Future of MK

[Xenon]

Remember high voltage's''port'' of injustice 1 on PS4...Yeah it could be way worse lol. I could only imagine what abomination that cancelled MKX ps3/360 port would have been.

You also forgot MKX. A trip down the memory lane:

https://imgur.com/zuR9ss0

MK11 wasn't exactly a great port either. HVS did the MK9 port, which had shitty low-res story mode cutscenes and Krypt being unlocked or something like that. But other than that, it was ok. Can't really say much about Injustice, skipped all of them.

Anyways, I've meant doing the actual development for the game, not ports. I doubt many would like it if company like EA got its studios to work on the next annual MK.

 

[lariat]

My point was all HV had to do was copy the code for the game and get it to work on other platforms. I'm not a programmer but I would think it's much less work to port a game than it is to build one from scratch. I could only dread what their own game would be. I sometimes wonder what Iron Galaxy or if Double Helix (Killer Instinct developers) would do if they worked on MK.

 

[Commander]

Oh yeah. You're right. MKX was passing of the torch after all. New generation of fighters and new generation of players. Right. They have finally moved on to a new target audience and they don't need to depend on nostalgia anymore. With new audience they can introduce new characters and move o.... oh what is this? Sorry? MK11 is filled with all of the classic characters from 30 years ago and reference events in MK9? Oh.

But... but I was told that they are aiming for a different demographi... oh please. YEAH. NRS is targeting the new demographic, my ass. I guess that's why they are bringing all of the guest characters from 80s-90s movies? Robocop, Rambo, Spawn, Terminator. How many people from 2000s even know the classic Robocop or Rambo? They are still using nostalgia bait, on the people that played the damn ORIGINAL MK games. Bullshit, they are aiming for something else.

They probably wanted to do that passing of the torch thing with MKX, but then either got cold feet or saw that people just want the classics, cause at core MK community is still made of people who know 3D era. It will take another 10 years, before this argument will make sense.

11 years is freaking nothing. We still have people talking about original MKs. I understand that new generation of kids, have the attention span and memory of the goldfish, but we are still kicking and playing games. We still remember the older games and movies and that's why they are making all of the goddamn references, that only 25-40 years will know. Hell even current movies are made for older MK fans. Reliving the OG MK tournament. MK 2021 was made for people that are familiar with MK to begin with, because if you go into that movie blind, you won't understand what the bloody hell is going on.

This is exactly why an MK9 remaster or de-master makes more sense to me too.

In MK11 we have:
- 20 out of the fucking 26 klassic characters from MK1 through UMK3
- 6 of those klassic motherfuckers were added via DLC
- 8 klassic stages via the Retrocade
- Shang Tsung's Courtyard, Goro's Lair, Dead Pool & the Soul Chamber
- Klassic ninja skins for Sub-Zero, Scorpion and Noob Saibot
- Klassic in-game skins for Johnny Cage, Liu Kang, Raiden, Sonya, Kung Lao, Jade, Kitana, Mileena and Skarlet
- Klassic DLC skins for Sonya, Shang Tsung, Kano, Jax and Kung Lao.... also Jax's Klassic Arms
- Every goddamn Klassic character has AT LEAST 1 klassic Fatality via Brutality.... Some have 2 or 3.
- 1995 MK Kano was essentially Kano's MK11 default skin
- 1995 MK Kano's skeleton was seen in Goro's dining room table (a nod to the 1995 movie)
- 1995 MK Reptile's statue was discoverable in the Krypt (another nod to the 1995 movie)
- 1995 MK movie skins and voices for Raiden, Sonya and Johnny Cage
- Friendships (which made their debut in MKII) had returned to the game.

Yeah, MK11 was fucking nostalgia overload and MKX doesn't even compare in that department.
Plus, to add to that, the younger versions of the characters in the MK11 story were ripped directly from MK9, before Kung Lao got killed off by Shao Kahn.
Even in the MK11 story mode and intro lines they were showing signs of getting stuff from MK9 and this whole damn fanbase is blinded by MK1 through UMK3 nostalgia, which is why an MK9 re-release (whether you want to call is a de-master, remaster or a port) is what makes the most sense to me.

