NetherRealm Studios shuts down all support for Mortal Kombat 11!
It is unfortunately the end of the current era of Mortal Kombat. NetherRealm studios has posted via Twitter page @MortalKombat that it will be ceasing all support for Mortal Kombat 11, and the current version of the game will remain as the final version of the game.
NetherRealm is now focusing on its next project and after more than two years of supporting Mortal Kombat 11, DLC for the game, including characters, has come to an end.
— Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate (@MortalKombat) July 2, 2021
What does this mean for the players and fans?
As fantastic as Mortal Kombat 11 was for everyone, this is actually great news for the player base. Mortal Kombat's timeline for creating new games has always been about two-year increments. Mortal Kombat 11, first released in March 2019, has been a pivotal installment to one of gaming's oldest and most famous fighting game franchise. MK11 has reinvigorated its player base with exciting DLC packages and beautifully gruesome graphics that has attracted a ton of new players on launch.
As it has hit its two-year mark, it is time for NetherRealm Studios to take the successes of Mortal Kombat 11, and translate it to a newer installment. This means that DLC has been officially stopped, and we probably won't see any new balance patches coming through anytime soon, if at all. It is unfortunate that the news is so sudden since MK11 has received only two balances patches in an entire year, and only one of those were major character balance changes.
Unfortunately some fans will never see their favorite characters shine in MK11, and it's time to look forward to the future. Although, Mortal Kombat 12 seems like the most simple transition for NetherRealm Studios to do, there have been some popular rumors floating around the past 24 hours since news broke out.
Nether Realm took to twitter to announce it has started work on its next project, and there will be no more DLC for Mortal Kombat 11. Which game do you hope they work on next? https://t.co/S92GJd5xJn pic.twitter.com/ydi2CIlmUc
— IGN (@IGN) July 3, 2021
Injustice 3 may be NRS's next big game.
The Injustice series has been a mixed bag of feelings when it comes to its fans. It was a fun way to introduce DC's most popular storyline into mainstream media, and canonically duking it out between your favorite heroes is always a fun time. However, the gameplay generally suffered due to its clunky controls, combo structures, and interactions. Most notably, fans wanted something more intense from a darker DC storyline, and it didn't quite deliver what Mortal Kombat did. It seemed like a re-envisioned cosplay of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. However, NRS has bounced between the Injustice Series and the Mortal Kombat saga in recent history, so it is not out of the question that an Injustice 3 may be the next big thing.
Marvel has just entered the conversation.
Fans are now speculating that NetherRealm Studios may be pivoting towards a Marvel game. Now, as it would be interesting to see a Marvel fighting game in NRS's style. It is unfortunately all speculation, and the reality may be a lot further from the truth than we realize. NetherRealm Studios is not an independent studio and it is 100% owned by Warner Brothers. Marvel video games are classified under the Marvel Entertainment division that is owned by Disney, which was one of the biggest hurdles for MVCI. Hopefully, we are all up-to-date on that drama. It's going to be incredibly unlikely that NRS will be able to obtain the licensing rights to produce a Marvel game with Disney cosigning the deal. Disney is very strict on the artistic choices game developers have when using their property as Disney's markets are generally aimed at a younger demographic (whatever sells the most toys).