Highlights
- Mortal Kombat 1 may potentially have a sequel in the planning stages, indicated by hints from an integral figure in its development.
- The game features a new Kameo system, allowing players to call in fighters from a separate roster to assist with specific attacks.
- Mortal Kombat 1 will have post-launch updates, and its story director implies that this installment is just the beginning, possibly hinting at future developments like a sequel.
An integral figure in Mortal Kombat 1's development has hinted that there may potentially be a sequel already in the planning stages. The imminent Mortal Kombat 1 sees Fire God Liu Kang reboot the timeline after the conclusion of 2019's Mortal Kombat 11. This fresh installment in the legendary fighting game franchise will feature a new Kameo system which allows players to call in fighters from a separate roster to assist with specific attacks.
Part of the road leading up to Mortal Kombat 1's launch in September has been the filling out of both the base and Kameo rosters with trailers and reveals. Since its unveiling in May, fans eagerly anticipating Mortal Kombat 1 have been treated to reveals for long-forgotten Mortal Kombat characters such as Li Mei, Ashrah, Tanya, and Havik, along with the return of characters introduced in more recent entries like Geras and Kenshi. At Geoff Keighley's recent Gamescom Opening Night Live, Mortal Kombat 1 revealed the return of Sindel and Shao Kahn as well. Additionally, NetherRealm confirmed that The Boys' Homelander, Invincible's Omni-Man, and DC's Peacemaker, alongside Mortal Kombat's own Quan Chi, Takeda, and Ermac, will join the roster post launch as part of Kombat Pack 1.
While NetherRealm's road beyond Mortal Kombat 1 remains unclear, the game's narrative director provided a small bit of vague insight. In an interview with ComicBook, Story Director Dominic Ciancolo brought up how 2011's Mortal Kombat reboot seemed to have rushed its character development to fit the stories of the first three Mortal Kombat games into one title. Ciancolo followed that up by calling Mortal Kombat 1 a "springboard" for these freshly rebooted characters to develop. He also mentioned how Mortal Kombat 1 is "the first step on this road," implying that NetherRealm may already be in the early stages of planning a sequel.
"And so we're going to obviously see the characters develop, they're going to change, things are going to happen, but this is not the end. This is just the beginning. And so that's going to be something we hopefully will evolve as we go forward." - Mortal Kombat 1 Story Director Dominic Ciancolo via ComicBook
The early-mid 2010s saw NetherRealm alternating between Mortal Kombat and DC's popular Injustice games. With NetherRealm about to serve up its second Mortal Kombat title in a row, one must wonder about the future of the studio's beloved Injustice series. With Ed Boon recently speaking on his notepad of ideas for the potential Injustice 3, Ciancolo's statements seem to conflict with what would seem like NetherRealm's next move. Since Mortal Kombat 1 will likely see several years of post launch support just like its Mortal Kombat 11 predecessor, this potential sequel will likely be many years away; even longer if NetherRealm tackles Injustice 3 next.
It's already been a huge year for fighting games with Street Fighter 6 releasing to critical acclaim earlier in the Summer and the much anticipated Tekken 8 sneaking out into January 2024. Even with the Bloodborne-inspired Soulslike Lies of P stepping on its toes on September 19, Mortal Kombat will undoubtedly have a huge release as part of 2023's one-two punch of blockbuster fighting games behind Street Fighter 6. What NetherRealm does next is still very much a mystery.
Mortal Kombat 1 is coming on September 19 to PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X|S.
Source: ComicBook