An avatar change isn't usually considered news, but when there's a vacuum of reliable Mortal Kombat information, and you're franchise figurehead Ed Boon, your slightest tweak inspires special significance for 367,000 rabid followers!

As the 25th year of Mortal Kombat draws toward an end; Boon made the switch from a celebratory anniversary dragon logo [pictured below left], to something reflecting the two major franchises he oversees with NetherRealm Studios: Scorpion from Mortal Kombat X, and Batman of the DC Comics Injustice stable!

Greg Russo is a writer currently tackling the next Mortal Kombat big screen reboot, but after a list of characters leaked, he's also been writing his fair share of rumor killing tweets!

The writer already addressed widespread rumors, shooting down their validity based on generations of the rewritten script, and inaccuracies in the original report. In his latest message to fans, Russo targeted two of the worrisome character changes since excised by the creative process.

Reports of a rumored character list for the next Mortal Kombat movie have had everybody talking, but the most important voice may be Greg Russo's.

The writer of the film took to Twitter to respond to concerns raised by the leaked information, clarifying that the list was based on an earlier version of the script, and only partially accurate.

A Mortal Kombat theatrical reboot has been in the works for much of the last decade, but the most recent phase only began in 2015, with news James Wan was attached to produce.

A first-time director soon followed, but substantial information has been scarce in the eighteen months since, leading to a smattering of conflicting rumors, misinformation, and unsubstantiated reports.

That Hashtag Show claims uncredited exclusive information from a new script by confirmed writer Greg Russo, who is also working on several other video game related projects, including: a Resident Evil reboot, and F.E.A.R. adaptation for Warner Digital's Machinima channel.

The story centers around a list of characters led by "Cole Turner" -- a Philadelphia boxer, and father, reportedly created to lead the movie.

If true: the new invention may be conceived as an entry point character, who will discover the Mortal Kombat universe as surrogate for the audience. With just a hint of Rocky to inform the concept, he may also provide the film a meaningful lead character to kill for a more bloodthirsty adaptation.

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.

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?

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.

Creative Director Ed Boon has dropped an enticing message for Mortal Kombat X fans on Twitter. The slightly cryptic note: a promise of much more good news beyond the imminent, controversial Kombat Pack 2.

The most recent update to PC versions of Mortal Kombat X has provided the first clue to suggest a klassic arena coming to downloadable content! Mortal Kombat Online affiliate Murdoink uncovered the reference diving into settings updates, which add "Pit" to the list of "background" arenas in the code: