The Reason I Can't Play Batman: Arkham Shadow Has A Silver Lining

screenrant.com:

Like a lot of people, I haven't had the luxury of jumping into , but the frustrating reason that I can't might not be an entirely bad thing. As the first title to bear the iconic name in years, could be an exciting return to a richly atmospheric take on Gotham. The problem is the platform. As a VR title, is already off-limits to many, and its status as a Meta Quest 3 exclusive means that the majority of VR fans don't even have the right hardware.

I've always liked VR, but I was a late adopter in terms of personally owning a headset, a long-term wish that I finally fulfilled by nabbing a Quest 2 in 2023. While I've played some impressive Quest exclusives like , I mostly use my Quest 2 as a cheap alternative to a dedicated PCVR headset. Hooking it up to my computer with the Link cable makes it easy (well, sometimes) to play some demanding VR titles, and aside from a few shiny PlayStation exclusives, there isn't much in the VR world that can't be enjoyed with this setup.

The number one reason for game exclusivity can typically be summed up in one word — money. That's definitely in play with 's exclusivity, and I don't have any interest in mounting a defense of Facebook — ahem, Meta — against accusations of self-interest. Locking the game to the Quest 3 (and bundling it for free) will help move units, and moving units means more people buy into Meta's ecosystem. The recent introduction of the Quest 3S makes that more accessible, but it's still not an investment to make lightly.

Batman: Arkham Shadow transports players to Gotham through immersive VR, bringing fast-paced combat, mystery solving, and exciting new storylines.

I've always wished that the market didn't end up so centralized in Meta's hands, but it did, and that's kind of the reason that exists to begin with. It's a product of Meta's Oculus Studios, not traditional stewards Rocksteady and WB Games. Under the circumstances, upping the sales of Quest 3 systems might also have some long-term benefits for