Batman: Arkham City Director Defends Controversial Catwoman Code

NEW YORK - Reviewers have raved about , the action-packed superhero diversion that publishing house Warner Bros. expelled on Tuesday for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

One aspect of the Dark Knight's ultimate exploit that has found itself the theme of debate is the way it handles the Catwoman segments of the diversion . These are unbarred with a "VIP Pass," a emancipation ethics printed on a piece of paper inside new copies of the game. Gamers who rent, steal or purchase a used duplicate of will have to pay an additional $10 is to code. And those who can't link up their consoles to the Internet will be not able to to experience the story of Batman's sly rival.

Wired.com spoke with executive Sefton Hill at the New York Comic Con in Manhattan final weekend, where he shielded this decision, mission Catwoman a "guest star" and emphasizing that her segments make up reduction than 10% of the game's complete content.

"I of course comprehend and conclude the concerns of the DLC issue, but that was the preference that was made," Hill said, observant that developer Rocksteady Studios had especially combined the Catwoman calm with an eye towards distributing it in this manner.

"Everybody who buys the diversion new and has access to the Internet is going to be able to obtain that full experience," Hill said.

Locking renters, borrowers and used-game purchasers out of leading chunks of diversion content, then charging them additional is to privilege, has not long ago turn a renouned pierce for diversion publishers seeking to consequence additional money. Last year, Electronic Arts CEO John Riccitiello went so far as to name his company's chronicle of the first move "Project Ten Dollar."

At Comic-Con, you moreover asked Hill about underline creep, that early reviewers inclusive GameLife editor Chris Kohler criticized in their takes on final week . Kohler remarkable that Batman's endless arms depot may be overwhelming, quite in the centre of a fast-paced fight or team leader fight.

Hill mentioned it's all in the name of creation you feel similar to Bruce Wayne himself.

"I theory it is flattering overwhelming, apropos the Batman," Hill said. "That's segment of being who he is. We didn't wish to take avoiding action divided from any of those things that it meant to be Batman."

is all about office building on its predecessor, , Hill says. For the team at Rocksteady Studios , that meant giving the Caped Crusader all the gadgets he had in the formerly game, and more.

"We longed for to take those things that people enjoyed and unequivocally increase to them," he said. "When you're apropos the Batman, he is such an omni-faceted disposition that you unequivocally longed for to act for all those not similar sides of him."