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NetherRealm Studios
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryVideo game industry
PredecessorWB Games Chicago
FoundedApril 20, 2010; 13 years ago (2010-04-20)
Headquarters,
U.S.
Key people
Products
ParentWarner Bros. Interactive Entertainment
Websitenetherrealm.com

NetherRealm Studios (stylized as NetheЯRealm Studios) is an American video game developer based in Chicago, Illinois, founded in May 2010 to replace Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment's WB Games Chicago subsidiary. Led by video game industry veteran and Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon, the studio is in charge of developing the Mortal Kombat and Injustice series of fighting games.[1]

History[]

On February 12, 2009, Midway Games, developer, publisher and owner of the Mortal Kombat intellectual property, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the United States.[2][3] Warner Bros. subsequently acquired "substantially all of the assets", including Mortal Kombat, This Is Vegas and the Midway Games company structure, on July 10, 2009.[4][5] While Warner Bros. went on to close most of Midway Games' Chicago, Illinois headquarters and San Diego, California and Liverpool, England development studios, they retained the Midway Games Chicago development studio, which became part of Warner Bros.' Interactive Entertainment division.[6][7] The surviving studio was renamed WB Games Chicago a few days later.[8][9] On April 20, 2010, the studio was reincorporated as NetherRealm Studios, effectively replacing WB Games Chicago.[10][11]

NetherRealm Studios' first game, the ninth installment and reboot of the Mortal Kombat series, was released in April 2011. Their first game in an original intellectual property, Injustice: Gods Among Us, based on the DC Universe, was released in 2013.[12][13] The success of the two games allowed the development of respective sequels; Mortal Kombat X in 2015 and Injustice 2 in 2017.[14][15] Meanwhile, NetherRealm Studios has also developed the Android and iOS versions of Batman: Arkham City Lockdown, Batman: Arkham Origins and WWE Immortals. NetherRealm Studios' next game, Mortal Kombat 11, is scheduled to release on April 23, 2019.[16]

Since April 2019, NetherRealm Studios is currently under investigation after former employees denounced several conditions of labor exploitation.[citation needed]

Games developed[]

Year Title Platform(s)
PS3 PS4 PSVita Wii U Nintendo Switch Win X360 XOne Android iOS
2011 Mortal Kombat Yes No Yes No No Yes Yes No No No
Mortal Kombat Arcade Kollection Yes No No No No Yes Yes No No No
Batman: Arkham City Lockdown No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
2013 Injustice: Gods Among Us Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Batman: Arkham Origins No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
2015 Mortal Kombat X No Yes No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes
WWE Immortals No No No No No No No No Yes Yes
2017 Injustice 2 No Yes No No No Yes No Yes Yes Yes
2019 Mortal Kombat 11 No Yes No No Yes Yes No Yes No No

References[]

  1. McWhertor, Michael (August 24, 2010). "What's Next For Mortal Kombat, NetherRealm Studios". Kotaku. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  2. Lee, James (February 12, 2009). "Midway US files for reorganisation in Bankruptcy Court". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  3. Crecente, Brian (February 12, 2009). "Midway Files for Bankruptcy". Kotaku. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  4. McWhertor, Michael (July 10, 2009). "Warner Bros. Now Owns Midway, Mortal Kombat". Kotaku. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  5. Thorsen, Tor (July 14, 2009). "Midway Newcastle shuttered, Chicago layoffs 'imminent'". GameSpot. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  6. Thorsen, Tor (July 16, 2009). "Midway's Chicago HQ closing, final buyout price $49 million". GameSpot. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  7. Gilbert, Ben (July 17, 2009). "Midway execs get the boot, entire Chicago dev team acquired by WB". Engadget. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  8. Gilbert, Ben (July 27, 2009). "Mortal Kombat team sheds Midway skin for 'WB Games Chicago'". Engadget. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  9. Martin, Matt (July 28, 2009). "Mortal Kombat studio becomes WB Games Chicago". GamesIndustry.biz. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  10. Nunneley, Stephany (April 9, 2010). "Warner trademarks Netherrealm Studios". VG247. Retrieved December 10, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  11. O'Connor, Alice (June 10, 2010). "Mortal Kombat Returning to '2D' Roots". Shacknews. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  12. Kubba, Sinan (January 15, 2013). "Injustice: Gods Among Us hits April 16, Battle Edition revealed". Engadget. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  13. Purchese, Robert (January 15, 2013). "Injustice: Gods Among Us release date 19th April". eurogamer.net. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  14. Plagge, Kallie (January 9, 2017). "Injustice 2 Release Date Revealed [UPDATE]". GameSpot. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  15. Fahey, Mike (February 14, 2017). "Injustice 2 Doubles Up On Cats". Kotaku. Retrieved December 20, 2017.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>
  16. Fahey, Mike (December 6, 2018). "Mortal Kombat 11 Announced, Launching Globally April 23". Kotaku.<templatestyles src="Module:Citation/CS1/styles.css"></templatestyles>

External links[]

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