Batman: Arkham VR Will Take Roughly 2.5 Hours To Complete Everything

Rocksteady Studios Brand Marketing Producer, Dax Ginn has revealed more information about the length of Batman: Arkham VR to PressStart. Whilst the hands-on experiences have been extremely positive, many have been worried about the length of Batman: Arkham VR, which was always marketed as a bite-sized experience, rather than a full game.

[-Foxtrot]

So is this free or something then? I don't think I could pay for this unless it was dirt cheap.

[shancake]

Nah, it's $30 AUD.

[ji3200]

sense the real scale of the world is really amazing and i think i can play this over and over again just to immerse into another world. I think sony wants to proove to people that even current ps4 can handle this kind of quality game so once more and more people buy psvr then im sure more big AAA game developers will make games with full version. This is just a proof that psvr game is not a Nintendo 64 quality cartoony graphic game. I can imagine future version of Call of duty and battlefield,Fallout or GTA series in VR. This is just a begining people!!

[Cupid_Viper_3]

Haha, It's so nice to watch all those people that were fuming at Sony for not including a UHD Blu-ray player with the PS4 slim or the Pro given that UHD Blu-rays are like $20-$35 each. And movies are typically 90 minutes to 2 hours longs.

Yet that very same crowd is saying that $20 is too much for 2-3 hour experience that is much more immersive and interactive than you could ever have with UHD Blu-ray movie.

I guess what I'm saying is that you can't have your cake and eat it too. If you are ok with paying upwards of $35 for 4k Blu-ray movies to the point where you criticized Sony for not including a 4K drive in the PS4 slim/pro, then you should have absolutely ZERO issues with paying $20 for a 2-3 hour VR game. Try and be consistent at least guys.

[Death]

By your logic all games should be 4.5 hours long max? When has anyone held game length to movie standards? I don't remember paying different prices for different length movies.

Bottom line is if you are comfortable paying $400-$500 for PSVR and then $20 for a 2.5 hour experience, then other peoples' opinions shouldn't matter.

[Cupid_Viper_3]

"By your logic all games should be 4.5 hours long max?" That's an interesting way of looking at it.

But I prefer to approach it from a different perspective. It's quite common to find single-player and story driven games to last on average of 6-9 hours long, and those games cost $60. So it seems quite reasonable to me that a game that lasts 1/3 of the average length (2-3 hours) of the average game out there, respectively costs 1/3 of the price at $20. You know, (6-9 hours) divided by 3 = 2-3 hours...........$60 divided by 3 = $20. Hence $20 for Batman VR...

The 4K blu-rays price comparison is only there to further demonstrate the absurdity of some of the opinions coming from a certain group of guys on here. A group of guys who support a company who released a weaker console than its main competitor and yet asked for more money for said console. And yet you guys are the ones talking price and value? I mean, cmon....

[CrimzonRazor]

Rip off is what it is

[Nitrowolf2]

its $20 USD so not to bad TBH

[CrimsonWing69]

Yet we have a game like Journey that is worth the money? I think it's just an experience that costs as much as seeing a movie. I swear gamers nowadays make me want to vomit with their self entitlement.

[Fatal-Aim]

Very fair price. Just like online DLC, VR is just a different avenue for games.

[Sm00thNinja]

2 hrs regardless of the medium is not worth 20 bucks imo. But I'd love to try it. Maybe a demo on the store at some point

[Pandamobile]

Well this is the weird part about the VR business model right now. At this point no one really is sure how to market and price VR experiences. I think $20 is a fair starting point for a 2-3 hour VR experience, that's like the price of a blu-ray.

[Kosic]

The only VR I got is a gear vr, for mobile apps the vr store is priced horribly. People think now their content is worth more because it has a 360* sphere camera instead of a locked camera viewing.

We are going to see a lot of over priced short vr experiences with the ps vr. They can charge what the like and people will accept it because they can't go anywhere else for games.

[WeAreLegion]

Yes, it is. Do you not buy movies?

[cleft5]

So you are saying that if you can beat a game in 2 hours its not worth 20 bucks, no matter what? So all of those indie games that you can beat in 2 hours that cost 20 bucks simply isnt worth it? I am sorry, but I disagree. If the experience is well done enough, then it can easily be worth 20 bucks.

[CrimzonRazor]

Because of people like you is why devs like this get away with ripping people off

[DeadlyOreo]

Nah. People like you CrimzonRazor are too entitled. $20 really isn't bad.

[Goldby]

@Crimzon.

So you are saying ThatGamecompany ripped off people with Journey on ps3?

