After three long years, we've got Mortal Kombat sequel fever! At the behest of series director [Ed Boon]: we're counting down to June 2nd -- that's next Monday (if you haven't noticed)! It's also right around the time we've seen the unveiling of pre-E3 launch trailers for Mortal Kombat (2010) & Injustice: Gods Among Us (2012)!
Over 80% of the MKOmmunity is convinced the June 2 countdown will fulfil our desires. There are other theories and some new ideas, but with reported leaks and the general timing, we've got good reason to talk MK sequels!
As speculation about sequel content starts to mount; one of the leading queries is exactly which characters will make it back for another go around. By the end of the time distorting Mortal Kombat reboot plot -- a majority of Earthrealm's greatest champions were left for dead in the bowels of Netherealm! Last week, we looked at the Top 10 Replacement Kombatants Ready for a Comeback who could fill that void! This week; the Mortal Kombat Online Kountdown is turning an informed eye toward the survivors who could carry over into a next gen sequel!
With the previous game retelling a simplified and slightly altered version of the original trilogy: all signs are pointing toward a reprisal of the plot from 1997's Mortal Kombat 4. We eagerly anticipate the rise of fallen Elder God Shinnok -- whose evil plan appears to be going very well! Who will help or hinder the villain in this hypothetical sequel? Here are our Top 10 Returning Fighters from Mortal Kombat (2011):
Like the mythic serpent Ouroborus that devours its own tail; so too has the story of Mortal Kombat begun to consume itself! According to the conclusion of the last game: Earthrealm's greatest mortals have been fatally decimated!
It's a grim new reality brought by a time twisting tale that rewrote the saga of the original three games -- all part of Raiden's ultimate attempt to curb the race towards Armageddon.
Love or hate it -- the story of Warner Brothers' Mortal Kombat pseudo-reboot has brought us to a moment of unique anticipation: painfully familiar, but completely uncertain. Sequel plots aren't the only uncertainty, of course. We may be officially counting down to June 2nd -- but we still don't know for certain what NetherRealm Studios' next project will be!
80.6% of the MKOmmunity currently believe a sequel is on its way. Voice actress Karen Strassman's resumé seems to agree, but mixed sequel rumours persist. On Mortal Kombat Online we've got grand designs for a revolutionary next gen compromise - aaand nobody's quite sure what Kiefer Sutherland's talking about.
What we do know is that we're hungry for that next Mortal Kombat sequel! Since the 20th Anniversary (2012), it seems the most substantial offering was Scorpion Injustice DLC. Whether its revealed in June, or not, we're thinking about what's going to happen next! With all signs pointing toward a reprisal of the plot from 1997's Mortal Kombat 4 - we eagerly anticipate the rise of fallen Elder God Shinnok, and a war between Heaven and Hell with the realms caught in between!
NetherRealm Studios Project Lead Ed Boon is tweeting down to something in June. The cryptic countdown hit 24 today, and it's got Gameinformer feeling just a little self-conscious.
Anticipation for the next game from NetherRealm Studios has already been high, but it's about to reach fever pitch as we scramble for clues in the race to this year's E3!
Always on hand to add fuel to the fire: Creative Director Ed Boon has begun what appears to be a thinly veiled countdown that hits zero on June 2nd! This puts the mystery a week ahead of the June 10-12 Electronic Entertainment Expo.
In February; the first concrete news of a new Mortal Kombat game project came - surprisingly - via major voice cast addition: Kiefer Sutherland [full story]. With Warner Brothers keeping news on a tight leash, it seems our clearest indication of the game being a sequel has again come from the acting talent involved.
Karen Strassman -- the voice actress behind Kitana & Mileena in the 2011 reboot -- has added "Mortal Kombat 2" to her list of video game voice acting credits [pictured below]. Even more interesting, her involvement seems to have switched from Leading to Supporting role(s). Could this be an indication of the future for two of the series' most iconic ladies?
If you're wondering what that crunching sound is, it's just the copious helpings of salt we're taking this story with. Coming out of last weeks Wondercon; it seems Furious Fanboys has inferred a possible announcement of an Injustice sequel.
