games and upcoming Xbox Series X games.