People liek you Crimzon automatically see a price and decide if a game is worth it based on that.

Games aren't good because they are AAA or Priced high. we have all seen the bad side of those.

The Price is the price no matter the content behind it, it all depends on the gamer if they find value in the price.
and i would be safe to say at least 70% of the people who have played Journey before it was free would gladly say it was worth it.

[CrimzonRazor]

@goldby never playe journey cant comment on it but if it was 20 bucks and 2 hrs long id say it was a rip off, I work to hard to get that small of a return on my money.

[Goldby]

That the issue Crimzon.

You are associating cost with return of investment, when in video games, specifically ones like Jounrey or Abzu the investment you are getting can't be linked with a dollar value. personally, Journey has dont more for me than the Witcher 3 did, and Journey was only 15$.

Just becuase games cost less do not mean their value is any less. more often then not they are experiments in unique ways to tell stories or unique mechanics that most big name devs wont risk doing something different in the name of their profits.

If you get the chance, try Journey, tkae 2 hours out of your life and experience that game.

[rainslacker]

I think the prices now are just the early adopter gouging we would see with any new tech. Batman being a popular title, lots of people will gobble it up, regardless of length. I'll personally wait for it to go down in price....maybe $10 or something, unless those 2.5 hours offer good replayability.

[CrimzonRazor]

30 bucks for a 2 hr game is straight out greed, or they are worried it isnt going to do well so they are jacking up the price, which it wont do well vr is already starting to fail on pc its another niche fad.

[rainslacker]

K, well I'm pretty sure that gouging indicates greed.

Or, they know that Batman is a popular IP, being released alongside a popular new product, and that early adopters spend more money on lesser games to get the initial experiences that said products have to offer.

It's nothing new with console hardware launches, so not sure why you seem so surprised or taking such issue with it.

That being said, you know nothing about the game, beyond that it's a Batman game, that it's 2.5 hours long, and that it's $30. It might be an awesome game, and well worth the $30, because it might actually offer more than 2.5 hours of gaming.

It of course, might not. But you don't know. So save the righteous indignation until you know more, and stop equating the price and assumed quality of a single game to the overall success of PSVR or VR in general.

In the mean time, if you aren't happy with the game, or the price of the game, just don't buy it. Express why in a respectful and reasonable matter, and stop looking like your taking it so personally. The publisher didn't price the game at $30 to offend you, they priced it there, because they feel that's what it's worth. Your actual opinion no the matter means nothing to them. If enough people share your opinion, they'll see lower sales. If people don't, then they'll see higher sales. Either way, it has nothing to do with you.

You make weak arguments which aren't actually even worth responding to, but I do, because hopefully you'll actually consider being a bit more constructive in your arguments in the future.

[kangbuo]

Disagree, experience matters. 2 hours with Margot Robbie might well be worth 20$, or even 2 minutes (dont draw any conclusion on the 2 minutes statement !!!)

[CrimzonRazor]

No

[Sm00thNinja]

No I don't buy movies actually. I just think 20 bucks is too much. Just my opinion. I'll wait for a demo unless this game is a game changing experience 20 is just too much for 2 hrs to experience everything. I wonder how much time it takes just for 1 one through?

To all the fanboys arguing against my opinion. It's my opinion I respect yours but your not going to change mine. Plenty of other VR games that are full blown experiences. Rigs, RE7, so I'll skip this one as of now.

[OB1Biker]

Because people who have a different opinion than yours are fanboys?
You bothered sharing your opinion then dont be offended for others to reply with a different opinion calling them fanboys. Specially your first statement '2hrs regardless of the medium is not worth 20 bucks' is quite debatable.
Games are expensive. I think it fair that every one can wait for the price to be right for them for games or devices. This one seems a fascinating experience for many I'm sure so it just depends on how long they can wait.

[Liqu1d]

"To all the fanboys arguing against my opinion. It's my opinion I respect yours"

If you respected their opinion then you wouldn't label everyone who disagrees with you a fanboy.

[Sm00thNinja]

Lol yall upset about a game that isn't even out yet. Look PSVR, gonna be great but a 2 hrs experience for 20 bucks is too much. There's just too many other launch titles or titles coming around launch to warrant a purchase. @OB1BIKER you just reiterated exactly what I said though. I think it's fair that I wait for the price to drop below 20 bucks? Is that so wrong?

[danny818]

I felt as if the games felt like glorified demos. I hope I'm wrong.

[TheEvilResident1997]

Wow that's it it's already disappointing and it is not even out.

[Pooker100]

These VR games need to be more meaty.

