Warner Bros. Video games has introduced and launched Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition, which it described as “probably the most in depth model” of the gory preventing sport. However for followers, the discharge of the Definitive Edition has sparked important concern that NetherRealm has now moved on from the sport, and that it gained’t see any new DLC characters or important content material updates.
The Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition affords the primary sport packaged along with beforehand launched downloadable content material, together with the Khaos Reigns story enlargement, Kombat Pack 1, and Kombat Pack 2.
The Definitive Edition additionally provides new character skins for Johnny Cage, Kitana, Scorpion, and Shao Khan “impressed” by the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2 movie, the Mortal Kombat (2021) film character pores and skin for Sub-Zero; and the match themed character pores and skin (outfit) for Liu Kang.
For followers, The Definitive Edition looks like a line has been drawn beneath Mortal Kombat 1. Whereas Warner Bros. is understood for its definitive and supreme editions, and certainly NetherRealm video games are likely to get them, this time there’s a sense of finality to the discharge. And with no bulletins forthcoming a couple of Kombat Pack 3 or the rest significant for Mortal Kombat 1, followers consider that March 2025’s launch of the T-1000 visitor character will go down as the sport’s last content material drop.
If true, it’s an enormous disappointment for hardcore Mortal Kombat 1 followers, who had hoped for considerably long run help for the sport. Certainly, many are actually pointing to a September 2024 tweet from NetherRealm growth chief Ed Boon, who on the time moved to reassure followers already involved that the studio had moved onto its subsequent sport by saying: “NetherRealm remains to be absolutely dedicated to supporting Mortal Kombat 1 for a very long time to return.”
“The sport is finished, it’s their method of claiming ‘Goodbye! Come again the following 12 months or two for an additional overly priced sport bloated with visitor characters!’ ” said a clearly disgruntled redditor.
“MK1 formally has a shorter content material lifespan than the f***ing Texas Chainsaw Bloodbath sport lmao,” stated one other.
For context, in July 2021, NetherRealm introduced it had began work on its subsequent challenge (Mortal Kombat 1) and, consequently, there could be no additional DLC for Mortal Kombat 11. That announcement got here two years and three months after the discharge of the sport. NetherRealm is but to make the same announcement for Mortal Kombat 1.
Mortal Kombat 1 loved one thing of a resurgence in January with the key combat with Floyd, the pink ninja developer Ed Boon had been teasing for years. That sparked a enjoyable community-wide effort that breathed new life into the sport. However that was a uncommon brilliant spot for what has, total, been a disappointing launch for a lot of core Mortal Kombat followers.
T-1000 Terminator was the ultimate DLC character added to Mortal Kombat 1 as a part of the Khaos Reigns enlargement, and follows playable fighters Cyrax, Sektor, Noob Saibot, Ghostface, and Conan the Barbarian. Fans have puzzled for a while now whether or not developer NetherRealm plans a 3rd set of DLC characters, or a Kombat Pack 3, amid questions on Mortal Kombat 1’s gross sales success.
Mother or father firm Warner Bros. Discovery has indicated, nevertheless, that it nonetheless believes within the Mortal Kombat franchise. In November, CEO David Zaslav stated that on the video games aspect of issues, the corporate plans to double down on simply 4 titles, one in all which is Mortal Kombat.
Most followers of the studio’s work anticipate it to launch a 3rd sport in its DC preventing sport franchise, Injustice, though neither NetherRealm nor Warner Bros. has but to verify that. The primary sport within the sequence, Injustice: Gods Amongst Us, launched in 2013, with its sequel, Injustice 2, popping out in 2017. NetherRealm launched Mortal Kombat 11 in 2019 and for a time it appeared just like the studio would alternate between Mortal Kombat and Injustice video games, but it surely went on to launch one other Mortal Kombat, the tender reboot that’s Mortal Kombat 1, in 2023 as an alternative.
In an interview with IGN in June 2023, Boon spoke in imprecise phrases about this resolution. “There have been numerous components, a few of which I can discuss, a few of which I in all probability should not,” Boon stated.
Two causes Boon was keen to debate had been the unlucky onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the workforce’s alternative to modify to a more moderen model of the Unreal sport engine (Mortal Kombat 11 runs on Unreal Engine 3, whereas Mortal Kombat 1 runs on Unreal Engine 4).
“However we did go to a brand new graphics engine, Unreal,” Boon stated. “We actually wished to watch out with COVID and all that stuff and all people staying protected. So there have been a bunch of variables concerned that ultimately we realized, ‘Okay, let’s do one other Mortal Kombat sport and hopefully we’ll get again to the Injustice video games.’ “
Simply to make sure, we wished to verify with him straight that the door was not closed on the Injustice franchise.
“By no means,” Boon answered.
Mortal Kombat 1 has offered 5 million copies, with the franchise now as much as 100 million. Mortal Kombat 11 grew to become the best-selling sport within the franchise by passing Mortal Kombat X’s practically 11 million models offered worldwide. By 2022, Mortal Kombat 11 had offered greater than 15 million copies worldwide. Clearly, Mortal Kombat 1 has underperformed in comparison with earlier video games within the sequence.
Wesley is the UK Information Editor for IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You’ll be able to attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.