For over 15 years, NetherRealm Studios has filled the modern fighting game genre with numerous Mortal Kombat games. 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 uphold Mortal Kombat’s distinct fighting styles and storytelling through the seventh, eighth, and ninth console generations.
NetherRealm even adapted Mortal Kombat’s unique 2D combat into the DC universe with the multimedia series Injustice. While it’s been over eight years since Injustice 2 first debuted, fans of the Superman dictatorial universe may still be able to predict when Injustice 3 could be announced based on prior game reveals in the series, as well as one recent nod to the franchise from WB itself.
Injustice 3 Newcomers Wish List
Injustice 3's character roster will arguably be its most important elements, so it's crucial that NetherRealm strike a good balance.
A History of Injustice Game Announcements and Releases
Following the release of 2008’s Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe and 2011’s Mortal 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 the Injustice universe to provide a narrative that would push Batman and Superman at odds away from the mainline DC continuity.
Injustice would still use the previous games’ Unreal Engine 3 and be a bit limited by a required T-rating, but these developments ultimately culminated in NetherRealm and Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment first announcing Injustice: Gods Among Us in late May 2012.
While Injustice 1 went 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’s Mortal Kombat X. Using feedback and data from players of both Injustice 1 and Mortal Kombat X, NetherRealm sought to make Injustice 2 feature the most balanced and innovative fighting system yet, headlined by the new customizable Gear System.
This ultimately culminated in Injustice 2’s official announcement in early June 2016, with the game releasing to eighth-generation platforms about a year later in May 2017. Similar to Injustice 1, NetherRealm later released a Legendary Edition of Injustice 2 containing all DLC in March 2018.
Injustice’s Mobile, Arcade, and Comic Book Releases
Beyond Injustice 1 and 2’s console and PC releases, both games were further released on mobile devices, with Injustice 1’s mobile app debuting in April 2013 and Injustice 2’s mobile app debuting in May 2017. Injustice 1 additionally had its mobile version ported to arcade cabinets in October 2017. In between each Injustice game release, DC Comics published several tie-in comic book series detailing the events prior to both games’ campaigns.
Injustice 1’s initial comic series was first announced in 2012, first published in 2013, and continued until 2016. A sequel series adapting and expanding upon Injustice 1’s campaign called Injustice: Ground Zero was later published from 2016 to 2017. Injustice 2’s comic series was first announced in 2016, first published in 2017, and continued through 2018.
Injustice 3 Villain Wish List
Injustice 3 seems almost inevitable at this point, and it might be time to give Regime Superman a rest and try out some other main villains.
When Fans Could Expect An Injustice 3 Announcement
After Injustice 2, NetherRealm released a follow-up to Mortal Kombat X with 2019’s Mortal 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 between Mortal Kombat and Injustice games. This suggested that NetherRealm’s next major game would be Injustice 3, but many gamers were shocked when NetherRealm announced that their next game would be a Mortal Kombat game, officially announced as Mortal Kombat 1 in May 2023.
Due to this development, there has been little to no game activity surrounding Injustice since 2018, save for the occasional Injustice 3 tease or reference from Boon on X, formerly known as Twitter. Instead, most Injustice content has come from DC themselves, such as the 2021 Injustice animated movie.
Of course, any speculation about a hypothetical Injustice 3 or its reveal window should be taken with a grain of salt until official news is ever shared.
While Mortal Kombat 1 and its Khaos Reigns expansion have 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 for Injustice 3 to 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 the immediate release of Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition, a digital version of Mortal Kombat 1 that contains all DLC, including skins based on characters from the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2 film. Plus, not long after, WB's official social media had posted about Injustice 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 the Definitive Edition could indicate the end of Mortal Kombat 1’s post-launch content and the impending announcement of NetherRealm’s next major project, possibly the next Injustice game or Mortal Kombat 2. If this turns out to be true, players could potentially expect an announcement of Injustice 3 or Mortal Kombat 2 either as early as spring 2026 or as late as 2028, based on previous Injustice and Mortal Kombat announcements. From there, Injustice 3 or Mortal Kombat 2 may be released as early as 2027 or as late as fall 2028 or 2029, given how Injustice games were previously released a year after their announcement and how Mortal Kombat 1 was released a few months after its announcement.
NetherRealm Studios has released six mainline Mortal Kombat and two Injustice games, including 2011’s Mortal Kombat, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Mortal Kombat X, Injustice 2, Mortal Kombat 11, and Mortal Kombat 1.
Injustice 2
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
- Released
- May 11, 2017
- ESRB
- T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
- Developer(s)
- NetherRealm Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Bros. Games
- Engine
- unreal engine 3, unreal engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Franchise
- Injustice
