While NetherRealm Studio continues to create and release content forMortal Kombat 1, many fans have begun to wonder about the state ofInjustice 3. A third game in the DC fighting game franchise has yet to be confirmed, but Ed Boon has stated it isn’t off the table. Given the popularity of the previous Injustice games — and the current state of the DC gaming landscape — it’s improbable that either NetherRealm or Warner Brothers would give up on the series. However, Boon has made it clear that theongoing support forMortal Kombat 1is the studio’s top priority.
When — or if — NetherRealm does get around to makingInjustice 3, the studio should build onMortal Kombat 1’s success. Not just when it comes to gameplay or graphics, but when it comes to DLC characters too. NetherRealm has become known for featuring guest characters in its fighting games, and two franchises that the current Mortal Kombat has crossed over with would be a perfect fit for Injustice’s nihilistic superhero landscape:InvincibleandThe Boys.
Bringing Invincible and The Boys to the DC Universe
Mortal Kombat 1’s first Kombat Pack featured Homelander and Omni-Man as DLC additions to the game’s roster. Besides both being sourced from Amazon Prime streaming series, the biggest similarity between the two characters is that they were each designed astwisted takes on Superman. The ultraviolent nature of their shows allowed them to slot intoMortal Kombat 1’s gory gameplay, but their superhero heritage could make them an interesting candidate for the nextInjusticegame.
Addressing Mature Content from Invincible and The Boys
It could be argued thatInvincibleandThe Boysmight be too mature to crossover with the T-ratedInjusticeseries, but theInjusticeuniverse is already much darker than its mainline comic counterpart. All NetherRealm would need to do is tone down the violence and any obscene dialogue. After all,Invinciblehas collaborated withFortniteof all games in the past, and plenty ofInjustice 2players were crossing their fingers for the similarly gritty and violentRorschach to appear in Fighter Pack 3.
Maturity issues aside, bringing characters from either of these Prime series would allow for some epic match-ups and plenty of meta-humor. It would be a full-circle moment as both series were so heavily inspired by the DC universe. Homelander and Omni-Man are likely off the table forInjustice 3as NetherRealm tends to avoid reusing guest characters — although getting to see the real Superman put both of these pretenders in their place would blow fans' minds. Should NetherRealm ever source more characters from these universes, the most likely character for anInjusticegame would be Invincible himself.
The Pros of Having Invincible as a Guest Character
If NetherRealm stuck with the blue-and-yellow era of Invincible, the character wouldn’t necessarily even need to be toned down. That iteration of the hero was allowed to cross paths with Spider-Man in the comics, so there’s no reason why he couldn’t do the same withDC’s most popular heroes. While Invincible’s powers already make him a great fit forInjustice’s gameplay, he would offer writers a treasure trove of dialogue options.
Pre-game smack talk with characters like Green Arrow or Harley Quinn would sprinkle some much-needed levity into Mark’s life, while a tete-a-tete with Batman could see him jokingly compare the caped crusader to Darkwing from theInvincibleuniverse. WhetherInjustice 3continues the storyline of the despotic Superman or brings in a more traditional version of the man of steel, either version of the character confronting Invincible would lead to some vulnerable conversations.
The Pros of Having Billy Butcher as a Guest Character
Though less likely, Billy Butcher fromThe Boyscould also be a fun addition toInjustice 3’s roster. He might need some of Frenchie’s gadgets or a bit of Temp-V to compete, but his personality alone would be quite a handful for DC’s heroes and villains alike. In addition to having a hard time trusting the true intentions of DC’s superheroes due to his past experiences, he’d certainly give Batman an earful for his nonlethal methods. NetherRealm might even have an easier time getting access to Butcher’s appearance and voice when compared to other guest characters. In addition to NetherRealm’s previous partnership with Prime, the studio seems to already have a good relationship with Butcher’s actor, sinceKarl Urban is playing Johnny Cagein theMortal Kombat 2movie.
