Superheroes making a cameo in video games is nothing new. Although most of the major superheroes have their own video games, developers love dropping these characters into other titles, sometimes in unlikely scenarios. Usually, the presence of a superhero in a title comes as part of a crossover event with the respective franchise, as is the case with Batman's appearance in Fortnite. On the other hand, there are also instances where the imaginative player summons their favorite superhero into a game using mods, like in GTA 5 and Minecraft.
As it happens, Fortnite is one of many titles that have had a cameo by Batman, which is understandable given the popularity of the character over the years. A lot of these cameos make sense, while some are unofficial. Looks like no matter how many successful games Batman has to his name, devs love dropping the Caped Crusader unexpectedly into various fighting pits.
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Going in order, First has to be the 1989 SEGA title, The Revenge of Shinobi. This one is perhaps the most unlikely appearance of the Caped Crusader in a video game. The Revenge of Shinobi is basically a side-scrolling platform game that deals with a blood feud between a criminal organization and a ninja clan, which ultimately leads to, well, the revenge of the shinobi. This raises the question of how exactly does Batman fit in with any of this? The answer is, he does not. This SEGA title featured an unauthorized appearance of the Dark Knight as a boss enemy. The weirdest part? Batman is the final form of this boss enemy. It first appears in the game as the favorite web-crawler, Spider-Man, but after players land a few hits on him, he morphs into Batman.
The period from 1995 to 2006 saw a line of Justice League titles, nearly all of which feature Batman as a playable character throughout the game. However, there is an exception in this series that can classify Batman's appearance as a cameo. The title in question is Justice League Heroes: The Flash. This one has the Flash as the protagonist and playable character, and the other members of the Justice League make brief appearances as NPCs, with a cameo of Batman during the second level.
Next up and much like Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Batman famously featured on the iconic 2017 MOBA title for iOS and Android, Arena of Valor. The title follows the same gameplay mechanics as Riot Games' MMORPG title League of Legends. Players choose among various heroes with unique abilities, Batman being one of them. In addition to this, the title also features other iconic DC characters, like the entire Justice League and Joker.
Speaking of Batman cameos outside games dealing with DC Comics, it would be a shame to not mention, The Lego Movie Videogame. The Lego Movie itself featured a multitude of crossovers between iconic characters, including Gotham's watchful protector. Although he initially comes across as a jerk, he wins hearts toward the end. Since the video game iteration of the movie follows the plot of the movie, players get to see a lot of the Caped Crusader.
Batman similarly features in yet another Lego video game, Lego Dimensions. The 2015 title is in itself a massive crossover, combining various universes from Warner Bros. Along with the Caped Crusader, players get to meet other iconic characters like Gandalf, from The Lord of The Rings, as part of the game's starter pack. Furthermore, it also includes Wyldstyle, Batman's former girlfriend from The Lego Movie.
With Batman's death in the Arkham franchise, fans are left to wonder if he will make his next major appearance in Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. If not, then all the community is left with is to play the Arkham Trilogy over and over again.
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