Hell, at this point I wouldn't be surprised if the majority of the MK9 roster (save for maybe Cyber Sub-Zero and guests) makes it back for MK12, because that's what this fanbase faps to.
People don't really give a shit to see new characters or 3D era ones (as I do) because the minute that ____________ klassic character goes missing they will complain and harass Boon and NRS on social media so that they can get said characters.
We went from 5 characters from the 3D era down to just 2.
So, yeah, there's evidence that Boon and NRS saw that people didn't want the 3D era and new characters as much and went down from 5 to 2 characters and cut down another 3 MKX new characters.
They then went with the safest shit out there for all of their DLC, and I'm including Fujin in that because I wasn't the only one hoping to see him.
The ONLY character who maybe wasn't AS safe was maybe Sheeva, but then again she's an MK3 character so she falls under that blanket of the MK3 / UMK3 character era and she was tied to the Aftermath expansion / story in which she had some story chapters in.

If you ( and by "you" I mean generally speaking) don't think that characters like Shang Tsung (which can morph into 4 male ninjas for special moves), Sindel, Nightwolf, Terminator, Joker, Spawn, Rambo, Robocop, Fujin, Mileena and Rain aren't some of the safest characters to sell in a roster that already had a majority of the klassic roster........ then I don't know what to tell you.

 

[Jion_Wansu]

Not the MK11 levels. The oldest characters that people might not know were Jason and Leather Face. Predator and Alien are baby fresh, thanks to those recent woke awful movies. MK11 went all in on 80-90s characters. Even Spawn is mostly known to people who were old enough to see Spawn movie or started reading Spawn comics in 90s. Regardless. That point was just to show that NRS is still going after the OG audience. Though they are using bait and switch tactics. Use Nostalgia to lure you in, and then Bam. "Here is a plate of Wokeness and modernism. Don't like it? Get out then. Thanks for the money, shit for brains."

but that doesn't mean NRS can't make good games anymore IMO

You know. A lot of people seem to forget something very crucial, when it comes to video games. When we get excited about the games, when we buy them, when we play them, we don't just invest money in them. We invest something else. Something that we can't get a refund of or simply get back.
Time.
A precious limited resource. I have heard this tale, so many times, that I am just sick of it. "Well, they can still make a good game." "They won't repeat that again." "Next game will be better" "Just wait for them to fix it"

Let's look at "progression" of NRS games.

MK9 - started on consoles, then got ported to PC. Fun game, awesome story mode, fun Krypt, One currency, battle damage system, challenging diverse challenges, various different game modes, crappy netcode and overall a decent PC Port.

Injustice 1 - started on consoles, then got ported to PC. Fun game, awesome story, crappy netcode and a decent PC Port.

MKX - launched on all platforms. Decent game, Meh story, less different game modes, nerfed battle damage system, amazing Krypt, multiple currencies (tokens?) more focus on online component, E-Sports focus, Faction gimmick, awful netcode, pile of shit PC port.

Injustice 2 - launched on consoles and later got a PC port (late PC updates). Decent game, fun story, Major focus on online component, lootboxes, performance and netcode issues on PC (mainly Denuvo), Esports focus, broken gear system and introduced... A.I battles.

MK11 - launched on all platforms (late PC updates). Boring and limited gameplay (thanks to variation system), pile of shit "story", no battle damage, MAJOR FOCUS on ONLINE (going as far as making Krypt online), multiple currencies (4 fucking currencies, holy shit), PC port got abandoned and only received critical updates (days or even weeks after console versions received theirs), A.I Battles, Towers of Time mode (that tries to pretend being more, than one game mode), no crossplay for PC users, painfully forced E-Sports, blatant politics, etc.

8 years of NRS "progress" (If counting from release of MK9 to release of MK11.) I was 20, when MK9 came out. I am 30 now and about to be 31. I am a gamer for life, but I got into games, because I loved seeing the possibilities. Progress. Innovation. Experimentation. That stuff would inspire me to create things. To bring more to life. But now?

Years of "maybe next one will be better." or "Wait until they will fix it." Every new game, we pay more and get less. Every new game, we see less fun and more " GIMME MONEY". We don't even get video games anymore. What we get is a corporate white box with a label saying "Video game: Part 11"

They can't make good games, because they are part of corporate. And corporate doesn't like innovation and experiments.

At the end of the day they're a business woke or not and the walls are closing in on WB if they don't start producing bangers that fans want Discovery might pull a square enix and wash their hands of the gaming industry all together.

That just cements the fact that NRS won't make any good games. You can't built something amazing, if your motivation is "Oh shit, I am about to lose my job!". That just makes you rush and cut corners.

Though to be fair. Sometimes extreme pressure and time, can make coal into a diamond. So maybe NRS could turn things around if they use their competent team mem...

"Stephanie Brownback, also known as 16bit, is a Senior QA Analyst at NetherRealm Studios and a co-host of the Kombat Kast alongside Tyler Lansdown and Derek Kirtzic."

Oh right. Nevermind... They are fucked.

