What we heard: When Warner Bros. released The Dark Knight to theaters in 2008, it did so without the seemingly requisite game tie-in, a move that analysts say cost EA $100 million. In kind, Eidos Interactive has said that it plans to launch Batman: Arkham Asylum this summer, meaning the game won't benefit from the hype surrounding a major theatrical release. 
Of course, being unattached to a summer blockbuster has its advantages, as Eidos now has some leeway when it comes to Batman: Arkham Asylum's release date. And, according to Game Informer, Eidos intends to exercise that flexibility.
The GameStop-owned magazine's online arm reports today that anonymous sources with knowledge of the game's happenings have confirmed that Eidos intends to push Batman: Arkham Asylum beyond the game's intended summer release window to the fourth quarter of 2009. Previously, the report notes, print advertising and retailer listings indicated the game would arrive for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and PC as early as June 23.
Game Informer offered no explanation as to why Eidos may have chosen to delay Batman: Arkham Asylum. However, Eidos is currently undergoing a period of significant upheaval, having just been subsumed by Square Enix in April. Therefore, it seems entirely possible that new management could be assessing the game's suitability for release or would prefer to release the anticipated title during the highly lucrative holiday quarter.
However, it also bears mentioning that Eidos has begun ramping up its marketing efforts as if the game were still on target for a June release. In mid-April, the publisher took the lid off of Batman: Arkham Asylum's collector's edition. The following week, Eidos announced that the PS3 edition of the game would receive an exclusive playable Joker, to be used in the game's challenge modes.
The official story: [UPDATE] Shortly following this article's publication, Eidos and Warner Bros. Interactive confirmed that Batman: Arkham Asylum has indeed been pushed back from its previously announced release date. "Eidos Interactive and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment can today confirm that Batman: Arkham Asylum will be released at the end of summer 2009," the publishers said. "This additional time will allow us to ensure Batman: Arkham Asylum is of the highest quality for gamers."
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