After an initial taste of things to come; third-party data collector SteamDB has updated with a massive list of new Mortal Kombat 11 achievements that appear to point to several new and returning characters. Beware of potential spoilers ahead:

Third party service SteamDB has begun tabulating API data for Mortal Kombat 11, revealing achievements for standard task-based activities, including actions for Basic Tutorial and The Krypt, as well as the first implied reference to would-be returning character: Erron Black!

Mortal Kombat still has a while to go before it finds its way back to the big screen, but a teaser trailer for 2018 movie Ready Player One may have given fans something to get excited about! Watch the trailer below and see if you can spot which cameo got MK Online staff talking.

Injustice 2 has just received an update for June, and while its primary function has been to improve the overall gaming experience -- it's also updated the Character Select Screen with upcoming downloadable character Red Hood, and fresh teases for future characters!

For the past few months, promotion for Injustice 2 has been curiously limited for a NetherRealm Studios fighting game. We expect to hear much more in the new year, but Creative Director Ed Boon may be dangling at least one cryptic clue to ponder over the holidays.

The "Komplete Edition" disc release of Mortal Kombat XL may have come a mere four months ago, but that hasn't stopped a loud clamor from rabid Mortal Kombat fans hungry for more!

The seemingly endless apetite for content led to confusion this month, but according to the lead developer, there is still "big" Mortal kombat XL news coming sometime in the future.

We still don't know for sure what NetherRealm Studios' soon to be announced project is, but we're already getting the first character tease from master of puppets: Ed Boon!

Its becoming a routine of every couple of years: Ed Boon has updated his Twitter avatar and background -- signalling the ritual cycle of speculation for NetherRealm Studios' newest upcoming game project.

All rumors and reason point toward a follow-up to the franchise starter: Injustice: Gods Among Us. A presumed development back and forth begun with Warner Brothers' post-acqusition Mortal Kombat (2011), and the soon-to-be DC Comics fighting game series of 2013.

Not content to play it entirely safe, Boon's pushing ambiguity in the face of expectation. The "DAMN good question" being asked: Does his teasing image indicate the Roman numeral II (two) for Injustice, or the number 11 for a Mortal Kombat X sequel?

With the 2016 Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) right around the corner, speculation is mounting that NetherRealm Studios will announce their next game project very soon.

All expectations are Injustice: Gods Among Us will return for the first sequel to the DC Comics superhero fighting game. French site GameBlog.fr cites unnamed sources close to the imminent announcement, projecting an unverified 2017 release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC.

The first Injustice: Gods Among Us was released this time, 2012, preceding its debut at the E3 of the same year [original story]. Emerging speculation places an announcement at the ESL Mortal Kombat X Season 3 finals, June 11th.

In their many incarnations, NetherRealm Studios has produced regular fighting game releases every two years. Since being purchased by Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment, we've seen Mortal Kombat (2011), Injustice: Gods Among Us (2013) and Mortal Kombat X (2015) released in April. A Gods Among Us sequel follows the increasing familiar pattern, even as Creative Director Ed Boon polls interest in more Mortal Kombat projects [full story].

The future of non-playable character cameos in the Mortal Kombat series may be in doubt as the impact of persistent fan outcry within NetherRealm Studios comes to light.

Mortal Kombat X Sound Designer Brian Chard has been sharing his unique perspective with inquisitive fans, revealing aggressive interest in inaccessible fighters may have had a negative effect on the powers that be: "... [You] should know that those who complained about NPCs pretty much convinced Ed not to have em in future games."

When asked to clarify which types of NPC he believed are in danger, Chard pointed to in-game opponents and story mode cut scene cameos: "The impression I got was both, when it comes to potential roster chars (i.e., Outworld Soldier #2 is still safe)."

Both types of non-playable character drew significant attention from fans who've been trained to expect post-release additions through downloadable content channels. Remarkably, decisions relating to DLC have been largely disconnected from in-game appearances - an otherwise natural method for building anticipation for subsequent releases. Of the eight DLC characters, only one of each NPC type was included: Tanya, who appeared as an NPC opponent, and Bo' Rai Cho - a minor player in story FMVs.

Far from condemning his colleagues, Chard questions the quality of discourse from fans quick to attack the developer studio: "I think it's stupider of people who complained about them not being playable and called us lazy." With regards to characters who appear in NPC fights, he explains: "Just so everyone understands: It's a long way from fightable to playable." Characters who appear as NPCs may otherwise have missed out all together. On fan desire, Chard adds: "... it shows us how well received the original game was, which is nice."

"Lazy" has become an unfairly frequent catchall phrase for fans dissatisfied with perceived inconsistencies in the NetherRealm and Warner Brothers' approach. The substitution of personal preference in place of legitimate critique often downplays the work of artists and developers contributing to the marathon of a finished product. Malicious attacks and demands through social media - among the most egregious examples of fan ignorance.

Of course, no game is immune from criticism, and NPC kombatants have played an awkward role in the life of Mortal Kombat X. Invasion Mode appeared to suffer for the absence of existing and new character assets [read more]. Expectations for a character like Fujin: as much a consequence of the decision to reboot the series in 2011, as his consolation appearance in story mode sequences. Mortal Kombat X draws considerable inspiration from 1997's Mortal Kombat 4 - which introduced the character in a playable capacity.