Rocksteady’sSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguehas received a fair bit of criticism from gamers following its recent gameplay reveal. The backlash has been so strong that the studio decided to postpone its launch, with some speculating that theSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguedelay could extend much further than expected. While Rocksteady is looking to justify a live-service approach in its next title, the idea of aDC Comics-based online multiplayer hit isn’t out of the ordinary. In fact, NetherRealm Studios has already found massive success with this approach throughInjustice, and DC Comics would stand to benefit from adopting the developer’s format.
WhenRocksteady announcedSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice Leaguein 2020, fans were excited about another DC game following the critically acclaimedBatman: Arkhamseries. However, after building anticipation for years, its latest gameplay trailer painted a slightly different picture of what to expect through live-service mechanics that get players to commit hours of play in return for a slew of randomized cosmetics and upgradeable items. While the idea of a DC Comics live-service title isn’t without its merits, the presentation came off as a surprise for many fans, especially considering the studio’s history with narrative-driven single-player stories. By contrast, NetherRealm’sInjusticefranchise is already held in high regard, both as a venue for compelling storytelling and as an online multiplayer experience.
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The Success of Injustice for DC Comics
The fighting gameInjustice: Gods Among Usbrought iconic DC characters to life in 2013, surrounding them with an original story. NetherRealm took the opportunity to include familiar mechanics and a mature tone from itsMortal Kombatseries, which turned out to be a hit and led toInjustice2 in 2017.Injusticehad widespread appeal as a perfect online multiplayer platform for both fans of DC Comics and the fighting game genre alike. Now, with many settinghigh expectations forInjustice3and the DC universe getting a soft reboot under James Gunn and Peter Safran, NetherRealm’s franchise could set the stage for the next DC Comics online multiplayer title.
UnlikeSuicide Squad’s controversial gear system,Injustice3 opens up the possibility of incorporating live-service elements like cosmetics, upgradeable items, and even battle pass progression in a more meaningful style. But aside from this mix of story and live-service elements, the nextInjusticeinstallment also fits uniquely in the newly announced plans for the DC universe. Since the series takes place in an alternate reality,Injustice3 could easily continue its mainline story and fall under the “DC Elseworld” branding.
As of now, NetherRealm seems to be working onMortal Kombat 12,which could release sometime in 2023. So, whileInjustice3might be a few years away, the long wait could work in this game’s favor as it leaves more room to invest in unique stories across the online multiplayer space. This could change based on the reception forSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, and it remains to be seen ifInjustice 3would get the greenlight at all. But a proven franchise with a relatively successful online multiplayer component would probably offer a better solution for the future of live-service games in the DCU.
Injustice 2is available now for Mobile, PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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