Batman Arkham Games in Order: Release, Timeline and Collections

For a first playthrough, play Batman: Arkham Asylum → Arkham City → Arkham Origins → Arkham Knight. This follows the release order of the four core non-VR campaigns. Origins goes back to Batman’s early career, but Asylum is the clearest introduction to the series’ characters, combat and detective work.

If you bought Arkham Trilogy or the modern Arkham Collection, your route is simpler: Asylum → City → Knight. Origins is not hidden in the bundle. The tables below show what you have, what is separate, and where the prequels and VR games fit.

Batman Arkham games in release order

These are seven Batman-led console, PC and VR story releases, not seven games included in one collection. The table excludes mobile spin-offs, DLC, remasters and the separate Suicide Squad game discussed below. A later port does not create another story: Blackgate Deluxe Edition still occupies Blackgate’s slot.

Batman Arkham games in chronological order

If you are replaying the series and want to follow Batman’s career instead of the release sequence, use this broad route:

1. Arkham Origins
2. Arkham Origins Blackgate — optional companion
3. Arkham Shadow — VR required
4. Arkham Asylum
5. Arkham City
6. Arkham VR — optional; commonly placed here, with the caveat below
7. Arkham Knight

Origins is the early-career starting point. Blackgate follows that adventure, while DC places Arkham Shadow between Origins and Asylum. Without the optional entries, the core story order is simply Origins → Asylum → City → Knight.

Arkham VR needs a caveat: its unusual perspective makes it awkward to treat as a straightforward chapter on a literal timeline. Its position above is a common interpretation, not a firm story checkpoint. On a first run, leave it until after Knight, following release order, to avoid later-story clues.

Can you skip Origins, Blackgate or the VR games?

You can play the Rocksteady trilogy without Origins. Asylum, City and Knight form the connected three-game arc sold in the modern bundles. Origins adds earlier history rather than filling a missing middle chapter. If you want all four core campaigns, fit it between City and Knight on a first release-order run.

Blackgate is a smaller 2.5D action-adventure, not another open-world campaign like City. Add it after Origins if that format interests you; it is not needed before starting Asylum.

Arkham VR and Arkham Shadow are different games. Shadow has its own campaign and requires Meta Quest 3 or 3S, as specified on DC’s game page. Owning a PlayStation or PC Arkham bundle does not include it. The older Arkham VR has separate headset requirements, so check its store listing rather than assuming the two run on the same hardware.

No headset? Follow the four core campaigns, with Blackgate as an optional non-VR extra. You can finish the original trilogy’s story without buying VR hardware.

Arkham Trilogy vs. Collection vs. Return to Arkham

The official Trilogy FAQ confirms the Switch package. Its physical cartridge contains Asylum; City and Knight need downloads. That matters if you were expecting all three to install directly from the cartridge.

For the modern console Collection, the PlayStation product listing specifies the first two remasters and Knight. Older packages have also used “Collection,” so always read the included titles for your platform. Do not buy another bundle merely because its name sounds more complete.

How can you play Arkham Origins on your system?

Origins is the awkward purchase, not a missing download inside Trilogy. Check your hardware before buying a copy:

• Windows PC: Origins has a separate Steam release. Check its system requirements and local store availability; it is not a Return to Arkham remaster.
• Xbox One or Series X with a disc drive: WB supports the Xbox 360 version through backward compatibility with a physical disc. That route does not work on Series S or an all-digital console.
• PS5: do not buy a PS3 disc expecting it to install. PS5 does not support PS3 discs. Cloud-streaming catalogues are a separate question and vary by region and subscription; check yours before paying.
• Nintendo Switch: Arkham Trilogy gives you Asylum, City and Knight, not Origins. You can follow that three-game route without waiting to find the prequel on another system.

The disc requirement comes from WB’s Origins compatibility guidance; Sony separately confirms that PS5 cannot use PS3 discs. A used copy and a compatible console matter more here than the order on a timeline.

Batman Arkham story DLC: what to play and when

For a first playthrough, finish each base campaign before opening its separate story episodes. This is a spoiler-conscious recommendation, not strict chronology. Missions that appear naturally inside the campaign can stay there.

Knight’s Arkham Episodes menu contains Harley Quinn Story Pack, Red Hood Story Pack, A Matter of Family, Catwoman’s Revenge, GCPD Lockdown and A Flip of a Coin. After the main campaign, you can choose among them without treating that menu as one continuous sequel. Costumes, challenge maps and Batmobile tracks do not add required chapters.

Are Suicide Squad and Gotham Knights part of this order?

Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League belongs to the Arkham universe and follows Knight, but it is a different team’s adventure. Treat it as an optional follow-up, not a fifth Batman-led core campaign.

Gotham Knights, Telltale’s Batman games and LEGO Batman are separate from this sequence. You do not need to fit them between Arkham releases. If you came here with a Trilogy download ready to go, you can simply open Asylum and save those other branches for later.