Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Batman: Arkham Knight First Interim PC Patch Still Weeks Away
Like a nightmare induced by Scarecrow’s fear toxin, the PC version of Batman: Arkham Knight continues to source of terror. WB Games removed the title from sale on Steam shortly after release because of significant visual and performance issues, including being necessarily locked at 30 frames-per-second. That was two months ago.
Those that did purchase the game have been waiting for developer Rocksteady to clean up the problems left by port-handler Iron Galaxy. That work still isn’t done, and it’s going to be a few weeks yet.
“The teams have been working hard to address the issues with the PC version of the game,” publisher WB Games writes. “We are happy to confirm that we are now putting the first interim patch into testing. If all goes well, we expect to issue the patch in the next few weeks. We’ll be sure to report back in the next two weeks on how the testing is coming along.”
The first interim patch will address frame rate hitches, optimization for graphics cards, the ability to toggle frame rate cap among 30, 60, and 90. Additional granular settings for motion blur, film grain, and chromatic aberration, more texture options, and other settings. Additionally, the patch will address a problem with the game running from mechanical (and not solid state hard drives).
Other items are in the works, including the photo mode and season pass content available on consoles. At this rate, it looks like it will be September before this first of an unknown number of patches is available. But we want to know, do those of you on PC still care or has this ship sailed as we head into the fall season?
[Source: WB Games on Steam]
Our Take
This is the first we’ve heard of multiple interim patches. When previously announced, WB indicated that there would be a single patch to fix the problems.
While all of these issues are unacceptable, the one that stands out to me as a new item is the issue with hard drives. Either Iron Galaxy assumed that everyone owns and plays on a solid state drive, or this is just another place the game wasn’t optimized. How on Earth did WB and Rocksteady allow this to happen with a flagship franchise?
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
