Gotham Knights developer responds to Barbara Gordon criticism Eurogamer.net If you click on a link and make a purchase we may receive a small commission. Read our editorial policy. Gotham Knights developer responds to Barbara Gordon criticism Biography updated, and working with AbleGamers. News by Victoria Kennedy News reporter Published on 27 May 2022 47 comments Gotham Knights' development team has addressed the recent criticism surrounding its depiction of Barbara Gordon. During a recent Q&A, fans asked more about the development of Barbara, aka Batgirl. This was following a backlash to her character's biography on the game's website, which described her as training to "recover from her wounds" so that she could "return to active duty as Batgirl". In the comic books, Barbara Gordon is shot in the spine by Joker, leading to her using a wheelchair. While she may not have the exact same backstory in Gotham Knights, Warner Bros. previously stated Barbara was in a wheelchair following a "face-off". Watch on YouTube Gotham Knights' Nightwing and Red Hood gameplay demo. Some fans criticised Warner Bros. for this description, saying it was a misused trope to have a character 'overcome' their disability through heroic training and gritty determination. However, it does seem the developers have taken this feedback on board, as creative director Patrick Redding revealed the team has "worked with the awesome folks at AbleGamers to learn about different types of spinal injuries and the potential for someone to regain mobility." Redding went on to acknowledge the aforementioned criticism of Barbara's character description, and said the team had now changed some of its wording in her description in response to the feedback. "As with many of our characters and plot elements, the circumstances around Barbara's injuries differ in some important ways from how it's been portrayed in the comics," he stated. "Barbara has been through multiple surgeries followed by a lot of physical therapy and pain management [in Gotham Knights]." Her ongoing rehabilitation will be witnessed throughout the game, and players will see Barbara doing various exercises and stretches in the Belfry. In addition to these exercises, Redding revealed her clothing (both her off-duty attire and her Batgirl suit) will have "back bracing integrated" into it. Elsewhere in the Q&A, the developers gave more insight into the designs of Nightwing's glider and Red Hood's mystic leap. Gotham Knights is due to release on 25th October for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. For full details on the various editions available to preorder, check out our breakdown here. Become a Eurogamer subscriber and get your first month for £1 Get your first month for £1 (normally £3.99) when you buy a Standard Eurogamer subscription. Enjoy ad-free browsing, merch discounts, our monthly letter from the editor, and show your support with a supporter-exclusive comment flair! Support us View supporter archive More News Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Overwatch 2 suffers another DDoS attack and character roster bugs Mei Mei. 7 Nintendo Switch firmware update lets you take screenshots in the Switch Online app The app on your console, not your phone. 7 Latest Articles Atari will hold RollerCoaster Tycoon rights for another decade Ups and downs. 7 Jelly Deals Logitech's G Pro X gaming headset is its lowest-ever price during Amazon's Early Access sale Prime Members can get it for just £52. Jelly Deals Save over £500 off the retail price on this beefy ASUS TUF Dash gaming laptop from Amazon Under £1080 for an RTX 3070 laptop. Lady Dimitrescu will be a tad smaller in Resident Evil Village's Mercenaries DLC Level the playing field. 1 Supporters Only Premium only Off Topic: Take a minute to appreciate Cookin' with Coolio's incredible scallops recipe. What a great book. Premium only Off Topic: Reading City of Glass in comic form "Where exactly am I going?" Premium only Off Topic: Il Buco is a transporting film about a really big hole Underlands. Off-Topic Netflix handled Sandman brilliantly It was Dreamy. 9 Buy things with globes on them And other lovely Eurogamer merch in our official store! Explore our store