Ed Boon, the longtime creative mind behind NetherRealm Studios, recently confirmed that the studio will not unveil a new game at The Game Awards 2022 because it simply isn’t ready for prime time. The message was clear: timing matters, and the team prefers to go into a showcase with something truly compelling rather than a rushed reveal. Fans who have followed NetherRealm know this pattern well. They’ve learned that a well-timed surprise can still land with big impact, but it has to be worth the wait. The studio aims to deliver a moment that feels earned, not pushed to meet a timetable, especially when the stakes involve a franchise with a passionate and global fan base across North America and beyond.
Four years earlier, at The Game Awards, NetherRealm did manage a surprise announcement for Mortal Kombat 11 that resonated deeply with fans. The reveal caught many off guard because it felt so bold and different, yet it still aligned with the studio’s core identity. The team has repeatedly shown a willingness to take creative risks that pay off in memorable ways. The current stance is a pledge to maintain that tradition, even if it means delaying the next major reveal. It signals a strategic emphasis on quality over a rushed cadence, which in turn helps preserve the brand’s reputation for delivering substantial, well-crafted experiences rather than quick, scattershot announcements. Fans in Canada and the United States can expect NetherRealm to uphold that standard as development progresses, signaling a careful and deliberate buildup toward a future reveal that will hopefully exceed expectations.
The studio’s next big project is anticipated to be Mortal Kombat 12 or Injustice 3, a dual-path expectation that has circulated since Boon began answering questions from the community. The ambiguity is deliberate: NetherRealm wants to keep its next moves exciting and surprising rather than predictable. While there has been no official confirmation that one title is ahead of the other, the dialogue from Boon has kept fans engaged and speculating in a way that sustains interest across the broader fighting game community. For players in the United States and Canada, this ongoing dialogue contributes to sustained anticipation and discourse around what a new generation of the NetherRealm canon could look like, including how the studio might evolve its signature combat systems, storytelling ambitions, and competitive balance strategies to stay relevant in a rapidly changing market.
In addition to its major projects, NetherRealm is also developing a smaller, free-to-play experience called Mortal Kombat: Onslaught. The title has moved into closed beta testing, marking an important step in validating its live-service model, monetization approach, and core gameplay loop. The game aims to attract a broad audience by offering accessible bite-sized content while maintaining the franchise’s brutal, arcade-style appeal. The plan is to release Mortal Kombat: Onslaught in 2023, with early gameplay footage circulating online to generate early impressions and feedback. For players in Canada and the United States, the beta period represents a chance to engage with a new take on the Mortal Kombat universe and to gauge how a live-service fighter can coexist with traditional fighting titles in a crowded market.
As the industry continues to evolve, NetherRealm’s strategy appears to center on balancing big, cinematic adventures with innovative, lower-risk experiments that keep the studio flexible and responsive to fan feedback. The company’s approach to announcements, pacing, and platform strategy suggests a deliberate desire to cultivate long-term interest rather than chasing rapid, one-off headlines. For fans across North America, this translates to a hopeful but measured sense of excitement—anticipating major reveals while appreciating the care that goes into crafting experiences that stand the test of time rather than chasing the quick thrill of a surprise launch.