Summary
As Rocksteady begins to ramp up its advertising by sharing more information aboutSuicide Squad: Justice Leaguein the leadup to release, gamers are still discussing all the leaks that happened regarding the live service title. Alongside mentions of new ways to play like a horde mode, raids, and a 4v4v4v4 multiplayer experience in the vein ofGambit fromDestiny 2, several characters have leaked. While there are a few exciting additions lined up for the live service title, Deathstroke may be the most promising of all.
As is the case with any leak, everything should be taken with a grain of salt, as someone who leaked theSuicide Squad: Kill The Justice Leagueplot has mentioned that several things were either taken out of context or made up. However, when it comes to playable characters likeKill The Justice League’s mystery clown figure, Killer Frost, Killer Croc, and Deathstroke, the information comes directly from the code and makes their additions more believable. This makes it likely that Deathstroke will indeed come to the game, and if he does, he would make a great addition to the title.
Deathstroke’s Popularity Could Provide a Big Post-Launch Boost
Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice Leaguehas its four day-one characters locked down with Captain Boomerang, Harley Quinn, King Shark, and Deadshot, though Rocksteady has confirmed that more characters will be added post-launch. While an exact number has not been provided and likely depends on the success of the game, fans have theorized that each season ofKill The Justice Leaguewill add a character. Regardless of whether this theory proves true, it is hard to argue against the idea that Deathstroke would get more eyes on Rocksteady’s product.
Not only is Deathstroke a wildly popular character thanks to his many comic book appearances and roles in TV shows likeTeen Titans, but fans of the character have been hoping to see him get a big win in recent years. Despite Joe Manganiello being perfectly cast as Slade Wilson and having a terrific costume,the DCEUwas never able to give him a meaningful role. Additionally, Slade’s last Arkhamverse appearance was a disappointment, asBatman: Arkham Knightrelegated him to a Batmobile vehicle battle instead of another classic fight likeArkham Originsoffered. Deathstroke being more popular than characters like Killer Frost and Killer Croc means that he would be a great way to raise the game’s player count, and Slade being featured in the Rocksteady title would be mutually beneficial since he has had a rough few years.
Slade Wilson joining Task Force X also makes sense within the context ofthe Arkhamverse. This is because of the post credits scene fromBatman: Arkham Originsthat shows Amanda Waller offering him a position on the team, with Rocksteady able to say he accepted and was just doing other work for Waller during the main story.
Not only is Deathstroke a good “break glass in case of emergency button” for Rocksteady, as players would flock back to the game to use him, but he also suits the gameplay style of the title well. A master assassin and mercenary, Slade Wilson could use any of the guns that will feature in the title, while his swords could serve as a terrific melee weapon. He could lean into melee combat more than other characters, with combos having him chain melee attacks quickly for maximum damage. For traversal, he could wallclimb up buildings quickly likeGenji and Hanzo fromOverwatch 2, with Slade also using double jumps and parkour to get around. With clear melee and traversal options alongside a history of using guns, Deathstroke would feel natural withinKill The Justice League.