Sounds like this is also talking about the Street Fighter franchise. You guys see the SF6 bullshit lol. The reason that Street Fighter is being played more in tournaments than Mortal Kombat is because there are more international players who play Street Fighter. In reality, nobody really wants to play Street Fighter 5 and they'd rather play something like Third Strike or Super Turbo

 

[Misucra]

Sounds like this is also talking about the Street Fighter franchise. You guys see the SF6 bullshit lol. The reason that Street Fighter is being played more in tournaments than Mortal Kombat is because there are more international players who play Street Fighter. In reality, nobody really wants to play Street Fighter 5 and they'd rather play something like Third Strike or Super Turbo

SFV is bad, but not MK11 bad. While it is considered as the weakest SF in the series, it is still fun to watch and play. Not to mention, modding community is strong there and players get proper support over the years. The game has seen a lot of drastic changes too. MK11 on other hand... eh. You got this and deal with it.
"20 page long patches? You crazy? Nobody has the time for that!"

Oh man. Don't get me started on SF6. That was the most laziest teaser trailer I have ever seen. The logo was like a final touch, to show on how little they care about the quality.

My gut feeling is just screaming that the game will suck major ass. I can pretty much guarantee that it will be worse, than SFV launch. Probably even more paywalls and even more restrictions. Oh and censorship too.

 

[Guyver Spawn]

The next MK game will likely be on PS5 and Xbox Series X only. Mortal Kombat does have a history of being next gen excuslive when a new generation of consoles start.

MK4 - PS1/N64/Dreamcast (Just barely 5th gen)
MKDA - PS2/Xbox/Gamecube
MKvsDC - PS3 and Xbox 360
MKX - PS4 and Xbox One

Gotham Knights already had PS4 and Xbox One versions cancle. The PS4's hardware is already showing its age.

 

[Commander]

The next MK game will likely be on PS5 and Xbox Series X only. Mortal Kombat does have a history of being next gen excuslive when a new generation of consoles start.

MK4 - PS1/N64/Dreamcast (Just barely 5th gen)
MKDA - PS2/Xbox/Gamecube
MKvsDC - PS3 and Xbox 360
MKX - PS4 and Xbox One

Gotham Knights already had PS4 and Xbox One versions cancle. The PS4's hardware is already showing its age.

Pretty sure the next game could be on the Series S as well, but yeah, I don't think it'll come to the PS4 and One, either.
Just PS5 and Series X|S.

 

[lariat]

Yeah, I think it's safe to say NRS's new game isn't crossgen at this point. The bigger question is will you be able to walk in a store and buy a new system by the time their new game releases? I've yet to see a PS5 or Xbox series X for sale in any store where I live besides that series s model (There are rumours going around about developers complaining about memory issues with the Xbox series s ). The only way I can get one is by paying a scalper or signing up to some payed service so I might get a chance to get one. It's beyond embarrassing you can't just walk in and buy one.

 

[Commander]

I was thankful that I was able to get a PS5 during a Walmart drop about a month and a half back through a friend at work, but yeah, it's really ridiculous that you still can't buy either console in a store by walking in and picking it up.
As for the Series S, I've had it since February and I love it.
Picked up an external Samsung 1TB SSD not too long ago for $100 from Best Buy.
My bigger question is whether or not NRS is going to stick to the same Upgraded Unreal Engine 3 or if they're finally going to make the move to Unreal Engine 5. If it's the former, then the Series S shouldn't have to many issues running the game.
It runs MK11 just fine on Gamepass.

 

[lariat]

Well my ps4 pro runs MK11 just fine and thats like six year old hardware. I would hope a more powerful console would handle a crossgen game. My only concern is how well will the series s perform as the generation moves away from crossgen and embraces next gen games. I'm sure NRS's new game will run fine as expected but something like Starfield, GTA6 or the next Doom...It will be interesting to see as time goes on.

 

[Guyver Spawn]

I also think Shinnok and Quan Chi will be back in MK12 as well. It's always a pattern between Shao Kahn & Shang Tsung to Quan Chi & Shinnok,

 

[Commander]

I'm sure NRS's new game will run fine as expected but something like Starfield, GTA6 or the next Doom...It will be interesting to see as time goes on.

I'm interested in that too, as the 1 of the big reasons that I got a Series S was for the next Dishonored, DOOM and just Bethesda stuff in general.
Was hoping to see how Redfall would run on the Series S (will have to wait a little longer), but I'm less worried about in-house MS exclusives because they'll probably run fine on both the X and S. MS will likely find a way to make sure they're optimized for both systems or that at the very least run at 60fps on both of their consoles. Exclusives don't worry me as much.

