Summary
Until leaked information from insiders indicated differently, many would have thought NetherRealm Studios would doInjustice 3afterMortal Kombat 11, instead ofMortal Kombat 1.MK1was likely decided upon for a plethora of reasons, but there’s no doubt many would have preferred and still wantInjustice 3. NetherRealm Studios' DC fighting franchise is incredibly popular, even compared to fighting genre mainstays likeStreet Fighter, Tekken, and of course,Mortal Kombat.As a result, many will likely hope thatInjustice 3followsMortal Kombat 1—when and only when NRS is ready to move on, of course—but there’s a strong argument to not do just that.
Injusticebrought all of NRS' fighting game expertise to the DC universe, and playing Superman, Batman, Joker, Darkseid, and others was an absolute blast.Injustice, at its core though, may just be too limited for NetherRealm Studios. There wererumors of a new Marvel vs. DC gameat one point, and that would be even more exciting when Marvel characters are thrown into the mix. Yet, once more,Mortal Kombat 1proves that core conceit may be too limited. Truly, comic and fighting game fans would truly benefit if NRS' lent its expertise to the comic industry at large.
RELATED:Mortal Kombat 1 Leaks Incredibly Morbid Mini-Game
How Mortal Kombat/NRS Leverages Crossover Characters
Every character reveal forMortal Kombat 1so far has been exciting, especially in the context of Fire God Liu Kang’s new universe.Mortal Kombat 1is bringing back obvious mainstays like Scorpion and Sub-Zero, introducing new twists for beloved characters, and bringing back old characters like Tanya. Each reveal was exciting, but it was the recentreveal ofMortal Kombat 1’s DLC Characters (Kombat Pack 1)that really clenched it up for NetherRealm Studios. Takeda, Quan-Chi, and Ermac are great, but it’s Omni-Man, Peacemaker, and Homelander that seal the deal.
Peacemaker’s inclusion seems a given because of the character’s popularity, and because NetherRealm Studios is owned by Warner Bros, just as DC is. That makesInjusticean important franchise sure, but at the same time, neither Omni-Man nor Homelander are DC properties.Invincible, fromWalking Deadwriter Robert Kirkman, tells the story of Mark Grayson as he trains under the greatest superhero in the world, Omni-Man, who isn’t actually that great of a superhero. Gore and violence define Invincible and Omni-Man, and it’s published by Image Comics. Outside the Big Two (Marvel and DC), Image Comics is perhaps the most recognizable name in the industry.
Meanwhile,Homelander is fromThe Boys, which has a complicated relationship with DC. The first six issues were published by Wildstorm, an imprint of DC, but the series was canceled because DC was uneasy regarding its anti-superhero approach, according to writer and co-creator Garth Ennis. Co-creator and artist Darick Robertson would also reveal that, despite being under contract with DC, the company was doing right by them, reverting the rights back to the two, and allowing him to continue working on it outside its publishing model.
That respect for a comic creator’s rights, which is a big deal in the industry, likely played some hand inThe Boys’Homelander making its way into a Warner Bros. game. Because of this,Mortal Kombat 1has DC representation in Peacemaker, Image Comics representation in Omni-Man, and more creator-owned representation in Homelander. (It should be noted that Image Comics, as a brand, allows writers to retain their rights).
RELATED:Fatalities Mortal Kombat 1’s Omni-Man Needs
This isn’t necessarily new either.Injustice 2may have been a DC game, but it did bring innon-DC crossover characters such as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtlesand Dark Horse’s Hellboy. These crossover elements are some of the most exciting in each game, and while it’s impossible to tell what happens beyond closed doors, this is only possible via good-faith negotiations, genuine collaboration, and a love for the industry. Ultimately, though, there’s no reason for NRS to stop at the doors opened byInjustice 2andMortal Kombat 1.
Instead of aDC-focusedInjustice 3, at least as how many fans would imagine it, NetherRealm Studios should be able to take that door and break it down, creating a massive fighting game experience featuring Marvel, DC, Image, Dark Horse, and basically any popular comic series under the sun. It could take all the beloved Marvel characters, DC characters, and other characters mentioned above and feature them alongside several others.
The best part is how even non-superhero characters could find their footing here, too, or Manga characters could even be worked in. Witchblade, Harbingers (especially Zephyr/Faith), Savage Dragon, Sailor Moon, Michonne fromThe Walking Dead, characters fromSaga, characters fromFables, Scott Pilgrim,Naruto, Bleach, My Hero Academia,and many, many more would all be good, viable picks. Captain America, Michonne, and Rock Lee fighting a team composed of theTeen Titans' Raven, one of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Bigby Wolf practically sells itself.
What’s more, the one limitation that comes with a lot of crossover characters is they have no real role in the game outside of being a fighter. NRS' campaigns have proven time and again how well they tell ambitious stories, and working inTMNT, Witchblade, Fables, Marvel, and other comics seems well within its skillset. And on top of that, something likeStreet Fighter 6’s World Tour modewhere all these characters are interacted with more intimately would be a perfect pairing too. Indeed, it’s hard to ignore how epic and how much fun a game like this, made by NRS, could be.
NetherRealm Studios is no doubt a fighter in this industry, with titles likeMortal KombatandInjusticeproving this time and again. A comic industry-wide fighting game, however, would be it taking the chains off.
Mortal Kombat 1releases September 19 for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
MORE:Mortal Kombat 1: Where is Ermac in Fire God Liu Kang’s New Universe?
