DC’s next fighting game is not Injustice 3. It is DCKO, a free-to-play mobile fighter built around 2v2 tag-team combat, made by independent studio Drop Fake and officially licensed by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment on behalf of DC. It is coming to iOS and Android in 2027, and pre-registration is live now.
Quick answer: DCKO launches on iOS and Android in 2027. Pre-register at playdcko.com to join the upcoming beta and unlock milestone rewards as more players sign up.
DCKO release, platforms, and price
DCKO is a free-to-play game releasing globally on iOS and Android in 2027. There is no exact release date or time yet. Ahead of launch, Drop Fake plans an open beta, and pre-registering secures a spot in it. The reveal came alongside an announcement trailer showing the current roster and tag combat.
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Developer | Drop Fake (self-published) |
| License | Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, on behalf of DC |
| Platforms | iOS, Android |
| Price | Free-to-play |
| Release | 2027 (no confirmed date) |
| Pre-registration | Open now at playdcko.com |
Drop Fake is a new studio led by developers who previously worked on one of the most successful mobile fighting games ever made, Marvel Contest of Champions. That background sits behind the game’s pitch as a step up for mobile fighters.
How the 2v2 tag combat works
Every match uses two Legends per side. One combat engine drives both single-player and multiplayer fights, so the inputs stay the same whether you face a live opponent or the campaign. Controls are built on tap-and-swipe inputs meant to click within your first minute.
- Tap for fast light hits, swipe for medium attacks, and chain them into player-built combos.
- Swipe up to grab and throw an opponent who is turtling behind blocks; a well-timed Tech resets the exchange.
- Build meter across a round to unleash a screen-filling Super.
- Call your benched Legend in for a Combo Tag, or fire both fighters’ Supers at once with a Super Tag.
- Your bench Legend also provides Legendary Assists during the fight for close matches.
The tag system draws obvious comparisons to games like Marvel vs. Capcom and 2XKO, where two characters share a life bar and swap in to extend pressure.
Real-time PvP is the headline feature
The main draw is live player-versus-player against real opponents, not AI stand-ins or cached teams on autopilot. Drop Fake says this is a first for a DC mobile fighting game. You can challenge players worldwide, climb global leaderboards, and win matches to unlock new abilities and stat boosts for your team.
Creative director Gene Campbell said the studio wanted DCKO to represent “a significant leap forward for the fighting game genre on mobile,” calling live multiplayer core to the spirit of fighting games. Campbell also said Drop Fake intends to nurture a competitive scene, with more details promised closer to launch.
Single-player Stories and PvE modes
Solo players get a story-driven Stories mode with an overarching campaign. Your Legends face Ra’s al Ghul’s League of Assassins, Amazo’s robot army, and the demon hordes of Trigon, among other threats. The wider PvE lineup also includes Seasonal Missions, Rifts, and the Arena.
Currency and XP earned in PvE carry over to prepare your team for ranked play. Completing missions also unlocks costume variants that reference DC’s comic history.
DCKO launch roster and new monthly Legends
The launch lineup features more than 20 playable Legends, with a new one added every month. Each Legend can be leveled up, tuned with abilities and stat boosts, and customized with swappable Super Moves and costume variants that are earned or purchased.
- Batman, Robin, Nightwing, Catwoman, Bane
- Superman, Doomsday, Cyborg
- Wonder Woman, Katana, Green Lantern, Blue Beetle
- Harley Quinn, Poison Ivy, Lex Luthor
- Zatanna, Constantine, Raven, Starfire
Art style and arenas
DCKO uses what Drop Fake calls a “Neo-Comic” art style, with bold inks, energetic palettes, and dynamic super move animations meant to look pulled straight from comic pages. Fights take place across recognizable DC locations, including the Batcave, Themyscira, the Fortress of Solitude, and the Lazarus Pits.
Why the reveal split DC fans
It has been more than nine years since Injustice 2, and many players were hoping the next DC fighting announcement would be Injustice 3 on console and PC. Instead, they got a free-to-play mobile title, which left plenty of the trailer’s comments puzzled. NetherRealm Studios, the team behind the Injustice games, has not announced its next project.
For now, the concrete facts are simple. DCKO is a licensed, free-to-play DC tag fighter arriving on iOS and Android in 2027, with live PvP, a story-driven PvE campaign, and a roster that grows every month. Drop Fake says it is developing the game in the open on Discord, with deeper mode breakdowns and monthly Legend reveals still to come before release.
