DC’s Latest Release Isn’t Injustice 3

This isn’t the DC Comics fighting game update I was hoping to share today. DC has unveiled DCKO, a new free-to-play fighting game set in its expansive comic book universe, but it’s exclusively for mobile devices and not the much-anticipated Injustice 3. That’s a bummer.

However, let’s not be too quick to judge. DCKO is a free-to-play tag fighter developed by the new team Drop Fake, and it boasts a decent lineup of characters. Sure, we have the iconic trio of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman, but I have to give a shoutout to the devs for including my favorite bisexual warlock king, John Constantine, who was sadly absent from the rosters of Injustice: Gods Among Us and Injustice 2. Since this is a tag fighter, I’m crossing my fingers that Green Arrow makes the cut too; having my two favorite DC characters together would be a dream.

That said, I can’t help but feel that mobile isn’t the best platform for a fighting game to thrive. The experience of tapping and swiping on a screen just doesn’t match up to the precision of a controller or fight stick, especially in a genre where accuracy is key. My initial thought is that this game might not be aimed at the hardcore fighting game community but rather at casual players looking for a DC-themed experience on their phones. For now, fans can pre-register ahead of the game’s launch in 2027.

I’m torn because part of me hopes this eventually makes its way to consoles and PC, while another part wishes NetherRealm would focus on releasing another Injustice game so I can grab Green Arrow’s bow and start dominating again. It’s been nearly a decade since Injustice 2 dropped in 2017, and since then, NetherRealm has only been working on Mortal Kombat titles. Although there hasn’t been any official word about a return to the DC universe, rumors have been circulating for years about a potential third Injustice game. I really hope that’s the case; otherwise, the thought of the only new DC fighter being confined to mobile devices is going to sting for a while. I’m not sure who’s feeling it more: the Injustice fans or the DC enthusiasts in the comments who were hoping for a Marvel Rivals competitor.