As a dedicated fighting game fanatic, I've been following Ed Boon's every tease and cryptic tweet like a hawk for years now. It's 2026, and while we still haven't gotten that official "BOOM!" announcement for Injustice 3, the legendary director himself has let us peek behind the curtain. He's been meticulously curating a digital notebook, a living document of ideas for the next chapter in the superhero brawler saga, a process that began even before Injustice 2 had fully cooled from its 2017 launch. For someone like me, who spent countless hours mastering Superman's combos and Batman's gadgetry, knowing this secret vault exists is like finding out your favorite chef has been perfecting a new recipe for a decade. It's not just hope—it's a promise, carefully archived in a humble text file.

This revelation came from a recent interview, and it perfectly encapsulates Boon's approach. He isn't just waiting for the green light; he's a gardener tending to a secret plot of land, planting seeds for characters, mechanics, and stories years in advance. That notepad file is his personal "Idea Greenhouse," where concepts are nurtured long before they see the light of a development build. He's already publicly floated names like Raven from the Teen Titans as a dream addition, which tells me his list is filled with deep-cut DC lore and fan-service gems. His social media teases are legendary—they're like breadcrumbs left by a master strategist, and we, the community, are the eager detectives trying to piece together the puzzle.
Of course, the waiting game is real, and Boon is the first to acknowledge it. NetherRealm is a studio that pours its heart into one major project at a time. Right now, their focus is squarely on supporting the phenomenal Mortal Kombat 1, which redefined the franchise with its new universe and brilliant Kameo system. Thinking about Injustice 3 launching anytime soon is like expecting a sequoia tree to sprout overnight after just planting the seed. The timeline is a long one, and that's okay. Quality takes time.

What's fascinating is how NetherRealm has been throwing a bone to us superhero fans within Mortal Kombat itself. Look at the guest characters they've brought in:
| Kombat Pack Character | Source | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Homelander | The Boys | Villain |
| Omni-Man | Invincible | Villain/Anti-Hero |
| Peacemaker | The Suicide Squad | Anti-Hero |
This roster is a "Superhero Sandbox" within a brutal fighting game, letting us pit these modern, morally complex icons against Scorpion and Sub-Zero. It feels like a testing ground, a way for the team to experiment with superhero mechanics and audience reception while the main Injustice project simmers on the back burner. Remember, Mortal Kombat 11 brought us the Joker and Spawn, proving they love blending these worlds.
So, what might be in that hallowed notepad file for Injustice 3? Based on Boon's history and fan desires, here's my speculative wishlist, which I'm sure overlaps with his notes:
🔹 Roster Evolution & New Faces:
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Raven (Confirmed interest from Boon!)
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Beast Boy (Imagine the shape-shifting combat potential!)
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Static Shock (Electricity-based fighter with unique zoning)
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John Constantine (A trickster/magic user, totally new playstyle)
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More villains like Circe or Black Adam (to balance the hero count)
🔹 Gameplay Innovations:
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A revamped Gear System from Injustice 2, but with less randomness.
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Environmental interactions that are even more dynamic and stage-specific.
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A story mode that branches based on character choices, adding replayability.
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Team-based mechanics inspired by the Kameo system but tailored for duo heroes.
🔹 Story Directions:
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Exploring the Multiverse aftermath in a meaningful way.
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A time-skip, introducing legacy characters (e.g., Damian Wayne as Batman, Jon Kent as Superman).
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A threat that forces unlikely alliances between the Regime and the Insurgency.
For now, that notebook is Boon's and NetherRealm's "Strategic Reserve," a cache of creative ammunition locked and loaded for when the time is right. The success of Mortal Kombat 1 shows the team is at the top of their game, mechanically and narratively. When they finally pivot to the DC universe, they'll do so with years of refined ideas and technological advancements. As a player, that's the most exciting part. We're not waiting for them to start thinking about Injustice 3; we're waiting for them to open the vault and begin assembling the pieces they've been collecting all this time. The foundation is already poured, and the blueprints are detailed. Our job is to stay patient, keep the community hype alive, and trust that when Ed Boon finally hits send on that announcement tweet, it will have been worth every second of the wait. The next great superhero fighting game isn't a question of if, but when, and its first draft is already written.