While NetherRealm Studios is usually known for its work on the Mortal Kombat series (including the most recent Mortal Kombat 11), it’s also carved out another impressive fighting saga with the Injustice games. The original, Injustice: Gods Among Us, was a big hit when it came out in 2013. Four years later, Injustice 2 followed, featuring a more expansive DC universe to fight through, along with a downloadable roster that included Hellboy, the Atom and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
So, with 2021 just around the corner, we’ve begun to wonder about a third chapter in the series. NetherRealm hasn’t confirmed anything as yet, as it’s still riding high on the success of its newest Mortal Kombat 11 expansion, Aftermath. But pretty soon, it’s bound to switch gears back to the DC universe, particularly with WB’s interest in working alongside the comic brand.
But what are the surest signs that we’ll see a third Injustice game for next-gen consoles? Let’s take a look at all the factors involved.
It’s a Popular Series With a Terrific Storyline
Though final sales for the sequel haven’t been tallied just yet, Injustice 2 saw huge reception upon release. Within the first three months of its debut, 1.5 million copies already went out the door. And with the various DLC characters introduced to the game, not to mention its debut on the EVO fighting circuit – it continued to thrive. is What’s more, Injustice 2 is a bit easier for general audiences to accept than is Mortal Kombat 11. Though it does have some brutal finishing moves, the game doesn’t have nearly the same level of carnage as MK. It’s storyline stands apart, particularly with Superman’s involvement with Brainiac, which continues with his particular ending of the game. That could very well lead to bigger things with Injustice 3.
Told from Supes’ point of view, Batman could find a way back from Brainiac’s technology and ask the Justice League to assist him with stopping the Man of Steel once and for all. But on Batman’s side of things, they could totally be ready for whatever Supes has in store when it comes to rebuilding the regime. There are lots of building blocks in place when it comes to the foundation of Injustice 3. And the new technology implemented in the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X could easily make it the best-looking entry to date.
It Could Pave the Way For Bigger DC Games To Come
With WB staying a bit mum on what its plans are for next-gen, it’d be interesting to see if Injustice 3 is just one of many DC Comics-licensed games in the works. Remember, we haven’t heard just what Rocksteady Studios, the team behind the Batman Arkham series, are up to just yet. There’s been talk about them working on everything from a Superman title, to a Suicide Squad adventure to something revolving around the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. But they haven’t gave a peep yet, so your guess is as good as ours. For that matter, there’s also WB Montreal to consider. Years ago, the studio produced the awesome Batman: Arkham Origins; and for months, it’s been teasing a new game based around the Court of Owls comic story. Nothing’s surfaced just yet, and perhaps we could’ve seen something this summer during E3, with its abrupt cancellation. It’s hard to tell just what these devs are working on, but WB is winding up with something big. The real question is when we’ll see it – and if Injustice 3 will kick off the tidal wave.
There’s Room For Even More Appealing DLC
With Injustice 3, there’s possibilities galore when it comes to introducing downloadable characters into the fold. Honestly, did Injustice 2 owners expect to see Hellboy, Raiden and the Ninja Turtles show up on the roster? We didn’t; and they were nice surprises. So what does that leave for Injustice 3? A number of possibilities. For instance, Lobo, a big star from the original Gods Among Us DLC pack, could come back; and there’s Zatanna as well. But there could also be new faces that appear. For example, Ash from the Evil Dead series has been teased for ages – and he could make quite the combatant against Batman. We’ll tell you what. MK11 managed to introduce some great characters, like Spawn, The Terminator T-800 and Robocop. That should say something about how deep the lore of Injustice could go. And there’s room aplenty.
Behind-the-Scenes Moves
Last but not least, there are two big behind-the-scenes moves that indicate that Injustice could pick up steam again.
The first comes with Injustice: Gods Among Us Ultimate Edition being given away for free. That’s right, you can get this special version right now for FREE on Steam and PlayStation 4. The original Xbox 360 version, backward compatible on Xbox One, is also on the house. This is only for a limited time, so grab it QUICK.
There’s one other thing, NetherRealm appears to be ramping up for something big. We know this, because of a recent return of John Tobias, who originally worked with Ed Boon on the earlier Mortal Kombat games. He recently updated his Linkedin to indicate that he’s now creative director for WB Games San Diego. Could these two be working together again to make their best fighting game yet? Of course, this is all speculation, as NetherRealm hasn’t said a word about Injustice 3 yet. But there’s definitely a possibility there; and we are nearly upon the four-year anniversary when Injustice 2 came out. Guess we’ll need to see what’s in store for Supes and company.
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