Rocksteady Studios’ in-development Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League continues to face criticism from some gamers after an underwhelming gameplay trailer showed the title straying far from the developer’s Arkham roots. That means NetherRealm Studios has the opportunity to reaffirm its role as the preeminent provider of superheroes-gone-bad stories with Injustice 3. By continuing the series’ trademark blend of brutal combat and multiversal superhero storytelling, Injustice 3 could not only serve as a worthy threequel but also stand out as a solid single-player alternative to the live-service gameplay of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League.
With Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League potentially being delayed until 2024 or later, now would be the perfect time for NetherRealm to revive its acclaimed DC fighting franchise. While the series’ first two entries have already done a great job of exploring what can happen when some of Earth’s most powerful defenders turn to treachery, there are still numerous options for expanding on that premise with a third entry. Both of Injustice 2’s endings already provide a stepping stone to taking the series’ evil superhero storylines to new heights.
Injustice 2's Endings Provide the Perfect Setup for Even More Corrupted Heroes
While NetherRealm Studios has yet to confirm that Injustice 3 is in development at all, the studio set itself up to continue the franchise’s exploration of corrupted superheroes with both of the available endings for Injustice 2. The simplest way for Injustice 3 to ramp up its evil Justice League concept would be to continue the storyline in which a triumphant Superman reforms the villainous Regime and sets out to take control of the multiverse. This universe-hopping storyline could introduce groups from the comics like the Crime Syndicate of America, an evil alternate version of the JLA, that could help or hinder Superman’s plans.
The alternate ending for Injustice 2, which sees Superman and his allies imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, could also provide a way for the corrupted Kryptonian to become a bigger threat than ever. With the Phantom Zone holding an ever-changing roster of inmates over the years across different stories, an escaped Superman could bring back a rogue’s gallery consisting of everyone from Bizarro to General Zod for Injustice 3. A third Injustice game wouldn’t necessarily have to continue down either of these paths, though, and could instead draw on DC Comics’ history to establish a new threat.
DC’s Supernatural Side Could Be a Catalyst for Injustice 3
Another way that Injustice 3 could expand the franchise is by abandoning the evil Superman trope altogether and establishing a wholly new threat for the heroes. With technology-based villain Brainiac having already served as the primary antagonist in Injustice 2, a third entry in the franchise could switch gears by pulling from the pages of DC Comics and introducing powerful supernatural threats to the world of Injustice.
DC Comics has a long roster of supernatural characters that could make for perfect additions to Injustice 3. Rather than being corrupted by the lure of power or advanced technology as in previous games, Injustice 3 could see heroes falling under the sway of evil demonic entities like Trigon. This could allow for the introduction of powerful supernatural heroes like Etrigan the Demon or the chain-smoking Hellblazer John Constantine.
Although the future of the Injustice series is still up in the air, it's clear that NetherRealm Studios has multiple options regarding how to proceed for a potential Injustice 3. With many fans likely to be looking for an alternate source of evil superheroes in the coming years -- barring some drastic changes to Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League -- it could be the perfect time for the Injustice series to cement its place at the top.
Injustice 3 is rumored to be in development.