For over 15 years, NetherRealm Studios has filled the modern fighting game genre with numerousMortal Kombatgames. Made up of several former Midway Games staff following the former developer’s filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and acquisition by Warner Bros, NetherRealm has continued to upholdMortal Kombat’s distinct fighting styles and storytelling through the seventh, eighth, and ninth console generations.
NetherRealm even adaptedMortal Kombat’s unique 2D combat into the DC universe with the multimedia seriesInjustice. While it’s been over eight years sinceInjustice 2first debuted, fans of the Superman dictatorial universe may still be able to predict whenInjustice 3could be announced based on prior game reveals in the series, as well as one recent nod to the franchise from WB itself.
A History of Injustice Game Announcements and Releases
Following the release of 2008’sMortal Kombat vs. DC Universeand 2011’sMortal Kombat, NetherRealm creative director Ed Boon sought to create a 2D fighting game set entirely in the DC universe with the bombastic feel of super-heroic and villainous escapades. Based on this concept and the innate allure of seeing iconic DC heroes and villains battling it out on screen, NetherRealm created theInjusticeuniverse to provide a narrative that would push Batman and Superman at odds away from the mainline DC continuity.
Injusticewould still use the previous games’ Unreal Engine 3and be a bit limited by a required T-rating, but these developments ultimately culminated in NetherRealm and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment first announcingInjustice: Gods Among Usin late May 2012.
WhileInjustice 1went on to release about a year later in April 2013, along with the game’s Ultimate Edition containing all DLC later that year, development on its sequel wouldn’t go into full effect until after the release of 2015’sMortal Kombat X. Using feedback and data from players of bothInjustice 1andMortal Kombat X, NetherRealm sought to makeInjustice 2feature the most balanced and innovative fighting system yet, headlined by the new customizable Gear System.
This ultimately culminated inInjustice 2’s official announcementin early June 2016, with the game releasing to eighth-generation platforms about a year later in May 2017. Similar toInjustice 1, NetherRealm later released a Legendary Edition ofInjustice 2containing all DLC in March 2018.
Injustice’s Mobile, Arcade, and Comic Book Releases
BeyondInjustice 1and2’s console and PC releases, both games were further released on mobile devices, withInjustice 1’s mobile app debuting in April 2013 andInjustice 2’s mobile app debuting in May 2017.Injustice 1additionally had its mobile version ported to arcade cabinets in October 2017. In between eachInjusticegame release, DC Comics published several tie-in comic book series detailing the events prior to both games’ campaigns.
Injustice 1’s initial comic serieswas first announced in 2012, first published in 2013, and continued until 2016. A sequel series adapting and expanding uponInjustice 1’s campaign calledInjustice: Ground Zerowas later published from 2016 to 2017.Injustice 2’s comic series was first announced in 2016, first published in 2017, and continued through 2018.
When Fans Could Expect An Injustice 3 Announcement
AfterInjustice 2, NetherRealm released a follow-up toMortal Kombat Xwith 2019’sMortal Kombat 11. For many NetherRealm fans,Mortal Kombat 11’s debut seemed to confirm a pattern of game releases for the fighting game developer, with NetherRealm alternating betweenMortal KombatandInjusticegames. This suggested that NetherRealm’s next major game would beInjustice 3,but many gamers were shocked when NetherRealm announced that their next game would be aMortal Kombatgame,officially announced asMortal Kombat 1in May 2023.
Due to this development, there has been little to no game activity surroundingInjusticesince 2018, save for the occasionalInjustice 3tease or reference from Boon on X, formerly known as Twitter. Instead, mostInjusticecontent has come from DC themselves, such as the 2021Injusticeanimated movie.
Of course, any speculation about a hypotheticalInjustice 3or its reveal window should be taken with a grain of salt until official news is ever shared.
WhileMortal Kombat 1and its Khaos Reigns expansionhave received primarily favorable reviews and have gone on to sell relatively well over their near two-year-long lifespan, many NetherRealm and DC fans are still hoping forInjustice 3to be announced soon. It’s currently unknown if NetherRealm has begun early development on their next major title, but recent developments may suggest that a new NetherRealm game may be announced soon.
On May 14, NetherRealm announced theimmediate release ofMortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition, a digital version ofMortal Kombat 1that contains all DLC, including skins based on characters from the upcomingMortal Kombat 2film. Plus, not long after, WB’s official social media had posted aboutInjustice 2, which could suggest that sights are already being set on the series once more.
A Potential Reveal and Release Window for Injustice 3
Following this announcement, many believe theDefinitive Editioncould indicate the end ofMortal Kombat 1’s post-launch content and the impending announcement of NetherRealm’s next major project, possibly the nextInjusticegame orMortal Kombat 2. If this turns out to be true, players could potentially expect anannouncement ofInjustice 3orMortal Kombat 2either as early as spring 2026 or as late as 2028, based on previousInjusticeandMortal Kombatannouncements. From there,Injustice 3orMortal Kombat 2may be released as early as 2027 or as late as fall 2028 or 2029, given howInjusticegames were previously released a year after their announcement and howMortal Kombat 1was released a few months after its announcement.
NetherRealm Studios has released six mainlineMortal Kombatand twoInjusticegames, including 2011’sMortal Kombat,Injustice: Gods Among Us,Mortal Kombat X,Injustice 2,Mortal Kombat 11, andMortal Kombat 1.