[JayPi3]

Can we stop pretending PSVR will have more than exclusive glorified tech demos?

I'm not a Xbox Fanboy or a PC fanboy either, but PSVR seems like it will mostly be limited due to Sony, hopefully someone can make the thing work with PC.

[Snookies12]

The heck? How is Sony limiting VR?

[rainslacker]

Sure, I guess we could stop pretending that.

Now can you stop pretending that all games coming to PSVR will be/are glorified tech demos?

Some of the games do have actual real games behind them. I'm sure there will be plenty of the "glorified tech demos" initially, but if the format takes off, then I'd expect better experiences going forward.

[PizzaSteve]

VR will have a lot of short games and shovelware.

[CrimzonRazor]

Vr is shovelware

[G20WLY]

So do regular console or PC platforms. What's your point?

[DaDrunkenJester]

But other platforms ALSO have long games and such.

[Goldby]

@Dadrunkjester,

And so does psvr. RE7, WilD is supposedly going to be VR eneabled for full game, There's Rigs, Robinson

[G20WLY]

@Drunken, so how short is the longest PSVR game?

...You don't know. So how can you judge?

[TheColbertinator]

If a game is good,then the price point can be understadable. Shadow Complex is one of my favorite indies yet it was only 2 hours long.

I hope Batman VR is a decent title with Rocksteady at the helm.

[REDGUM]

Here's a question before we all start waving our hands in the air.
What lengths are the upcoming games going to be in VR?
Is 2 to 3hrs a std length or a one off for Batman?
Obviously multiplayer games are endless, of sorts, but campaigns. Does anyone know?

I'm genuinely interested. I won't be buying VR day one anyway, because i just don't have the time to play much these days but will dabble with it in the future as it looks like alot of fun & a whole new way to play games!

[joeorc]

@REDGUM

[I'm genuinely interested. I won't be buying VR day one anyway, because i just don't have the time to play much these days but will dabble with it in the future as it looks like alot of fun & a whole new way to play games!]

Just like any type of game , design for what you are tending to obtain for story while including a back story, character development prior to player gets to start playing..to more characters growth , or open ended games can varied..

VR is no different in other than taking into account what will work in VR and what cannot not.

Since for example..Multi-Player can be unlimited length in play..and VR is already being employed with such game design..or in the case with PC VR and Mobile VR there is varied games with length and play dynamics varied as well..

There really is not standard limit to length of a games pliability or repeatability, or story length..it's a matter of personal players ability of does motion sickness have a real hold over your physical body right from the start , many will need to get accustomed to VR environment due to how VR is for extended usage ...many games for length can be made in the chapter esk' type of design and build around the play through entire game without stopping design and that way bypass the VR applied motion sickness problems that could happen with games who have never been accustomed to motion sickness like on a boat, many te people can get accustomed to such and be fine, small percentage cannot it's based on your physiology.. Of each person and how they react to VR...

Thus is as long as developers take heed to how you build games set for VR game length just like any can be as long or extensive as you would want to make them.

[REDGUM]

Thank you, but, that's not really what I meant. Maybe I didn't ask the wright question. I suppose what I'm asking is games like "rush of blood" or "resident evil" or " the mech game thats coming out & can't remember what it's called" the games that are coming out for it at or around launch. Are they 2-3hrs long as well or is it just the Batman game that is that short?

I understand games can be made infanantly long but was more so comparing Batman to other new or soon to be released games!

[rainslacker]

Not sure there is any extensive list. Some games seem to have infinite replayability, or at least substantial ammounts. Others seem limited to short experiences. Some seem like tech demos put into a bigger scope to make it more into an acceptable game.

Probably the best bet is just to wait for reviews to discuss such things, because game length is not always a great metric to go by, and criticism of a game's worth based on length isn't always warranted.

Going forward, I'd imagine the releases for the system will run the gamut of all types as devs try out new things to see what sticks.

Early adopting is hard, but for those willing to do it, there will be plenty to play. I'd urge restraint to everyone though, and outside the initial launch excitement, to really buy games which seem like more extensive games, instead of something closer to shovelware. In the long run, it'll serve everyone better, as we'll get better products.

[joeorc]

Exactly @rainslacker it's pretty much the start of the developers 1st to concepts on VR game theory.. And how those Developers theorise be that certain methods will or may not work.

