I went back to Batman: Arkham Knight's Season of Infamy in 2026 expecting a clean four-mission victory lap. Instead, the Most Wanted menu reminded me that this DLC is a gated story, not a buffet. On the v1.6.2.0 build, Wonderland, Beneath the Surface, Shadow War, and In From the Cold do not simply wait for you to pick a villain and go. They open at 26%, 34%, and 60% story completion, and that changes the route. If you hit Mr. Freeze early, you are not sequence-breaking; you are just locked out until the Cloudburst flag flips. Trust me, I tested that wall so you do not have to.

The Gate Map I Wish I Had at the Start

Here is the rub: the Most Wanted wheel looks like a free-choice menu, but the story gates enforce order. Wonderland opens at 26% after the first GCPD visit. Beneath the Surface and Shadow War open at 34% after meeting Simon Stagg. In From the Cold opens at 60% after the Cloudburst. Treat 34% as a two-mission checkpoint. Croc and Ra's can be interleaved, but they should not be rushed.

My clean route is Mad Hatter first, Killer Croc mid-game, Ra's al Ghul when combat is sharp, and Mr. Freeze last for the emotional send-off. That order keeps the DLC Most Wanted flow readable and avoids wasting late-game Batmobile upgrades on early missions. Completionists chasing the V7.43 Gold Logo need a route, not a blind first-hour sweep.

Wonderland and Beneath the Surface: Warm-Ups With Teeth

Mad Hatter's pop-up book arena is short, but it is not free. Multi-Ground Takedowns and edge awareness matter more than raw damage. Falling off the edge resets the wave, so Freeflow discipline is the real boss. Keep the combo meter alive and clear spawn clusters before chasing single thugs. One edge fall can undo a clean wave, and that is the kind of mistake I make when I get cocky.

Killer Croc's airship is a different kind of warm-up. It uses Remote Electrical Charge navigation and a Nightwing Dual Play boss fight. Normal strikes fail, so build combo and trigger Dual Team Takedowns. Use REC to stun Croc when he charges. I also keep a clean manual save before the boss room because the Beneath the Surface airship bug is the one DLC issue the community reports most often. If the sequence breaks, a clean reload is the fastest first troubleshooting step, and the WB Games Support Center is the fallback.

Shadow War and In From the Cold: Late-Game Skill Checks

Ra's al Ghul's ninjas counter counters, so Blade Dodge Takedown has to be instant. The Save Ra's vs. Destroy Life Support choice does not affect 240% completion; it is narrative closure, not checklist gain. Sharp combat timing matters more than gadget spam. Ninja waves punish late dodges, and I learned that the hard way. Pick your ending for the story you want, then move on.

Mr. Freeze is the hardest Season of Infamy mission, and I would not pretend otherwise. The freighter tank battle demands an upgraded Vulcan Gun and Energy Absorption. In the Nora rescue Predator room, Fear Multi-Takedown the snipers first. Veterans know In From the Cold is a late-game skill check, so save it for last and bring Batmobile upgrades. The 60% Cloudburst gate means early attempts are impossible, so do not burn time checking the freighter before the flag flips.

240% Completion and Bug Watch

The V7.43 Gold Logo requires 100% main story plus all Season of Infamy missions in both normal and New Game Plus. That means four missions twice, including the Freeze tank battle and Ra's ninja waves. The Shadow War choice remains cosmetic for completion; the checklist only cares that the mission resolves. I like that for narrative freedom, but it also means you should not agonize over the choice if you are only chasing the percentage.

On bugs, Beneath the Surface is still the mission I watch most closely. Keep a manual save before the boss room and avoid overwriting it with autosaves. On v1.6.2.0, a clean reload is still the fastest first troubleshooting step. No shame in playing it safe when a DLC sequence has a known reputation.

What I'd Pay in 2026

Standalone Season of Infamy typically runs $9.99 USD, but it is included in the Premium Edition and Arkham Collection. Before buying separately, check bundle listings and price history so you do not pay full standalone price when a bundle sale drops below the DLC cost. Bundle inclusions matter more than the sticker price. In 2026, that is still the smartest way to buy this content without overpaying.

Final Route

My final route is simple: Mad Hatter at 26%, Croc and Ra's around 34%, and Mr. Freeze at 60% or later. Do not rush the 34% checkpoint, do not test the 60% gate early, and keep a clean save before Croc's boss room. Season of Infamy is still a strong four-mission binge in 2026, but it rewards players who respect the gates. The villains are not going anywhere. The story flags are the real doormen.

For those who have yet to jump into the expansion, timing your purchase is just as crucial as timing your combat counters. Because the Season Pass and complete bundles regularly dip into steep discounts across seasonal sales, keeping an eye on store fluctuations ensures you never overpay for standalone expansions.

Utilizing tools like LootBar to track Steam price history & deals makes it straightforward to lock in digital keys or bundle discounts at their lowest historical prices. Once the complete edition is secured at the right value, you can focus entirely on the streets of Gotham without worrying about whether you got the best deal on your ticket in.

To verify the latest bundle contents, read recent player reviews, or add the expansion to your wishlist ahead of the next seasonal discount, visit the official Batman: Arkham Knight Steam Store Page. Keeping an eye on direct store promotions alongside trusted digital marketplaces like LootBar ensures you grab the complete Gotham experience without paying a penny more than necessary.