Highlights

  • Mortal Kombat 1's embrace of the multiverse concept allows for a future DC crossover game to feel like a natural progression of the story.
  • Despite its flaws, the unique mashup in Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe showcased the potential of such a concept.
  • NetherRealm's evolution since 2008 makes now the perfect time for a new Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe game.

The concept of a multiverse has been around for decades in the realm of entertainment, with superhero comics being some of the first forms of media to really embrace the premise. But thanks to high-profile releases like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness, and The Flash, multiverses have been thrust into the mainstream consciousness, and that's not even including the realm of video games, where titles like Mortal Kombat 1 have recently embraced the multiverse premise.

Before release, NetherRealm made it clear that Mortal Kombat 1's story would revolve around Fire God Liu Kang's new universe, with the long-term franchise protagonist having restarted the universe at the end of Mortal Kombat 11's Aftermath DLC. However, though the concept of an alternate universe had been established, many fans weren't expecting Mortal Kombat 1 to dive into the multiverse just as much as it did in its final story chapters. Now fully embracing the multiverse, Mortal Kombat 1's evolving story is continuing to bring alternate versions of beloved series characters to the game, and there's already a clear final destination for the series in fans' minds: an Injustice crossover.

Borderlands Movie x Mortal Kombat
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Mortal Kombat 1's Multiverse Should Lead to a DC Crossover Game

Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe Is a Premise Worth Revisiting

Released in November 2008, Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe was the final entry in the franchise before NetherRealm's reboot in 2011, and as that implies, the game had no shortage of flaws. Though it received a decent critical reception, with a Metacritic score of 76 on PS3, Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe made a few decisions that divided fans, including removing much of Mortal Kombat's patented gore and dismemberment, delivering an ambitious, yet half-baked and bizarre storyline, and featuring some rough-around-the-edges fighting mechanics.

Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe was technically developed by Midway Games, which filed for bankruptcy soon after its release. However, Warner Bros. acquired much of Midway, including the development team behind the Mortal Kombat series, rebranding the studio as NetherRealm.

But Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe wasn't all bad. Though the integration of both universes left a lot to be desired, the characters and general vibes of each franchise actually meshed together quite well, and in its better moments, Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe shines as a fun, tongue-in-cheek adventure that feels as though it's been ripped right off the pages of a comic book.

NetherRealm Is Ready to Tackle a Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe Game

NetherRealm has come very far in the last decade. After making a sizable initial impact with the return to form that was Mortal Kombat 2011, NetherRealm refused to rest on its laurels, and instead continued to evolve and improve with each new entry, eventually producing Mortal Kombat 1. Though some fans would disagree, Mortal Kombat 1 is arguably NetherRealm's best work yet, at least in terms of its fighting mechanics and impressive presentation. A lot has changed since Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe's release in 2008, and as such, it might be time to revisit that premise.

With two Injustice games under its belt, and multiple DC guest characters now in Mortal Kombat, it feels safe to say that NetherRealm knows what it's doing with the DC universe, far more than it did back in 2008. Similarly, it knows a lot more about meshing together different universes in a much more natural and compelling way. With all this experience at hand, and the Mortal Kombat universe now in a place where a multiversal crossover with DC makes perfect sense and feels natural, NetherRealm could make a genuinely excellent Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe game. It could even start soon with a brief crossover at the end of Mortal Kombat 1's life, as the game's final season could revolve around a DC multiverse invasion.