Warner Bros. has confirmed what Mortal Kombat 1 followers feared after the latest launch of the Definitive Version: no new DLC characters or story chapters shall be launched for the sport.
Mortal Kombat 1 has bought 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 almost 11 million items bought worldwide quickly after launch. By 2022, Mortal Kombat 11 had bought greater than 15 million copies worldwide. Clearly, Mortal Kombat 1 has underperformed in comparison with earlier video games within the sequence.
In a tweet on the official Mortal Kombat social media account, Warner Bros. acknowledged the frustration the information will trigger gamers, “however our workforce at NetherRealm must shift focus to the subsequent venture with the intention to make it as nice as we probably can.”
Warner Bros. did not say what this new venture is, however present hypothesis factors to Injustice 3, a continuation of NetherRealm’s DC combating sport sequence.
Right here’s the assertion in full:
We’re listening to gamers’ requests for continued sport help of Mortal Kombat 1, and, whereas we’ll proceed to help Mortal Kombat 1 by means of stability changes and fixes, there is not going to be extra DLC characters or story chapters launched from this level on.
We perceive this shall be disappointing for followers, however our workforce at NetherRealm must shift focus to the subsequent venture with the intention to make it as nice as we probably can.
March 2025’s launch of the T-1000 visitor character, which got here a year-and-a-half after the discharge of Mortal Kombat 1 itself, now goes down as the sport’s remaining main content material drop. For context, in July 2021, NetherRealm introduced it had began work on its subsequent venture (Mortal Kombat 1) and, in consequence, 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. At this time’s announcement comes one yr and eight months after the discharge of Mortal Kombat 1.
Gamers are already citing prior feedback from NetherRealm improvement chief Ed Boon, who had promised followers years of help. Certainly, many at the moment are pointing to a September 2024 tweet from 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 come back.”
Mortal Kombat 1 loved one thing of a resurgence in January with the key battle with Floyd, the pink ninja developer 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, general, been a disappointing launch for a lot of core Mortal Kombat followers.
What now for Mortal Kombat? Guardian firm Warner Bros. Discovery has indicated that it nonetheless believes the gory combating sport franchise has a future. In November, CEO David Zaslav stated that on the video games facet of issues, the corporate plans to double down on simply 4 titles, one in all which was Mortal Kombat. Film adaptation Mortal Kombat 2 is due out later this yr.
Wesley is Director, Information at IGN. Discover him on Twitter at @wyp100. You may attain Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
