Summary
AsMortal Kombat 1starts to approach its one-year anniversary, it’s clear that the game has seen its fair share of fun content. From Quan Chi to Homelander fromThe Boys, the post-launch content forMortal Kombat 1has brought some great crossovers into the spotlight, while also showcasing some franchise favorites. Since the purpose ofMortal Kombat 1is to give the franchise a soft reboot, many players have wondered if a sequel will soon be on the horizon.
Although a sequel feels highly likely, thanks to the continuous popularity of theMortal Kombatgames, a follow-up may take longer than some may be expecting. WithMortal Kombat 1getting an expansion, the game’s post-launch content is continuing to arrive, and series director Ed Boon recently stated that there are plans to continue the game’s evolution. This bodes well forMortal Kombat 1’s future, but it’s bad news for the possibility of a sequel any time soon.
Mortal Kombat 1 Has Its Sights Set on Longevity
Ed Boon’s Recent Comments Hint at Mortal Kombat 1’s Future
Boon’s appearance at San Diego Comic Con shed light onwhat players can expect from theMortal Kombatfranchisein the future. In an interview with Boon, it was made quite clear that developer NetherRealm Studios has plans to keepMortal Kombat 1going for as long as possible. Boon said, “we were pretty sure when we launchedMortal Kombat 1that we were going to be doing years of content, so this is year two.”
The emphasis on multiple years implies thatMortal Kombat 1will likely have at least another year, if not more, of planned content on the horizon. Of course, Boon didn’t necessarily elaborate too much on how many years he and the rest of NetherRealm Studios have in mind forMortal Kombat 1, but it at least seems as thoughthe Khaos Reigns expansionwon’t be the last post-launch content offered to players.
There’s also the possibility that NetherRealm releases another game before the next Mortal Kombat, like Injustice 3, which would put a sequel off for even longer.
Mortal Kombat 1 Mirrors Warner Bros. Future Plans
Since NetherRealm Studios is part of the vast fabric of Warner Bros., it’s no surprise for Boon to emphasizeMortal Kombat 1’s planned longevity. Earlier this year,Warner Bros. announced its plans to focus on live-service titlesover one-time releases. Although this news came as a surprise after the disastrous release ofSuicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, other live-service titles, likeMultiVersus, have fared better than the aforementioned DC title. With Warner Bros. having its sights set on the ongoing nature of live-service games, it makes perfect sense for Ed Boon to share these same sentiments when it comes toMortal Kombat 1.
We were pretty sure when we launchedMortal Kombat 1that we were going to be doing years of content, so this is year two.
For the past year,Mortal Kombat 1has made some bold changesto the franchise. While not all have stuck the landing, continuously evolving the game through the years until a sequel is ready could be the right move. Also, although there are questions about aMortal Kombat 1follow-up, it definitely isn’t in need of a sequel at the moment. Not every gamer is a fan of live-service approaches likeMortal Kombat 1’s periodical expansions, but this is likely the best route for NetherRealm to go in order to make sure a sequel can be an improvement.
The live-service model has plenty of problems, but the bright side is that it oftentimes keeps a game from growing stale too quickly. Video games are rapidly evolving, and it can be difficult to keep up.Mortal Kombat 1is only in its first year, so talks of a sequel should arguably not even be happening. Of course,Mortal Kombat 1has its own unique problemsthat a follow-up will hopefully fix, but until then, Boon’s goal of growing the game for a few more years will hopefully bring plenty of worthy content.