The supposed reveal came during a DC All Access panel showing of Batman: Arkham Knight and allegedly led to confusion about its release:
While people were applauding and cheering, they specifically say that Batman: Arkham Knight would be released later this year. After that statement is what most people didn’t hear, and they said to prepare for the return of Injustice. The “not a 2014 title” statement applied to the new Injustice, not the Batman sequel. No other details about the new Injustice, such as who is developing it, was revealed but it is apparently on the way…just not this year.
When 24: Live Another Day star Kiefer Sutherland told IGN he'd completed work on a mystery Mortal Kombat game [original story] -- Mortal Kombat Online turned to the MKOmmunity to narrow down which character he might be!
2011's reboot Mortal Kombat set the story in motion for a return to the plot of Mortal Kombat 4 - and it was there we looked for prime suspects. Our User Poll narrowed in on characters who didn't have a prominent voice-actor in the most recent game, and might find their way into an all new, shuffled cast.
It should be noted: We don't know what the unspecified game is, or any of the characters who will appear in it! This was merely an educated guess based on the likelihood of a sequel -- supported in part by the already over-active rumor mill.
In a case of he said, they said; Italian gaming site Games.it is reporting a listing for "Mortal Kombat 10" via online store Oz Games Shop.
The Australian online retailer is reported to have since pulled the listing, which included a November 22 release date across all platforms. This includes: PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC & PSVita.
Exciting, though it may be, it's not unusual for retailers to set up place holding pages for anticipated future products. Acknowledgment of an expected sequel has been noted for quite some time. The most substantial news broke in February; when Hollywood star Kiefer Sutherland revealed his contribution to voice work in an unspecified Mortal Kombat video game [full story].
Update (Mar. 20): Oz Games Shop (@ozgameshop) have denied the rumor, telling Mortal Kombat Online (via Twitter):
The inescapable echo of turkey gobbling can mean only one of two things: either someone's cracked out Mortal Kombat II for a little retro revenge, or there are thanks to be given in the MK homeland!
We understand not everyone celebrates Thanksgiving this time of year, but in the spirit of MK's origins and the general act of well wishing, we hope you'll oblige. Afterall, Mortal Kombat fans have had a lot to be thankful for in the last couple of years!
#10 Mortal Kosplay
We kinda missed the boat on Halloween, so why not start simple?
The influx of interest in Mortal Kombat has been a boon [see what I did there?] to fans of dressing up as their favourite kick-butt characters. This kostume kombat phenomenon goes well beyond the thrills of Halloween and officially endorsed costumes, extending to some of the world's biggest pop culture events and contests. There have been official models endorsed, too, as I'm sure you've managed to notice.
As an enlightened bastion of modern thinking, Mortal Kombat Online would never think to stoop to merely objectifying the female cosplayers among us, but that doesn't mean we aren't as thankful for the Kitana and Jades of the world, as much as Scorpion and Sub-Zero. Not to mention some of the less usual suspects! Check out the MKOmmunity's own keruuu (and friend) rocking a seriously bad ass Kung Lao and Nightwolf combo! [pictured right]
Yes, yes. Mileena, too. Perverts...
#9 The Fans
You can't have a wave of living tributes in costume without fans to squidge and wiggle inside them! The ragtag crew in the Mortal Kombat Online MKOmmunity represent only the tip of the iceberg, the coolest and most handsome fans who've flocked to Mortal Kombat in the last few years.
The continued success of the series is a testament to the diehard loyalty of its fans, old and new. Mortal Kombat has always had a sympathetic ear toward the fanbase, incorporating some of our ideas and rumors into the very games themselves! MK and MKO more than anyone knows what it means to be thankful for the fans (most of the time)!
#8 Music & Soundtrack
Fans of the Mortal Kombat games have long been spoiled by the tailor-made soundtracks of Dan "Toasty" Forden. The atmospheric musicman returned in 2011 to work his magic (and "toasty" cameo) in the latest game [read more], but he wasn't the only artist inspired by the warriors!
Mortal Kombat has a long and interesting history with music outside the games. From The Immortals' classic (infamous) concept album and single, to the borrowed music of the movies, music has made fans of many. Songs Inspired by the Warriors took MK back to the pop-alternative masses, uniting characters like Reptile with artists like Skrillex in an audio-concept fusion.
#7 Return to Live-Action
Granted, this step hasn't come without controversy, resulting in a wide variety of perspectives, not all of them good. Even so, however you slice it, the demand for a return to movies has been there since the 1997 sequel flopped, and we're thankful Mortal Kombat is getting another run.
