NeverRealm Studios’Mortal Kombatseries has defied all odds to reach the point of success that it has enjoyed over the years. In the early ’90s, the games were considered so violent that they, along with other games at the time, served as areference point for creating the ESRB. During the ’00s, the shift from its classic 2D fighting origins to a modernized 3D system polarized old-school fans from the newcomers.
In 2011,Mortal Kombat 9brought the series back to its 2D roots, blending in mechanics from the 3D era and providing a story that served to catch newer fans of the series up to speed with its lore. Following 2015’sMortal Kombat Xand 2019’sMortal Kombat 11, it’s a safe bet that the series itself will continue to thrive for many years to come.
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When it comes to the source of its success, social media presence largely attributes to the success ofMortal Kombatas we know it today. Game director Ed Boon occasionally interacts with fans on Twitter, often in the form of cryptic tweets leading to the possibility of future DLC. Occasionally, eagle-eyed fans able to decrypt such tweets are correct, such as theeventual release of Rain as a DLC character. One such recent tweet refers to the commonly requested collaboration betweenMortal KombatandStreet Fighter.
The following day, Boon tweeted another video, this time of an old Indian movie. The man portrayed in the clip delivers a chop to his victim, causing the victim to react in a waynot unlikeMortal Kombat 11’sFatal Blows. In reference, Ed Boon comically makes a note to refer to his “fatality design committee” for further inspiration in the future.
In light of news involving theArcade1UP cabinets forKiller Instinct, Ed Boon had made a tweet in support of the series getting the arcade-at-home experience. Lauded as one ofMortal Kombat’sdirect competitors, Rare’sKiller Instincthas often been compared toMortal Kombatin terms of its colorful cast and fatality-esque finishers. Even to this day, such comparisons lead to its own fans wondering how aKiller InstinctvsMortal Kombattitle would look.
One of the biggest draws toMortal Kombatis deciding who makes the cut on the roster.Mortal Kombat Armageddonremains the only gameto feature every playable characterin the series up to that point. WithMortal Kombat 9, the safest option was to include all classic playable characters. The only new character added to the base roster was Cyber Sub Zero. It wasn’t untilMortal Kombat 9’sDLC that we saw a return of a character from the 3D era, Kenshi, and an original character who was teased for years, Skarlet. The inclusion of Freddy Krueger and PlayStation 4 exclusive Kratos fromGod of Warset the precedent for future NeverRealm Studios' titles.
With Scorpion appearing inInjustice: Gods Among Usand Leatherface, Alien, Predator, and Jason inMortal Kombat X, it’s been a mantra to expect the unexpected. Anyone and everyone could potentially find their way in an NRS title, whether as a guest or as a returnee. With the current rumors including DC’s own Deathstrokealongside highly requested fan-favorites, Smoke and Sareena, as plans for future DLC, fans continue to look for any clues from Boon himself.
