NetherRealm creative director Ed Boon has officially confirmed what most fans probably knew already: another Mortal Kombat game is currently in the works.
In a recent interview with Collider (h/t VGC), Boon addressed the ongoing speculation surrounding the studio’s next project and whether the team is currently focused on another Mortal Kombat title or the long-rumored Injustice 3. While he stopped short of revealing exactly what NetherRealm is working on, he made it clear that Mortal Kombat remains a major priority for the studio moving forward.
“I think if I teased and gave it away, I would probably get in trouble,” Boon joked to Collider. “But we’re definitely pursuing another Mortal Kombat game, and we’re definitely doing more, as well, so there are a lot of pots on the stove.”
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Boon said that the NetherRealm will have “a lot of great announcements” in the near future.
When Can Players Expect A New Mortal Kombat Game?
Naturally, that statement has immediately reignited speculation about what NetherRealm’s future actually looks like. On one hand, another Mortal Kombat game was never exactly a surprise. Mortal Kombat 1 launched back in 2023 as a rebooted timeline for the franchise, effectively giving the series a clean slate from a narrative standpoint. From a business standpoint, Mortal Kombat also remains one of Warner Bros.’ most reliable gaming properties, and is currently in the midst of establishing itself as a Hollywood film franchise after the moderately successful Mortal Kombat in 2021 and its upcoming sequel, Mortal Kombat II, releasing this Friday.
So, when can players expect a new Mortal Kombat game to be released? I’ll be honest, I don’t have an exact date for you. But, judging from past trends, I can certainly take an educated guess.
Since its arcade debut in 1992, no mainline Mortal Kombat release has gone more than four years without a sequel or follow-up. The most recent mainline title, Mortal Kombat 1, was released in 2023, meaning that players could reasonably expect a mainline title to launch at some point in 2027.
However, the video game industry has changed dramatically in recent years, and sequel turnaround times are longer than ever. While another Mortal Kombat could still arrive as early as 2027, a release in 2028 or even 2029 would hardly be surprising. That’s especially true if NetherRealm plans to release Injustice 3 before returning to Mortal Kombat again.
As of right now, we still don’t know when the next Mortal Kombat title will be released. What we do know, however, is that another entry is officially in the works, and fans will likely be watching NetherRealm closely over the coming months for more concrete details.
Published: May 6, 2026 12:22 pm