With the recent release of the Mortal Kombat 1 DLC Khaos Reigns, numerous rumors have popped up suggesting that NetherRealm Studios will be the next Injustice game. While those rumors haven’t been confirmed, NetherRealm’s Chief Creative Officer Ed Boon did confirm that the studios knew what their next game was going to be three years ago. The third mainline Injustice game may still be years away from release, if it is in development, but NetherRealm should consider implementing an overused concept from other games of late. Injustice 3 should feature DC Comics’ expansive multiverse.

DC Comics’ Injustice Universe Explained

First created in 2013 with the release of Injustice: Gods Among Us, the Injustice universe is set on Earth 49 of the DC multiverse. For the majority of this universe’s history, similar events occurred in Earth Prime’s history until the Joker decided to target Superman one day. Here, the Joker killed Jimmy Olsen, kidnapped a pregnant Lois Lane, and stole a nuclear bomb with the intent of blowing up Metropolis. Superman raced to save Lois but came face to face with what appeared to be the invincible monster Doomsday. However, Doomsday was actually Lois made to appear as the monster by Scarecrow’s fear toxin. In an instant, Lois and her unborn child died, triggering the bomb in Metropolis to explode.

Enraged, Superman flew to the Joker and killed him, beginning the Man of Steel’s descent into madness and tyranny which would pit Earth’s greatest heroes and villains against each other for over five years. Injustice 1 sees the Justice League of Prime Earth travel to Earth 49 to aid Injustice Batman in taking down Superman and his imperial regime. Years later, in 2017’s Injustice 2, remnants of Superman’s regime led by Black Adam and Wonder Woman attempt to break the Last Son of Krypton out of prison just as the alien conqueror Brainiac invades, forcing Batman and Superman to briefly join forces.

The Potential Role of the Multiverse in Injustice 3

Injustice 2 ends with two possible endings: one where Superman takes control and lobotomizes Batman and another where Superman is sent to the Phantom Zone while Supergirl joins Batman. Based on how Mortal Kombat 11’s Aftermath DLC similarly ended with two possible endings, NetherRealm could craft Injustice 3’s narrative similar to Mortal Kombat 1’s. Earth 49 could have been split into two universes after Brainiac’s defeat, with Batman’s ending being the main universe for Injustice until Superman invades from the alternate Injustice universe bent on conquering the entire multiverse. Superman’s Injustice 2 Battle Simulator ending depicts Kal-El using Brainiac’s ship to recruit armies from miniaturized cities and create a new Legion dedicated to conquering the multiverse.

NetherRealm could also go a different route with the multiverse in Injustice 3 by having the Injustice universe be recruited to help defeat a multiversal threat. Many Injustice fans have theorized that the next antagonist for Injustice 3 could be the Anti-Monitor, responsible for the initial destruction of the multiverse in Crisis on Infinite Earths, or Darkseid, the ruler of Apokolips. Darkseid as Injustice 3’s antagonist could potentially tie into both Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe and Mortal Kombat 11 as both feature or refer to Dark Kahn, the merged being of Darkseid and Shao Kahn. Having Brainiac powered Superman, Darkseid, or the Anti-Monitor could all lead to Injustice 3 featuring several new fighters from DC’s multiverse.

Possible New Fighters in Injustice 3

Both Injustice 1 and 2 featured several classic heroes and villains from DC Comics’, but none of them came from alternate universes, besides Injustice 2’s Green Arrow. Various cosmetics of alternate heroes can be unlocked or purchased in both games, such as a Red Son Superman skin, but Injustice has yet to feature a truly unique fighter from an alternate universe. Injustice 3 could introduce several fan-favorite alternate characters, such as Earth 3’s Owlman, Earth 12’s Batman Beyond, Earth -22’s Batman Who Laughs, Earth M’s Static Shock, Earth 55’s Green Canary, Earth 118’s Deathstroke, Earth 2’s Red Tornado, and more. All of these fighters could play unique roles in Injustice 3 and introduce new players to lesser-known worlds within the DC multiverse.

Tom Taylor, the primary writer for both Injustice: Gods Among Us and Injustice 2’s comics, also wrote the comics of Earth 55’s DCeased and Earth 118’s Dark Knights of Steel.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
Injustice 2 Tag Page Cover Art
9 /10

Injustice 2
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Fighting
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Systems
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Top Critic Avg: 87 /100 Critics Rec: 97%
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Released
May 11, 2017
ESRB
T for Teen: Alcohol Reference, Blood, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
Developer(s)
NetherRealm Studios
Publisher(s)
Warner Bros. Games
Engine
unreal engine 3, unreal engine 4
Multiplayer
Online Multiplayer
Franchise
Injustice
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WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
PHYSICAL
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Power up and build the ultimate version of your favourite DC legends in INJUSTICE 2.

EVERY BATTLE DEFINES YOU: With every match you'll earn gear to equip, customise and evolve your roster.

A NEW THREAT RISES: Picking up where Injustice left off, Batman struggles against Superman's regime, as a new threat appears that will put Earth's very existence at risk.

THE BEST OF DC: Choose from the biggest DC Universe roster ever and battle across iconic locations in epic-scale battles.

BUILT BY NETHERREALM: Developers of the best-selling and critically acclaimed MORTAL KOMBAT franchise.

Platform(s)
PS4, Xbox One, PC, Android, iOS
Genre(s)
Fighting
How Long To Beat
10 Hours
X|S Optimized
No
File Size Xbox Series
33 GB (November 2023)
OpenCritic Rating
Mighty
Injustice 2