Mortal Kombat fans curious about the franchise’s future need wonder no longer, as the next entry has been confirmed by franchise director Ed Boon. How far off this new Mortal Kombat game is, however, has been left up in the air.
A new Mortal Kombat game being confirmed is a welcome bit of good news following the reported cancellation of future MK1 DLC. Supposedly scrapped due to disappointment in the Khaos Reigns expansion, both from a sales standpoint and in terms of the community’s response, players have been left wondering “what’s next” for the franchise. Another entry was always going to be a matter of if, not when, as the base game sold well and the Mortal Kombat franchise is as mainstream as ever thanks to the current series of films. Fortunately, it’s now likely to be one of the next two games NetherRealm releases.
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Mortal Kombat’s Next Entry is Already in the Works
Boon confirmed that NetherRealm is “definitely pursuing another Mortal Kombat game” in an interview with Collider, but couldn’t elaborate any more on what he and his team are working on, as he worries he would “get in trouble” if he teased anything else. He did add, however, that the studio is “definitely doing more” alongside the new Mortal Kombat franchise. Many are expecting a new entry in the Injustice series, with multiple leaks from the last several years having suggested that such a game is in the works, and it would make sense if such a game released prior to Mortal Kombat. Whether the new Mortal Kombat game or NetherRealm’s other title releases first is anyone’s guess, though the latter dropping sooner would make sense given how long it has supposedly been in the works.
Scratch & Peek
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as
possible.
Identify the cover art while scratching off as little foil as possible.
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What the next Mortal Kombat game’s story could entail is also a mystery. Khaos Reigns wrapped up the story of the multiversal Havok (even if the villain’s exact fate going unshown has left fans scratching their heads), so there’s room to introduce a new villain to the mix. With NetherRealm free to go in any direction it wants with its narrative – though another reboot seems unlikely given how fresh Fire God Liu Kang’s universe is – it will be intriguing to see what path is taken.
Similarly, the gameplay of the next Mortal Kombat could easily be a case of NetherRealm going back to the drawing board. Whether the Kameo system returns, or is retired like the gear system, is unclear. The poorly received Invasions mode could easily be retired, while a classic Krypt returning would surely be celebrated by the Mortal Kombat fan base. Hopefully, the next game can dodge controversies like the ones its predecessor endured, as MK1’s Switch version and microtransactions brought plenty of bad press for the game.
Drag weapons to fill the grid
Drag weapons to fill the grid
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As fans wait for news on the next game, they can look forward to seeing Mortal Kombat 2 in theaters, which includes Karl Urban’s debut as Johnny Cage. This film is just one of the non-gaming projects NetherRealm is involved in, as some of the “pots on the stove” mentioned by Ed Boon include “other forms of media.”
- Released
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September 19, 2023
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Publisher(s)
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Warner Brothers Games