VR games have to be set to certain limitations and by doing such you have to take into account different effects in gaming in such an environment. Now what that does 👉not 👈 mean is

"only short burst in gaming and those are just only tech Demo's trying to be turned into a full game's"

It's mainly because any developers are getting use to the limitations of VR environment development that your games have to take into account. The reason many seem like tech demo's from the outside looking in when creating a VR game, because right now many development studio's have just started working in such dynamic States of development for VR..and many does not know which techniques can work or what does not quite work in such an environment.

Some may ask what are some of these limitations.. Well example..since you have a screen covering your face left side & right peripheral vision is blocked as well, disorientation effects can take in effect if you try to use such optical vision placements of viewing outside of a narrow focus field of View..remember your FOV is going to be effectively shortened due to side viewing peripheral vision having to be reduced, but advantage for gaming is since that's being reduced as a developer you know your game players focus will be directed by default to the FOV of the environment, not the person..so thus Every players Field of View is always going to be directed toward that of the VR environment.. So thus windowing the FOV can result in some pretty unique opportunity to surprise the player..LOL

Rigs by the way is unlimited vs Batman game due to Applied design & Theory , not a limitation. That for sure is evidence enough you can make games that are quite long in VR..just like you can in normal game environment scenarios that developers have been working with for years.

[Cy]

So, it's another pointless tech demo disguised as a game. Typical VR fare.

[CrimzonRazor]

Better be around 5 bucks anymore is just a ripoff

[DeadlyOreo]

Wow. You're joking right.

[Liqu1d]

Just doing his usual trolling.

[CrimzonRazor]

Nope not joking or trolling how is a 2 hr game worth more the 5 bucks paying more the that would be a joke, and them charging 30 is a straight out rip off

[Goldby]

Heres a thought, becuase you clearly know what Vr is worth, how about you make a full VR game and only charge 5$ for it, but make sure you work within your budget. lets see how well that game would turn out

[CrimzonRazor]

Stupid

[rainslacker]

I doubt they could even license the IP for $5 per copy. Batman doesn't come cheap.

[CrimzonRazor]

Dont matter a 2 hr game isnt worth anymore then 5 bucks

[Goldby]

so then by that stance, you should only get 24 hours of play out of a AAA 60 dollar game.

So you dont mind paying more for games like Skyrim or Witcher which takes 100+ hours to complete?
5$ for a 2 hour expereience, 100 hours divided by 2 is 50. take that 50 and multiply that by your 5$ and you got a 250$ game that you only pay 60$ for.

[opinionated]

If it's some mind blowing shit and the best VR has to offer I wouldn't mind paying 20 bucks. I'd rather pay 20 for a rocksteady game than 5 for some crappy indie game. By the time I get a PSVR it won't be 20 so I'm not worried about it. I'll have a plethora of cheap shit to choose from if I ever actually decide buy it.

[SEGAKIDD]

lol

[_LarZen_]

That's about 2h 20min longer then 98% of the games/experiences for my Vive.

[Jon_Targaryen]

Well to be Frank I think alot of VR games are gonna be this short...

[RosweeSon]

£349.99 we'll spent then... this is main thing that's put me off all the good stuff so far i.e. Batman, tomb raider and Star Wars are add one rather than VR experiences more excited about Rez and that's a re release. All the other games sound more like extended demos or DLC. 1-2 hours then done... then wait til Feb for Resi? Think I'll wait for new year before purchasing a VR headset

[DJustinUNCHAIND]

$400 system for two and a half hour games.

Must be a Playstation.

[Goldby]

600+ Dollars for same if not less

Must be PC

[TheEvilResident1997]

Everyone disagreeing with me well it's true this game should be longer I mean really 2.5 hours that's bs and worth $5 that's it I hope no one payed all that money for a VR headset just for this game because you will be disappointed with it being so short and the funny part is when we get a game like the order it's maybe a 5-7 hour game and that's the main complaint about that game but when this cash grab is only 2.5 hours long it's apparently ok because it's on VR if this is how VR games will be then I'd rather stick with my TV no sense into putting that much money into a VR.

[Taero]

The Order cost me $60, this cost me $15. Personally I think it should have been more along the lines of $10 but with the small install base at the start I feel that slightly higher prices are on the cards until the base grows.

[Taero]

Actually on Amazon it's $15 if you're a member.

[beardtm]

I played the Batman VR demo at the Glasgow Tour yesterday. It was very blurry like it was rendering at a much lower resolution than PSVR and i could see each pixel so that disappointed me. However, it ran smooth and was really immersive. I think i will wait to try PS Pro versions to see if they are any good but i'm not sure i'm sold on it in its first form. I will wait for a higher resolution PSVR in the future.

[daynnight365]

And that's why it's 20 something dollars.
If it was 60, then make a stink