MK1 and KP1 sales went "okay," not as good as MK11 sales, but enough to warrant releasing Khaos Reigns.
NOW, Khaos Reigns on the other hand in where it went horrible in sales.............Be it the guest choices, the gender-swap with Cyrax and Sektor (which was an issue for some people) or the general story writing which not many liked.
This is why I think that IF (key word) there is more DLC post-T1000 that it'll be a small KP (no story) similar to the KP2 with Rain, Mileena and Rambo for MK11.................Essentially, a small pack with 2 more MK recognizable favorites like Jade, Kabal, Nightwolf or Kintaro (for example) and maybe a guest would sell well. Those are some klassic characters that are popular enough to capture the attention of the average player and draw them back.
The problem is that you can put all guest characters in the world, but if the game itself has nothing to offer for the casual player, then they won't even bother with it. Even if it was on sale. MK1 has attracted the maximum amount of people it could. It got all the hardcore fans, it got the casual fans of MK, but it sure as hell not getting your average casual numbers. They checked the news, they saw the content by now and said "Nah, mate. I ain't spending money to sit there and do nothing."
MK11 sold so well, cause people were promised "10.000 different game modes in Towers of Time and endless content in the Krypt" which was bullshit, but still enough to convince plenty of casuals to try the game.
MK1 sold purely on brand recognition. If any other lesser known fighting game did what MK1 did at the launch, they would have been dead on arrival. I really doubt, that MK1 sales warranted Khaos Reigns in WB eyes, but I think it was already in development, so they just allowed it to drop, to see if anything would change. But I could be wrong there.
Khaos Reigns didn't go well with the people. That was essentially nail in the coffin for WB. If my ass could see the that sales weren't going to match MK11 (hell they might not even match MKX at this rate), then their analysts sure as hell could see it too.
Overall, I think James Gunn talking with NRS, has sealed the fate of MK. Boon likes superheroes more anyway. Hell Injustice series gets so much more love, than MK too. NRS just doesn't know nor care what to do with MK. They do it, cause it is popular, not cause they have a story to tell or make something. Injustice on other hand? That shit started a whole trend with evil Superman concept. It has awesome comic book series. It is actually consistent story wise (general plotline) and Injustice 2 smokes MK11 and MK1, content wise when it comes to fighters. Stages were also much better.
It feels that they are just forcing themselves with MK at this point. Maybe theories are true and that's why they half assed MK so much. So they can work on Injustice instead. Wouldn't be surprised.
And now that James Gunn is in charge of DC, Injustice might get a permit to get bloody. James Gunn could treat the game as "Suicide Squad" movies. Maybe that's why he went to talk with them.