“Most likely Injustice 3”: After Mortal Kombat 1, NetherRealm’s Next AAA Game Doesn’t Have Much Faith Around It
A job listing from NetherRealm Studios has players hoping that the studio changes its monetization strategy while expecting a new Injustice title.
- NetherRealm Studios may be working on a potential new AAA title after Mortal Kombat 1's DLC is released.
- While fans hope to see Injustice 3, they are also pessimistic about its potential success.
- Monetizing key in-game items has long been a pain point for players, and NetherRealm will need a new approach in its next project.
NetherRealm Studios has made a name for itself with successful franchises like Mortal Kombat and Injustice under its belt. Its most recent outing, Mortal Kombat 1, made waves with its reimagining of the Mortal Kombat universe, which saw fan-favorite Liu Kang take over the reins from Raiden as Earthrealm’s main protector.
However, not all players have been happy with the new title and its predecessors from the studio on account of NetherRealm’s approach to monetizing items and collectibles in its games aside from other technical issues.
Could NetherRealm Continue the Injustice Story?
Despite an explosive new trailer for Mortal Kombat 1’s expansion Khaos Reigns, many fans of director Ed Boon’s previous titles are not as excited as they once were for a new game from NetherRealm. From complaints about Mortal Kombat 1’s newly implemented Kameo system marring its appearance at EVO 2024 to a poor response to its DLC characters, it seems that fans are not too enthusiastic about a new game from the studio.
While there has been no official announcement of a new game in the works over at NetherRealm, a recent job listing for an upcoming project from the studio has fans speculating about a potential sequel to Injustice 2, which was well-received by fans of DC Comics characters and spurred on by the success of the original Injustice.
A Series of Hurdles for Injustice 3
Taking to Reddit to speculate on what the new listing could mean for NetherRealm’s next project, many fans of its previous titles hope that the studio will be able to find a satisfactory solution to its current problem of monetizing in-game items such as character skins, upgrade materials, and progression power-ups, all of which have been pain points for players since Injustice 2’s 2017 release.
The post below showcases how frustrating NetherRealm’s paywalls have been for its players while highlighting potential challenges for a new addition to its Injustice franchise.
Some players believe that Injustice 3 would be a logical choice for the studio and for WB Games, considering that it would potentially generate a lot of revenue for both companies.
It would also make sense for NetherRealm and WB Games to release a sequel to Injustice 2 in order to establish continuity with the new reboot of DC’s cinematic ventures helmed by James Gunn.
However, considering Injustice 2’s canon ending and the darker tone it would take the franchise in, WB Games would have to navigate some tricky obstacles if it were to establish continuity with potential films from Gunn’s more optimistic take on DC characters – with Superman being a notable highlight.
However, it is NetherRealm and WB Games’ approach to monetization that is currently impacting their fans’ excitement about their new project.
While the studio could manage to overcome these hurdles and deliver an experience that changes the opinions of its disgruntled fans, it is evident that there is a lot of work to do if Injustice 3 is to achieve the success of its predecessors and win over players who have lost faith in NetherRealm.