It's the third party studios that I REALLY wonder about more.
3rd party devs and publishers may or may not want to do the same for the Series S, and if that's the case then I'll upgrade to the X at that point.
With all of this current chip shortage shit lasting longer than expected, though, I'm guessing that at least for a while longer they'll try to put it on as many 9th gen consoles as possible.

I also think Shinnok and Quan Chi will be back in MK12 as well. It's always a pattern between Shao Kahn & Shang Tsung to Quan Chi & Shinnok,

It really depends on if Fire God Liu Kang will let those 2 live in his new timeline, since that seems like the easiest cop-out route for them to go for the next game / sequel.

 

[lariat]

The only reason I bring up the memory issue with the series s is because of articles like this
https://gamingbolt.com/xbox-series-...everal-devs-speak-out-about-memory-bottleneck
I get it's obviously some click bait but when it's one of the developers from Id software commenting about it...It does raise some eye brows. Hopefully MS address these issues so their exclusive/Third party content doesn't suffer.

 

[Guyver Spawn]

It really depends on if Fire God Liu Kang will let those 2 live in his new timeline, since that seems like the easiest cop-out route for them to go for the next game / sequel.

Evil always exist in the MK universe. Even in the other ending for Liu Kang hinted the idea of it. They will find away to return.

 

[Commander]

Evil always exist in the MK universe. Even in the other ending for Liu Kang hinted the idea of it. They will find away to return.

Yeah, I get that evil always exists, but I was just pointing out that when Shang Tsung said to Liu Kang that he sacrificed his allies he replied that in "They are not gone, Shang Tsung. They will live again in my New Era." As he defeats Shang Tsung and he erases him from time he also says "No more timelines will be twisted by your evil," hinting at wiping him out completely.
While villains could always find a way to return, yes that's true, as far as a return in the next game it's up in the air (imo) if Shao Kahn, Shang Tsung, Quan Chi and Shinnok do return. If he knows that those 4 are always going to be a threat, what's to prevent him from wiping them out completely to not have history repeat itself?

Now what I could easily see happening is maybe a bigger threat like the Dragon King comes about, because as an oversight Liu Kang from MK9 through MK11 never had to deal with / knew about him. So, perhaps if Shao Kahn is indeed wiped from existence then the Dragon King is never poisoned and Onaga can be the bigger threat this time around.

 

[lariat]

Since this place is dead as usual....I finally got my hands on a PS5 without having to deal with scalpers. It seems like Sony is rolling more ps5 out their factorys. If you don't want to deal with the usual Gamestop, Best Buy and Wallyworld BS.. I highly recommend signing up to Sony's wishlist storefront. I know I sound like a ad bot hacked my account but I figured if I can get one than anyone can.

 

[Guyver Spawn]

If I had to make a predictions on who will return for MK12, it will probably be this.

100% will come back:
Liu Kang
Scorpion
Sub-Zero
Raiden
Johnny Cage
Sonya
Kano
Jax

Most likely will come back:

D'Vorah
Goro
Kitana
Mileena
Cyrax (Many people want the cyborgs back in MK11)
Sektor (Same above)
Ermac
Reptile
Error Black
Kotal Kahn
Nitara (She has grown popular lately and has appear in recent MK media. Probably as DLC)

May or may not come back:

Kollector
Jade
Quan Chi
Shinnok
Cassie Cage (If they show up in the new timeline)
Jacqui Briggs (Same with Cassie)
Takeda (See above)
Kenshi
Smoke
Fujin
Nightwolf
Tanya
Havik
Tremor
Bo' Rai Cho
Rain

Probably won't be back:

Cterion
Geras
Kabal
Frost
Ferra & Torr
Shao Kahn
Shang Tsung
Kung Jin
Noob
Sindel
Kintaro
Skarlet
Li Mei
Stryker
Ashrah
Shujinko (They could do something new with him, but I still doubt it)
Onaga (Same above)

Never coming back:

Hsu Hao
Kobra
Kira
Daegon
Taven
Mavado
Jarek
Dairou
Hotaru
Darrius
Mokap
Drahmin

 

[Commander]

Nitara I seriously doubt will be in the next game.
Despite the last movie having her as a quick cameo before killing her off and the animated film showing her, NRS themselves don't tend to give a shit for the 3D era, for the most part. The only ones who've gotten ANY sort of love as a playable character in the last 16 goddamn years are Kenshi (Boon's 2nd favorite behind Scorpion), Quan Chi (their Necromancer scape-goat for bringing people back from the dead), Shinnok, Tanya, Bo Rai Cho, Frost and Fujin...... And in all honesty, 2 out of the last 3 that I mentioned (Bo Rai Cho and Frost) really surprised me given that prior to MK11 people would call Frost just "Sub-Zero with tits" and not many people cared for Bo Rai Cho during the time of the 3D era and MKvsDC, either.

