Since the recent conclusion of live-service content updates for Mortal Kombat 11, fans have speculated about which game NetherRealm Studios will be working on next. Ed Boon, NetherRealm's Creative Director, offered mild teases toward a bold Marvel vs DC title in different interviews. However, Boon's statements were in regard to a game he would like to work on at some point, and were not indicative of an actual game that is in development.
Rather, the more likely route that NetherRealm may be set to take would be a third installment in the Injustice franchise. The WarnerMedia Merger recently placed NetherRealm's future with the publisher in jeopardy, and an insider has shared their thoughts on what NetherRealm potentially being sold could mean for its next game. Of course, as is such with any speculative rumors or insight, there have been no official announcements to verify these rumors.
Giant Bomb's Jeff Grubb has recently shared insider thoughts on which IP he believes NetherRealm might be moving forward with next. Grubb believes that a twelfth Mortal Kombat installment will be NetherRealm's priority due to the questionable entanglement of Warner Bros., NetherRealm's parent company. Recent reports have shown that NetherRealm may be sold from Warner Bros., so these comments certainly make sense. Further, Grubb suggests that DC comics characters could produce licensing issues thereafter if they were to separate, and choosing instead to focus on another Mortal Kombat entry could mitigate that risk.
But aside from legal complications, Grubb also states that Mortal Kombat 11 sold well for the developer and was hugely successful. This seemingly suggests that NetherRealm would want to develop the next installment sooner in order to further capitalize off of the franchise's modern popularity. NetherRealm's unclear future demonstrates that an interesting gameplan for the developer could influence which game is concentrated upon.
That said, the argument for an Injustice 3 game will likely continue to be made by fans. Many have wishlisted potential Injustice 3 characters that they would like to see make appearances, and the conclusion of Injustice 2 certainly alludes to a proper sequel that NetherRealm could choose to flesh out. NetherRealm's release schedule for its games have transitioned back-and-forth between Mortal Kombat and Injustice since the first Injustice installment in 2013, so it would be unsurprising to some if that was indeed their next planned release.
Grubb admits that their speculation is not "for sure," but that it would be a logical move that his insider sources support. Grubb's suggested outcome could potentially take place, but fans would be wise to wait until a legitimate statement about NetherRealm's next game comes out.
Mortal Kombat 11 is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Stadia, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.