Upper Deck Unveils Batman: Enemies of Gotham City Board Game

For decades, Batman: The Animated Series has stood as the gold standard for Dark Knight adaptations, holding a special place in the hearts of fans worldwide. Now, tabletop enthusiasts and DC devotees can return to that beloved universe with a twist. Upper Deck Entertainment has officially announced Enemies of Gotham City, a new board game where players flip the script to control Gotham’s most notorious rogues. Unveiled at Gen Con 2025, this strategy-heavy title is scheduled for a retail release on May 15, 2026.

Designed for two to five players, Enemies of Gotham City challenges you to embrace your dark side rather than save the day. The game moves away from traditional superhero narratives, casting players as villains battling for dominance over the city’s districts. The core loop revolves around strategic worker placement and card drafting, where you must deploy goons to seize territory, generate cash, and burn down specific areas to consolidate power. 

However, the Caped Crusader is never far behind; Batman and his allies act as constant obstacles, and any workers captured by the heroes are sent to a physical "Arkham Asylum cube tower", adding a tangible risk to every criminal operation.

Iconic Villains and Unique Gameplay Mechanics

The game boasts an impressive roster of 12 asymmetric villains, ensuring high replayability through unique playstyles. The lineup includes heavy hitters like The Joker, Poison Ivy, Two-Face, Bane, Harley Quinn, Scarecrow, Mr. Freeze, The Penguin, Clayface, The Mad Hatter, Red Claw, and Ra’s al Ghul. Each character utilizes specialized abilities and weapons that reflect their personalities. 

To give an example, Two-Face relies on a coin flip for beneficial or negative effects, while The Mad Hatter can displace rival workers. Other mechanics include Poison Ivy building greenhouses to boost influence, Mr. Freeze freezing territories to block rivals from burning them, and Clayface copying other villains' weapons.

Developed by designers Daryl Andrews, Maximillian Dennis, and Morgan Dontanville, the game is drawing attention for its faithful "Dark Deco" aesthetic. While the artwork is original, it has been meticulously crafted to mimic the noir style of the 1990s animated series.

Matches are expected to last between 45 and 180 minutes, depending on the number of players and their ruthlessness in the turf war. While no video game adaptation is confirmed, Upper Deck aims to make this a definitive experience for fans of the legendary series.