The rumors have persisted since last year, when LEGO Star Wars developers, Traveller's Tales hinted that they might be giving another big license the LEGO treatment. At the time, there was already buzz that it might be none other than DC Comics' Batman. Yesterday, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment made it official, announcing the development of LEGO Batman: The Videogame.

"Batman spans several generations as one of the most popular DC Super Heroes, and LEGO Batman will appeal to several generations of gamers who grew up idolizing the Dark Knight and playing with LEGO toys," said Samantha Ryan, Senior Vice President, Development and Production, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. "Working with TT Games, we are confident they will continue their LEGO games' success with this title, and we will expand our publishing endeavors with the introduction of the LEGO Batman franchise."

In LEGO Batman: The Videogame, TT Games brings the world of DC Comics' Caped Crusader to life in an entirely new way. Players will be able to explore a richly interactive LEGO Gotham City as both Batman and Robin, capturing infamous villains from the Dark Knight's gallery of rogues, even taking control of the bad guys themselves.

"We're sure our fans will be excited to know that we have the same fantastic team at Traveller's Tales responsible for LEGO Star Wars and LEGO Star Wars II working on LEGO Batman,'" said Tom Stone, Director of TT Games Publishing.

The LEGO Batman: The Videogame story unfolds with Batman's greatest foes escaping from Arkham Asylum and creating mayhem throughout Gotham City. Tracking criminals, including The Joker and The Penguin, players will utilize Batman's gadgets as well as build and operate fantastic vehicles in one or two player cooperative gameplay.

"There's a special magic to the LEGO incarnation of Batman that makes him accessible to a younger generation of his fans," said Paul Levitz, President, DC Comics. "We look forward to the videogame version extending this fantasy."

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and TT Games will bring LEGO Batman: The Videogame to current and next generation consoles, as well as PC sometime in 2008.