Mortal Kombat could take a break: Injustice 2 sold millions of copies, making a sequel more likely than ever

Mortal Kombat is one of the most popular fighting game franchises in the world, despite being more than 30 years old. Its consistent success and massive presence in pop culture can make us forget that NetherRealm Studios has another series under its belt: Injustice.

It is currently unknown what Ed Boon and his team are working on, but the latest rumors point to a new entry in the action series that brings together some of the most iconic heroes and villains from DC Comics. While we wait for more information, an interesting piece of data appears to support those reports.

Injustice 2 is approaching 10 million copies sold

WB Discovery revealed a couple of years ago that, as part of the restructuring of its gaming division, it would focus on 4 key franchises: Harry Potter, DC Comics, Mortal Kombat, and Game of Thrones. Interestingly, NetherRealm Studios works on both the Fatality-filled franchise and the series starring DC superheroes.

It is no secret that Mortal Kombat is the studio’s flagship franchise and one of the most important brands under Warner Bros. Games, which raised questions about the future of Injustice. Fortunately, the outlook now seems brighter than ever for the franchise featuring Batman, Superman, Joker, Wonder Woman, and other characters.

On Bluesky, a user shared a data table from NPD listing the 10 best-selling superhero games of all time in the United States. The ranking included highly successful titles such as Marvel’s Spider-Man, Batman: Arkham Knight, and Injustice: Gods Among Us.

The player directly asked Ed Boon how many units Injustice 2 has sold since its initial release in 2017. The director revealed that the sequel has already sold more than 9 million units worldwide, making it one of NetherRealm Studios’ most successful projects.

For context, Mortal Kombat 11 has already sold more than 15 million copies, while Mortal Kombat 1, one of the most controversial entries in the series, has surpassed 8 million units. With that in mind, it is clear that the DC Comics fighting game performed quite well.

Interestingly, Ed Boon deleted his post shortly afterward. The reason is unknown, but the most likely explanation is that he simply was not authorized to discuss the subject.

Either way, this figure adds more weight to recent rumors claiming that the developer’s next project could be Injustice 3 or another title based on the DC Comics universe. For now, neither NetherRealm Studios nor Warner Bros. Games has commented on the matter.

A new fighting game featuring DC Comics characters will debut in 2027

Of course, we will have to be patient and wait for Ed Boon’s team to reveal its next project. Injustice 3 is the most likely option, as an insider claimed it is the studio’s next project. On top of that, the actor who plays Superman suggested that he is already working on the third installment.

That said, Paramount’s acquisition of Warner Bros. could change those plans. While we wait, it is worth remembering that a new fighting game featuring DC Comics characters was recently revealed.

We’re talking about DCKO, a free-to-play title currently in development exclusively for mobile devices. The announcement divided the community, and some believe the project could prevent NetherRealm Studios from working on an Injustice 2 sequel. The free-to-play game is scheduled to launch sometime in 2027.

Meanwhile, Mortal Kombat is struggling to expand into other forms of entertainment. Despite being well received by fans, MK2 was a box office flop, and the future of the franchise in theaters is now uncertain, even though the sequel’s screenwriter previously revealed that he was already working on the story for MK3.

DC Comics isn’t having much luck either, as the live-action Supergirl movie fell short of expectations and failed to meet its commercial goals.

But tell us, would you like to see a third installment in the franchise? Let us know in the comments.