Developer Rocksteady’s flattened rumors of a multiplayer/co-op mode popping up in its much-anticipated superhero sequel, Batman: Arkham City.
According to studio director Sefton Hill, The Dark Knight’s latest outing wouldn’t have swooped onto store shelves the way the studio had intended it to if a multiplayer component was included.
As such, while the studio initially flirted with the possibility of including the feature, the decision was ultimately made to focus entirely on delivering a meaty single player experience.
"There have been a number of rumours circulating about a multiplayer mode in Batman: Arkham City so let me start by saying, once and for all, that Batman: Arkham City is a ‘single-player only’ experience," said Hill, during a chat with IGN.
"Our thought process behind this was fairly simple: when we investigated adding multiplayer we asked, ‘If we use all of the energy that is required to create multiplayer and instead focus this on the single player, would that deliver a better overall game?’
"With the game now coming to the final stages, I can honestly say it would not have been possible to deliver Arkham City the way we wanted to if we’d have added multiplayer.
Hill conceded that while elbowing multiplayer out of the equation might not be the most “fashionable” design choice in this day and age, he’s confident the results speak for themselves.
"So it might not be the fashionable choice, it might not get us an extra tick on the box, but we are convinced, and we hope that gamers will agree when they get to play the finished game, that we have made the right decision."
Batman: Arkham City is due out in fall 2011.