If I had to make predictions on the next roster, given the safe as shit MK11 / Ultimate roster after all of the DLC was said and done, my prediction for characters definitely making it back would be:

Scorpion
Sub-Zero
Liu Kang
Raiden
Johnny Cage
Sonya
Kano
Jax
Kitana
Mileena
Kung Lao / Great Kung Lao
Rain
Reptile
Baraka
Smoke
Ermac
Cyrax
Sektor


Given the amount of people that complained about those characters not being in either MKX or MK11 and with most of them being in 2 or 3 of the last NRS made MK games, those make the most sense (imo).
Those seem to be the characters that are needed at bare minimum to satiate most fans so that they don't cause a shit storm on social media and get everyone to buy the game from day 1.
When MK11 was first announced I saw A TON of people when MK11 first came out that pouted and whined like babies saying stuff like "I'm not buying MK11 if _______________ isn't in it," and a majority of the time that blank space could be filled by either Mileena, Reptile, Ermac, Smoke or Rain fans.
If this new Discovery merger boss Zaslov only cares about profits and wants to get as much money as possible then all of those 18 fucking klassic characters will no doubt be in the next MK, and those of us who want to see another 3D era character may get thrown a bone here and there like with Frost and Fujin, but no I'm not holding my breath for ever seeing more of the 3D era characters showing up.

If it's not klassic characters or guests as DLC, for the most part, then NRS doesn't seem to care to put it out.

 

[lariat]

Oh NRS knows fans want those 3d era characters it's just the classic MK fans outnumber them. That's why the base games they release always has the most known characters first with some new characters thrown in with the promise of more characters later. If my memory serves me correctly, MK11 had frost from the 3d era in the main game and that was it. If you want ''your'' character than you'll have to pony up the dough for DLC. Yes you can just wait on the ultimate or Komplete edition but NRS knows most of their fanbase will gladly pay for DLC just to get their favorite character faster. They've been doing this since MK9. If they can convince morons to buy Rain twice than the sky is the limit.

 

[Commander]

Oh NRS knows fans want those 3d era characters it's just the classic MK fans outnumber them.

Hence why I don't see many 3D era characters being put into the next game.
MK11 DLC proved that shit for me, clear as day.
Mainly guests and klassic characters....and.... oh, hey.... here's a bone for those of you that wanted Fujin over 9 years ago.

That's why the base games they release always has the most known characters first with some new characters thrown in with the promise of more characters later. If my memory serves me correctly, MK11 had frost from the 3d era in the main game and that was it. If you want ''your'' character than you'll have to pony up the dough for DLC. Yes you can just wait on the ultimate or Komplete edition but NRS knows most of their fanbase will gladly pay for DLC just to get their favorite character faster. They've been doing this since MK9. If they can convince morons to buy Rain twice than the sky is the limit.

Rain is a klassic character from the MK1 through UMK3 era, though, which proves my point on the list that I made of characters that I "definitely" think will be back.
I mean, it's the same way that they sell klassic MK1, MKII or MK3 skins for the male and female ninjas game after game and people eat that shit up for 3 games in a row. The Deception skin for Sub-Zero in MK11 was a big time shock to me, as NRS generally didn't give a shit for 3D era stuff in MK11.
Frost and Fujin and a couple of skins while the majority of shit was klassic stuff all over again. Woo-hoo!

As for 3D era characters (in general), we went from 5 of them in MKX down to just 2 of them in MK11 and the majority of the rest of the MK roster was from MK9 in MK11 by the time that it was Ultimate.
Again, this shows that NRS will cater to the klassic fans who cry the loudest and will in turn fuck over the ones who want 3D era characters and decrese the number of them from game to game, and if this new Zaslov dude wants the safest shit that will print money then it'll be klassic shit all over again just like with MK11.
The characters that I listed above would be the safest shit for them to do for a main roster and people would eat it up. Throw in Kabal and Noob Saibot again as well, for good measure.

Again, I don't care if it's main roster or via DLC, but at least MKX had 5 characters from the 3D era and I was hoping for MK11 to go up with it by maybe 2 or 3 more. I don't think that that would have been asking for a lot.
Kenshi, Quan Chi, Shinnok, Tanya & Bo Rai Cho, with maybe 2 or 3 more added to MK11.