Batman: Arkham Shadow
2024
When Meta throws up the Bat Signal, we answer the call. They wanted an identity system for Batman: Arkham Shadow, a new VR game expanding the legendary Arkham series, and we were happy to play the role of Boy Wonder. Our work included a new logo for the series, a set of immersive key art, extensive guidelines, and two 3D-animated trailers that tease the epic story.
Confront Your Deepest Shadow
A violent cult led by the mysterious Rat King has swarmed Gotham, and the city has fallen into chaos and destruction. The rats are wreaking havoc on the city and spreading their ideology like a plague.
Through immersive VR, you “become the Knight” as Batman hunts down the Rat King and wrestles with his own perception of right and wrong, defining the line between justice and vengeance. Will Batman be able to stop the rat cult, or will it consume him?
The Arkhamverse
Taking on one of the most iconic logos in popular culture is no simple task. To respect the legacy logos, we maintained their overall form while refining the familiar Batman typography.
The end result is a mark that captures this VR experience and nods to the erosion of Gotham by the Rat King’s insidious influence. The red glowing title casts light from below, giving it the same eerie sense of drama that permeates the game itself.
Key Visuals
As Bat-fans ourselves, we had endless fun diving into the world of Arkham Shadow to create visuals that hint at this exciting new story. These included several first-person POV pieces that give the viewer the sensation of putting on the mask and becoming Batman. Shadows, rats, gothic grittiness, destruction, and smoke all became elements in a cohesive visual language.
To amplify a sense of mystery, light was used sparingly — the primary visual element was shadow. By doing this, we could really control the audience’s eye and create focal points — with the slightest hints of light we could drive attention to key characters or objects within an environment.
The color palette is inspired by warm firelight, grit, and smoke. It’s interspersed with hints of “rat-eye red” — a hot red derived from rat masks and Gotham’s neon signage seen throughout the game.
The Design System
When it came to the design system, we leaned into a classic Batman aesthetic — understated, sleek, and built from black. Each layout ensures a sense of space or airiness that commands attention and exudes cool confidence. Our typography is thin and open, evoking a sense of mystery as if the words are spoken from the shadows.
We even got the chance to create a Batman-inspired version of the classic Quest headset treatment, and our approach was consistent with the other parts of the system — shrouded in shadow, surrounded by smoke, and hit with an ominous rat-eye red glow from beneath.
Teaser Trailer
Prior to launch, we developed an epic, cinematic trailer to tease the game and get fans excited for the first new Arkham game in almost a decade.
The ominous teaser follows a rat through the streets of Gotham, hinting at the rise of the Rat King and his cult of followers. When a dark shadow lands on the street, Batman is revealed in all his iconic glory. And, of course, we hid numerous Easter eggs for loyal fans to uncover.
Announcement Trailer
The trailer adopted a story-based approach, introducing iconic Arkham-verse characters, while dramatizing the rise of the shadowy plague that’s plunging Gotham into chaos. Each vignette showcased the visual transformation of Gotham as the Rat King’s followers spread like a virus through the city.
BUCK
Chief Creative Officer
Kevin Walker
Executive Producer
Justin Harris
Bidding Producer
Mackenzie Kuzman
Creative Director
Mike Payne
Senior Art Director
Mary Kate Henry
Producer
Haley Arenson
Lead 3D Artist
Eugene Goryachev
2D Animation Lead
Anton Thallner
Design
Rafael Bessa
Kevin Heo
Lukas Abubeker
Jacob Gilbreath
Concept Design Director
Dae-Han Yi
Concept Art
Arron Ingold
Marcus Collins
Fernando Utreras
Jim Lind
Tom Moore
Stan Chan
Head of 3D / 3D Supervisor
Alex Dingfelder
Technical Director
Jens Lindgren
3D Lead
Jens Lindgren
FX Artist
Thomas Robertson
Lighting
Rui Huang
Compositing
Eugene Goryachev
3D Animation
Christopher Meek
2D Animation
Yinan Liang
Anton Thallner
Fabian Morison
Ricardo Mendes
Special Thanks
Matt Varner
Wes McCabe
Nicolas Gloazzo
Sejin Park
Vicky Chong
Berni Charadia
Joao Lavieri
Chelsea Lee
Colin Verdi
Jiawen Liang
Juan Ricardo Hernandez
Eric Xu
Jong Lee
Fernando Bittar
BUCK
Creative Director
Laurent Ledru
Associate Creative Director
Moses Journey
Executive Producer
Justin Harris
Producer
Alex dos Santos
Dustin Leer
Paul Winze
Production Coordinator
Matthew Padua
Storyboard Artist
Max Forward
2D Animator (AE)
Drew Wiebe
Paul Imperio
Editor
Heather Bartholomae
Talia Mazzarella
Technical Director
Ben Rohel
Visual Effects
Light VFX
BUCK
Creative Director
Laurent Ledru
Creative Director
Mike Payne
Executive Producer
Justin Harris
Senior Producer
Alex dos Santos
Art Director
Mary Kate Henry
Storyboard Artist
Max Forward
Concept Artist
Jamie O'Hara
Designer
Rafael Bessa
2D Animator (Cel)
Alex Bernas
2D Animator (AE)
Yinan Liang
Modeler
Rui Huang
Head of 3D
Alex Dingfelder
3D Animator
Chris Meek
Editor
Andrew Gura
Billy Kostka
Talia Mazzarella
Visual Effects
Light VFX