NetherRealm Studios' chief Ed Boon has confirmed that another Mortal Kombat game is in development, even as rumors persist that Injustice 3 is the studio's next project. The fighting game developer is widely expected to announce Injustice 3, the next installment in its DC-based fighting series. In September 2024, while promoting the theatrical release of Mortal Kombat 2, Boon revealed that the studio had settled on its next game as early as 2021. At that time, he stated NetherRealm was "still fully committed to supporting Mortal Kombat 1 for a long time to come." However, just eight months later, Warner Bros. Games confirmed no further DLC characters or story chapters for Mortal Kombat 1, a decision that drew significant backlash from the community. Since then, NetherRealm has been largely silent about its future plans. But in a recent interview with Collider, Boon offered a tease: "We're definitely pursuing another Mortal Kombat game, and we're definitely doing more, as well. There are a lot of irons in the fire, not just with games but also with other forms of media. So, we’ve got a lot of great announcements coming." This confirmation follows Mortal Kombat 1's sales of 8 million copies in 2023, just over half of Mortal Kombat 11's 15 million total as of 2022. It's likely that this new Mortal Kombat game will follow Injustice 3. The first Injustice game, Injustice: Gods Among Us, launched in 2013, with Injustice 2 releasing in 2017. NetherRealm released Mortal Kombat 11 in 2019 and seemed to alternate between franchises, but instead released the soft reboot Mortal Kombat 1 in 2023. A new Injustice is overdue, possibly launching this year or next. For Mortal Kombat fans, the big question is how NetherRealm will innovate after the divisive Mortal Kombat 1. Will it retain the Kameo Fighters mechanic introduced in that game, or move on? Will it continue the story from Mortal Kombat 1 or reboot again? And will the next game be called Mortal Kombat 2, adding to the series' already confusing numbering?
