With the future of property owner WB Games in question, NetherRealm is reportedly focusing its efforts on developing the next new content for 2019’s Mortal Kombat 11 in mid-July, opening up a surge of speculation about what the powerhouse fighting game studio’s next big project will be.
One of the more popular guesses is Injustice 3, as fans of NetherRealm’s dark take on the lore of DC Comics haven’t been treated to a proper sequel since 2017’s Injustice 2. Indeed, when NetherRealm announced that it was ending for MK 11, MCU characters and more obscure heroes and villains from the House Of Ideas.
However, it seems like neither of these could be NetherRealm’s next fighting game. According to VGC, journalist Jeff Grubb brought up the likelihood that NetherRealm is looking to produce Mortal Kombat 12 rather than any new DC or Marvel game. In a recent Giant Bomb YouTube video, Grubb cites the massive success of Mortal Kombat 11 as a reason for NetherRealm to go back to the well, in addition to the uncertain future of WB Games, which owns the license to iconic DC characters like Batman and Superman and could be split off from the rest of Warner Bros - which in turn could complicate the development of a hypothetical Injustice 3.
Watch Jeff Grubb's discussion of NetherRealm's next fighting game on YouTube here.
In the wake of AT&T’s landmark purchase of Warner Bros back in 2018, rumors and speculation about the technology conglomerate selling WB’s gaming division have been appearing off and on over the past few years - with publishers like NetherRealm would remain with WB Games for the time being.
Still, there is much uncertainty regarding the future of WB Games and NetherRealm’s placement within it, so it makes sense for NetherRealm to steer clear of any licensed properties they could lose access to in the coming years like DC. Meanwhile, Mortal Kombat 11 was a massive commercial and critical success in the years since its launch, and its ending in last year’s Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath DLC opened the door to some new and interesting directions that NetherRealm could take Mortal Kombat 12 in - even if comic book fans will have to wait for the next Injustice in the meantime.
Source: VGC, Giant Bomb/YouTube
