Injustice 3 looks like it's finally happening after a 9-year wait

After nearly a decade away from the DC Comics fighting scene, NetherRealm Studios looks to be gearing up for Injustice 3, according to reporting from PC Gamer. The original Injustice: Gods Among Us launched back in 2013, with its sequel dropping in 2017 - but since then, the studio has kept its focus squarely on the Mortal Kombat franchise with MK11 and Mortal Kombat 1.

For fans of the superhero brawler series, the wait has been genuinely painful. While NetherRealm kept busy refining its signature brutality in the MK space, the Injustice community has been running on hope and roster speculation for years. Two full Mortal Kombat entries is a long time to sit on a dormant franchise with that much potential.

What we know so far

Details remain sparse at this stage, but the indicators pointing toward Injustice 3 being in active development are significant enough that PC Gamer flagged the story as worth reporting. NetherRealm has built a reputation for alternating between its two major fighting IP, and with Mortal Kombat 1 having had time to mature post-launch, the timing lines up with that pattern.

The DC fighting game space has largely been uncontested since Injustice 2. That game was widely praised for its deep gear system and story mode - both areas where NetherRealm consistently punches above the genre average. A third entry would have serious expectations to meet on both fronts.

Why this matters

NetherRealm occupies a unique position in the fighting game landscape. Its titles consistently bring in mainstream audiences who wouldn't otherwise touch a fighting game, largely on the strength of licensed characters and story presentation. Injustice 3 would put iconic DC characters back in the hands of a studio that genuinely knows how to make them feel weighty and cinematic in a competitive format.

The DC gaming landscape has also shifted considerably since Injustice 2 - Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League came and went as a cautionary tale, and Rocksteady's reputation took a hit. A well-executed Injustice 3 could do real work in rehabilitating DC's gaming presence at a time when the brand could use a win.

No official announcement has been made by NetherRealm or Warner Bros. Games. Keep it locked for updates as this one develops.