Injustice 3 May Ditch Its Own Name for a DC Rebrand

Less than 48 hours after a WB Games artist accidentally listed "Injustice 3 TBD" on their resume, a new wrinkle has emerged: the game might not actually be called Injustice 3. Multiple sources now suggest NetherRealm Studios is considering dropping the Injustice branding altogether, repositioning its next project as a broader DC fighting game rather than a direct sequel.

The resume leak, first reported by MP1st, confirmed what most of us already suspected. NetherRealm has been working on a follow-up to 2017's Injustice 2, and the project appears to be well into development. Ed Boon himself stated back in 2021 that the team had already decided on their next game, and he'd previously indicated it would be either "I3 or MK12." Mortal Kombat 1 shipped in September 2023. That leaves one obvious candidate.

But the name on the box might be different from what anyone expected. Fighting game YouTuber Rooflemonger claimed in a recent video that the project could be "Injustice 3 in name only," describing it as more of a general DC fighter than a continuation of the Injustice storyline. Shortly after, MultiverSusie, a leaker with a strong track record on MultiVersus-related information, backed up that claim and went further, posting on X that "it's time we move on from the Injustice branding maybe."

I think a rebrand actually makes a lot of sense here. Injustice's premise, evil Superman rules the world, heroes rebel, was a strong hook in 2013 but has been done to death across comics, animation, and now two full games. Injustice 2's endings either trap Superman in the Phantom Zone or lock Batman into a dystopian nightmare. Neither screams "natural starting point for a third game." If NetherRealm wants to build a fresh DC roster without being chained to that specific storyline, shedding the Injustice name gives them room to do it.

What Could Replace It

Fans have floated a few ideas. One popular suggestion is an adaptation of Scott Snyder's DC K.O. Comic series, published between 2025 and 2026, which features a god-forged tournament where heroes fight for survival. It reads like a NetherRealm pitch document. The comic's roster pulls from deep cuts like King Shark, Starro, Zatanna, Lobo, and Big Barda, characters that would give NetherRealm far more creative freedom than another round of Superman vs. Batman. Whether the studio actually goes that route is pure speculation, but the appetite for something beyond Injustice's narrow premise is clearly there.

There's also the James Gunn factor. DC Studios' CEO previously confirmed that discussions were held with both NetherRealm and Rocksteady about future DC game projects. If Gunn's vision for the DCU involves a more unified creative direction across media, a generic "Injustice" sequel might not fit the plan. A broader DC fighter, one that could pull from the Absolute Universe, classic continuity, or even live-action incarnations, would align much better with the kind of cross-pollination Gunn has been pushing.

NetherRealm has done this kind of reset before. Mortal Kombat 9 in 2011 rebooted that franchise's timeline entirely, and Mortal Kombat 1 did it again with a full universe reset. The studio clearly isn't afraid to wipe the slate clean when a series needs it. Applying that same philosophy to their DC work feels overdue, especially when reports surfaced last year from voice actors for Superman and Aquaman hinting at a new entry. If those actors are returning but the framing is completely different, that would track with a rebrand rather than a straight sequel.

Regardless of what it's called, the game has reportedly been in development since before Mortal Kombat 1 launched, which would put it at roughly three years of work already. NetherRealm's recent titles have typically shipped on a three-to-four-year cycle, so a reveal sometime in the near future seems plausible. No platforms have been confirmed, though some outlets have speculated it could target next-generation PlayStation and Xbox hardware alongside current consoles. For now, the only concrete detail is that one resume listing: "Injustice 3 TBD." The "TBD" part might be doing more work than anyone initially realized.