Why NetherRealm Wrapping Up Mortal Kombat 1 May Be a Blessing in Disguise

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home December 3, 2024 2 Views 6 Min Read
Why NetherRealm Wrapping Up Mortal Kombat 1 May Be a Blessing in Disguise

While the release of Mortal Kombat 1 was intended to be a bold step forward for NetherRealm Studios as both a reboot and sequel, an undercurrent of dissatisfaction has built up to recent rumors that the game could be coming to a premature end. It has come as a controversial shock to the community that the title could end up with one of the shortest life cycles in the series, but it’s also not surprising that the higher-ups at Warner Bros. Discovery could be reevaluating the future of MK. Although leaving Mortal Kombat 1 behind would let many fans down, it could also be a shift that benefits the franchise in the long run.




Following lukewarm player reception to the Khaos Reigns expansion, the Mortal Kombat 1 year three DLC cancelation leaks seem credible. It’s still possible that these leaks will be disproven, but if they’re true, it might not necessarily mean the worst-case scenario. An entirely new release might have a better shot at making up for MK1‘s shortcomings due to what could be seen as core flaws in its execution.

Mortal Kombat Deception Scorpion

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The Next Mortal Kombat Game’s Invasions Replacement May Already Be Clear

Mortal Kombat 1’s Invasions mode was a bit of a mixed bag, and the next game could replace it with the return of a highly-requested mode.

Continuing Mortal Kombat 1 Ultimately May Not Be Worthwhile for NetherRealm Studios

Potential Executive Orders Would Place NRS in a Tough Situation Regardless of Its Choices

With rumors pointing to WBD most likely having made the supposed call to scrap Mortal Kombat 1‘s future DLC plans, the game’s developer has been left at an awkward impasse. Studio head Ed Boon might receive direct backlash from fans if he publicly addresses what is perceived as the abandonment of a flagship title, but silence fosters more frustration about a general lack of transparency from NRS.


The Ambitious Vision of MK1 Doesn’t Appear to Have Been Fulfilled

After being marketed as a clean-slate reboot with an innovative take on story and gameplay, Mortal Kombat 1 has faced criticism for the uninspired implementation of trending live service elements. Now that Khaos Reigns has possibly underperformed at a price point nearly rivaling a full game purchase, it seems increasingly probable that it simply isn’t practical for NRS to keep trying to clean MK1‘s image.

Moving On to the Next Game Could More Thoroughly Address Mortal Kombat 1’s Foundational Criticisms

Based on circumstances such as Mortal Kombat 11 outpacing Mortal Kombat 1 player counts at certain points, the series’ fanbase has become more fractured over the past year. Between conflicting fan opinions on Kameos, guest character prevalence, and the continued emphasis on reusing classic MK story arcs, disagreements over preferred games have split the discourse into varying camps. A new game offers the chance to fully course-correct and revitalize interest across the board by learning from the mistakes of the entire NRS era of the franchise so far. Even though much of the negative feedback levied at the series has merit, the conflicting interests of different players would be better unified under a fresh start, rather than MK1 after it receives more major patches.


Though unlikely given WBD’s existing priorities, shelving Mortal Kombat for some time could allow for a renewed focus on other ideas like the Injustice IP. Fans of titles like MKX could be drawn in by an Injustice 3 with a darker tone, and the more neutral tone surrounding that series wouldn’t marry the same baggage. By being able to embrace riskier ideas under less pressure, branching out could help to grow the studio’s portfolio and eventually breathe new life into its flagship series when it returns.

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