The long, long wait is almost over, with Warner Bros. Discovery confirming Mortal Kombat 12 is not only in development but is targeting a 2023 release window.
This information came from the Warner Bros. Discovery Q4 2022 earnings call, which saw projections being made for the company’s gaming division for the next year. MK12 was mentioned alongside Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League as 2023 titles set to launch for WB Games and its studios.
Speculation around what NetherRealm Studios has been working on since wrapping up post-launch content for Mortal Kombat 11 in July 2021 has been picking up again after MK11 Ultimate was confirmed to be a main tournament at Evo 2023. The consensus opinion was MK12 or Injustice 3 were in the works, with many fans being surprised something wasn’t revealed at The Game Awards in December.
Related: Evo 2023 is mixing eras with an incredible fighting game lineup
Now, even though we don’t have an official reveal for the game or release date, NetherRealm and WB are very likely to give fans their first look at the game in the coming months. This could also tie into some belated 30th-anniversary celebration for the franchise too.
Based on the timing of this confirmation, a full MK12 reveal will likely drop during an E3 presentation or as a featured spotlight during Geoff Keigley’s Summer Game fest presentation in June.
This should be the first look at the MK sequel with some additional information shared by Ed Boon and the NRS team regarding the direction of the project.
If that reveal does happen in June, the next time fans can expect to see the game is at Evo 2023, where additional reveals or even a playable demo might be featured alongside what might be the final major MK11 competition.
That 2023 date is misleading for people who don’t follow release quarters though, as it does not necessarily mean MK12 will be dropping in 2023. Q4 of the 2023 fiscal year in gaming technically ends on March 31, 2024, depending on the company.
This means the game could end up being an early 2024 title, based on that information. The last three major releases for the MK series have been in April, so WB might actually have moved up the timeline significantly with plans to drop MK12 in late 2023 instead, which would be the first time something like that has happened since 2008’s Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe.
In the earnings call, Warner Bros. chief David Zaslav did note MK12 hitting in 2023 is part of an “ambitious launch projection” for the company, so don’t be surprised if it does slip out and ends up being a Spring or Summer 2024 release instead.
