Mortal Kombat remains one of gaming’s most venerable franchises, especially in the fighting game sphere. The latest entry in the Mortal Kombat franchise, Mortal Kombat 1, was a critical and commercial success following its release late in 2023, even despite facing some controversy related to its DLC and microtransaction practices. The franchise also looks to continue its strong multimedia footprint in the future, as the next theatrical film is set to release later this year.
Despite the incredible success Mortal Kombat has seen as of late, the franchise is facing one notable fork in the road: the name of its next game. With the most recent entry being a soft reboot titled Mortal Kombat 1, there’s a likelihood that the next game in the series will be titled Mortal Kombat 2. This new naming convention for the series has its drawbacks and its merits, and it could be both a curse and a blessing for NetherRealm.
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Whenever a New Mortal Kombat Game Releases, MK1 Should Get One Change
Before fully moving on to the next game in the series, Mortal Kombat 1 can end its run with a welcome gesture for its loyal players.
Mortal Kombat 2 Faces A Fork In The Road
The Name Mortal Kombat 2 Creates A Lot Of Confusion
Obviously, calling the next game Mortal Kombat 2 would create a lot of confusion, because a game titled Mortal Kombat 2 already exists. It’s not uncommon for video game remake/reboot sequels to keep the name of their original game, as we’ve seen with recent titles in the Resident Evil and Call of Duty franchises. Still, it’s a naturally odd thing when two games have the exact same title and feature the exact same number in their names.
What’s more, the upcoming film is also set to be titled Mortal Kombat 2. Thus, if the next game in the franchise goes forward with a similar name, there will be three notable pieces of media in the franchise titled Mortal Kombat 2. There will naturally be naming conventions to differentiate the three, such as using years or denoting which type of artistic medium each belongs to, but it becomes harder to discuss Mortal Kombat 2 when such a thing exists in three different forms.
Mortal Kombat 2 Makes More Sense Than Mortal Kombat 13
That said, it makes some sense for NetherRealm to title the next game Mortal Kombat 2. With Mortal Kombat 1 serving as a reboot of the franchise’s story, it makes more sense to title the next game Mortal Kombat 2, instead of calling it Mortal Kombat 13. Such a title would create the assumption that the game is returning to the story of previous titles instead of continuing what the latest entry offered, necessitating a name like Mortal Kombat 2.
NetherRealm could also hit a goldmine if the next game is titled Mortal Kombat 2, especially if the developers can reveal it quickly enough. The new film is set to release this October, and if the next movie is a big enough financial hit, it would make sense for NetherRealm to capitalize on its success. Calling the game Mortal Kombat 2, just as the movie Mortal Kombat 2 releases, would help bring a slew of new fans in and create huge cross-promotional success.
With Mortal Kombat 1 serving as a reboot of the franchise’s story, it makes more sense to title the next game Mortal Kombat 2, instead of calling it Mortal Kombat 13.
Mortal Kombat 2 Is Probably A Few Years Away
Of course, it’s fair to assume that gamers may have to hold their horses if they expect the Mortal Kombat 2 game to be ready in a similar timeframe to the movie. Given that NetherRealm’s last four Mortal Kombat games have all come out within four years of each other, a similar timeframe seems likely for the next title. Thus, given that Mortal Kombat 1 was released in 2023, we may not see the next proper game until around 2027. Still, with future DLC for MK1 rumored to be scrapped, perhaps those ideas will be repurposed into a sequel that is revealed near the movie’s release and debuts sooner than usual to capitalize on a shared name.
With this in mind, NetherRealm is going to need to spend a lot of time weighing the pros and cons of calling the next title Mortal Kombat 2. It’s entirely fair to call it that given the name change of the previous game, but the team will have to prepare for plenty of confusion among gamers. Nevertheless, whenever the next game is ready to go, it should continue to remind gamers why Mortal Kombat is one of the best fighting game franchises around.
Welcome to a new era of Kombat. NetherRealm Studios ushers in a new era of the iconic fighting franchise with a total reset that changes the entire world as we know it. Following the thrilling climax of Mortal Kombat 11, the all-powerful Fire God Liu Kang has created a New Era in the hope of bringing peace to Earthrealm and beyond. Through the series’ most cinematic story mode yet, you’ll be reintroduced to a cast of legendary warriors as you’ve never seen them before. Expect twists on classic friendships and rivalries, as well as new backstories that will change everything you think you know about your favorite Kombatants. Discover a host of new offline and online game modes as you master a revitalized fighting system that boasts bone-crunching Fatal Blows, defensive Breakers and the most creatively vicious Fatalities yet.
- Released
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September 19, 2023
- Publisher(s)
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Warner Bros. Games