Highlights

  • Doctor Who's soft relaunch could benefit its gaming adaptations, just like Mortal Kombat 1's reboot did.
  • Many of Doctor Who's older games were developed for outdated platforms, hindering their success.
  • With Disney involved in Doctor Who's relaunch, there is an opportunity for better engagement with game development and potential spin-offs.

The major step Mortal Kombat 1 took by being both a sequel and a reboot could serve as the ideal blueprint for Doctor Who, as the show's soft relaunch could be the advantage it needs to finally move past its history of hit-and-miss gaming adaptations. Since it holds the accolade as the longest-running sci-fi television show, it's no surprise that Doctor Who has expanded into audiobooks, novelizations, and spin-offs. Despite this, Doctor Who's video games have seemingly struggled. Recent releases like The Lonely Assassins did well, while others like The Edge of Reality got a mixed reception.

However, any issues that have plagued Doctor Who games are often down to the series' age, as some of its oldest games were developed for the likes of the BBC Micro just before its classic era ended in the 80s. This arguably left the BBC cautious regarding future gaming adaptations, but with Disney now involved as Doctor Who embarks on a large-scale soft relaunch, it has the chance to better understand and engage with game development. So, just as Doctor Who attempts to "restart" the series from 2023 onward, it should take inspiration from Mortal Kombat 1's reboot and do the same with Doctor Who games.

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Doctor Who's Dedication To Its Relaunch Should Include Its Games

Doctor Who's Gaming Reboot Could Be Down To Disney

Though it would have little impact on the range of current Doctor Who games, the opportunity to both acknowledge and rise above its legacy of bad gaming adaptations shouldn't be wasted, especially when this could capitalize on the show's relaunch. For example, in an interview with SFX Magazine, current showrunner Russell T Davies confirmed that Ncuti Gatwa's upcoming run as the fifteenth Doctor would be a reset as "season one." While this isn't an unusual move given that Davies did the same for Christopher Eccleston's series during Doctor Who's 2005 revival, this decision could be motivated by its partnership with Disney.

Davies has already admitted to having high hopes for Doctor Who. During an interview with Paul Kirkley he responded to the ongoing range of Star Wars and Marvel shows from Disney+ suggesting that Doctor Who should do the same:

Davies: There should be a Doctor Who channel now. You look at those Disney announcements, of all those Star Wars and Marvel shows, you think, we should be sitting here announcing The Nyssa Adventures , or The Return of Donna Noble, and you should have the tenth and eleventh Doctors together in a 10-part series ... I think that will happen one day. If we can just shift Doctor Who up a gear...

It's likely no coincidence that just two years later, Davies would announce not just his return to Doctor Who with David Tennant and Catherine Tate as the former tenth Doctor and Donna Noble, but also the show's partnership with Disney. Even while the BBC and Disney assured audiences that their creative input would be limited, Davies was simultaneously suggesting that this backing would lead to more Doctor Who spin-offs and a larger multimedia "Whoniverse" as he'd envisioned.

Doctor Who's Gaming Reboot Should Take Inspiration From Mortal Kombat 1

Sub-Zero and Scorpion looking at an eclipse in the Mortal Kombat 1 trailer

Ultimately then, if both Davies and Disney are pushing for Doctor Who to go further than just the singular television series, this relaunch should encompass the series' gaming adaptations too. To achieve this, Doctor Who should look to successful reboots of other long-standing gaming series, with the specific example of Mortal Kombat 1. Between several different development studios and multiple games attempting to tell a continuous story, Mortal Kombat 1's reboot of its timeline was likely prompted to give the series a clearer, more cohesive future, something that the inconsistent mix of Doctor Who games could also benefit from.

Given that Doctor Who already has a reputation for interfering with time and space at its core, a reboot adopting the same ideas from Mortal Kombat 1 would be very easy to accomplish. By also incorporating tributes to previous Doctor Who games just as Mortal Kombat 1 does with Kameo Fighters, ranging from The Adventure Games to The Edge of Reality, this reboot could reflect the show's ongoing relaunch and leave no uncertainty that these games are part of a new era. In doing so, through Disney's creative guidance and Mortal Kombat 1's reboot approach, Doctor Who could have an all-new future in gaming.

Sources: SFX Magazine, X