Warner Bros and NetherRealm Studios has introduced the Mortal Kombat 1 Definitive Version, which can include all of the DLC characters, new film skins, “and extra”. This newly packaged model of the gory fighter is obtainable now, and provides an opportunity for folk to hop in with all of the content material. However this information has been met with an intense damaging response, and stands out as particularly dire given the current Warner Bros quarterly monetary report.
This definitive version, which can greater than doubtless be the ultimate model of the sport, comes solely two years after its launch again in 2023. Definitive does actually imply the tip of one thing, in spite of everything. The sport has offered, so far as we all know, at least 5 million copies and stays a excessive ranker on month-to-month downloads on consoles, a fact recently highlighted by Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon. All this seems like nice information proper? It’s, however further context paints a extra sophisticated image.
Whereas Mortal Kombat 1’s 5 million gross sales determine sounds great, Mortal Kombat X sold more than 12 million copies in its life, whereas Mortal Kombat 11 – one of the best seeling MK ever – broke the 15 million sales milestone. As such, Mortal Kombat 1’s gross sales efficiency appears considerably smaller than previous releases would lead you to count on.
Within the Warner Bros Q1 2025 financial report, the corporate highlighted a 48% lower in income from its gaming division in comparison with final 12 months. This was attributed to final 12 months’s Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League (which underperformed), and final 12 months’s larger carry-over from Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat 1.
Why that is notably irritating for a portion of followers is that this definitive version marks an finish to a brief life for Mortal Kombat 1. In September of final 12 months, Ed Boon went on Twitter to state that the staff had not begun work on NetherRealm’s subsequent sport, and “NetherRealm continues to be totally dedicated to supporting Mortal Kombat 1 for a very long time to return.” To present Mr Boon a break, if Warner Bros desires NetherRealm to maneuver onto a brand new sport, that is not precisely his name. I am positive he and the staff could be cool engaged on Mortal Kombat 1 for years if they may. However given this assertion, you have to marvel how far we’re from NetherRealm’s subsequent sport if it is had solely eight months to work on it.
Nevertheless it’s a bummer for Mortal Kombat followers! It feels as if a sport that is performing fairly nicely in comparison with different combating video games (albeit not prior MKs) is doubtlessly getting the DLC rug pulled from beneath it. The aggressive scene will now be left with a last model, kinda hampering its potential to develop, and it will fade out from folks’s minds as they look ahead to Mortal Kombat 2 or Injustice 3, or what have you ever.
Until in fact they do proceed to launch DLC, regardless of calling it the definitive version. Which… That will be wild, however you by no means know.
So yeah, spare a thought for the NetherRealm staff, and tell us what you’d prefer to see from NetherRealm under!
