Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Gaming
  3. News

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Mortal Kombat 12 is coming out this year, according to Warner Bros.

Add as a preferred source on Google

While Mortal Kombat and Injustice developer NetherRealm Studios has been secretive about what its next game is, Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav spoiled the surprise during the company’s latest earnings call: it’s Mortal Kombat 12, and it’s coming out this year.

Speaking about WB Games’ upcoming lineup, Zaslav stated that the “highly anticipated Mortal Kombat 12” is in the works alongside Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which was featured in a State of Play showcase that took place around the same time. Zaslav says Mortal Kombat 12 is “set for release this year” and that Warner Bros. Discovery has “ambitious launch projections” for this title.

Recommended Videos

Digital Trends contacted WB Games to confirm the statement and will update this article when we hear back.

Obviously, as this is the first time the game has been mentioned, we don’t know any specific details about the story, gameplay, or characters that will be featured in the new entry. Still, it’s quite an exciting confirmation for fighting game fans as NetherRealm Studios hasn’t released a new game since 2019’s Mortal Kombat 11, which itself has not received any new DLC since 2021. The Chicago-based developer had been flip-flopping between making Mortal Kombat and Injustice games throughout the 2010s, but its focus appears to be wholly on Mortal Kombat now. 

If Mortal Kombat 12 is truly coming out this year, we shouldn’t have to wait too much longer for an official reveal. Still, this is an unexpected way for such a game to be revealed. Mortal Kombat 12 is in development and intended for release sometime in 2023.

Tomas Franzese
Former Digital Trends Contributor
A former Gaming Staff Writer at Digital Trends, Tomas Franzese now reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…
Anthropic cracks down on video game cloning with new Claude restrictions
Claude can still help develop original games, but copying existing titles is now off the table.
Claude website open on laptop

AI has been making its way into video game development for a while now, but the recent developments have started raising some serious concerns. Popular games are being reverse-engineered with AI assistance, recreated for web browsers, and made playable on platforms they were never released for. Between all that, indie developers have started pulling down their demos over fears of getting copied. Anthropic has now stepped in with new restrictions for Claude Code.

The change was first spotted on X and subsequently confirmed by Anthropic's Addy Osmani. The new instructions prevent Claude from recreating specific existing games, even if they are renamed or presented as original projects. Users can still make original games, work on games within a genre, and use their own designs and assets.

Read more
Ubisoft shares major Assassin’s Creed updates, including disappointing news about remakes
New Game+, a final Black Flag treat, and a 20th birthday on the horizon.
Assassin's Creed, Gaming, Remake

If you have been looking for an excuse to jump back into Assassin’s Creed, Ubisoft just gave you a couple of good ones. Its Fall 2026 update is packed with news, from fresh content to a big birthday celebration next year.

What’s new in Assassin’s Creed Valhalla?

Read more
Phantom Blade Zero hands-on: An extraordinary game with unbelievable combat that I can’t get enough of
Every fight feels like a beautifully choreographed martial arts movie, except I'm the one controlling every move.
Phantom Blade Zero poster

We have had a considerable number of high-profile game releases this year, but none so far have had as much hype behind them as Phantom Blade Zero. The source of all that hype was a 2023 trailer highlighting its fluid kung-fu-derived sword combat. Considering that, at the time of writing this piece, there are over 700,000 concurrent players on Steam alone, on a weekday no less, I think it's safe to say that the hype has converted into gamers actually showing up for the game. I have sunk around 10 hours into this game today, and so far, it has been nothing short of an absolute masterclass in action combat.

A world that pulls you in from the start

Read more