Speaking to The Direct at San Diego Comic-Con, renowned game director Ed Boon offered fans some hope regarding the potential release of Injustice 3.
Developed by Boon's studio NetherRealm, the Mortal Kombat creator has ventured beyond his brutal fantasy universe in the last decade-plus, using his team's fighting game prowess to take a stab at the world of DC Comics.
The fruits of these efforts have been the Injustice titles, a pair of fighting games from the beloved studio released in 2013 and 2017. However, more than seven years after the last entry into the franchise, fans are clamoring for more.
Ed Boon Offers A Potential Injustice 3 Update
In an exclusive interview with The Direct at San Diego Comic-Con, Mortal Kombat and Injustice creator Ed Boon shared an update on where he thinks the prospects of an Injustice 3 release stand.
The renowned fighting game developer said that he and the team at NetherRealm Studios "love Injustice" and "[he] would be surprised if [the studio] never did one again:"
"Well, we love the 'Injustice' games. You know, I would be surprised if we never did one again. We do not have anything to announce at the moment as right now we are in 'Mortal Kombat' mode."
Addressing whether the studio had been actively thinking about what a potential third game in the super-powered fighting game franchise would look like, Boon revealed "We are always kind of throwing around ideas" for what could be "cool for the next game:"
"Oh yeah! We are always kind of throwing around ideas and thinking about what we could do and what would be cool for the next games."
As Boon mentioned in his comments, Injustice 3 remains unannounced and has not been officially confirmed in any capacity.
However, it is exciting to know just how optimistic the video game legend is about the future of the franchise.
The Mortal Kombat creative, who was attending the event promoting Mortal Kombat 1's Khaos Reigns expansion, also addressed how long he can see himself working in the world of fighting games.
The 60-year-old video game creative said, "As long as it's still fun to do," positing that if "the fans [are] happy with the games [they are] going to keep doing them:"
"I guess as long as it's still fun to do. That's probably going to dictate that. Because it's a lot of work, it's a real lot of work. Hundreds of people work. As long as we're kind of keeping the fans happy with the games that we're making we're going to keep doing them."
Will There Be an Injustice 3?
According to comments from reliable gaming insider Jeff Grubb from before the announcement of Mortal Kombat 1 (which was referred to as Mortal Kombat 12 by fans before release), NetherRealm's next project was set to be the aforementioned Mortal Kombat game and not Injustice 3:
"'Mortal Kombat 12' would make the most sense because that’s a game they know will make money, it’ll sell well. That’s what I’ve heard is happening… it lines up with the reality and it lines up with what I’ve heard."
Now that Mortal Kombat 1 is out and well into its post-release content plan, that means the studio may slowly start ramping up into development on whatever will come next. And there is a pretty good case to be made that it could be Injustice 3.
Boon himself posted on X (formerly Twitter) in September 2022 that the studios had "more than one pot on the stove," hinting that whatever came after the game they were developing at the time (Mortal Kombat 1) could have been being worked on at the same time:
"Good, but we’ve got more than one pot on the stove."
This all comes following a supposed leak of a third Injustice games roster back in 2021; however, the authenticity of that roster has never been confirmed.
While it is unknown if this other "pot" Boon referred to is, in fact, Injustice 3, it seems like a pretty good chance that it could be.
Since its inception in 2010, NetherRealm has developed console titles in two franchises exclusively, Mortal Kombat and Injustice.
So, unless the team is getting ready to unveil a wholly new IP to the world with their next title, it would make sense that that other game is Injustice.
Mortal Kombat 1 is now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
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