NRS will make the game they want at the end of the day. That's why they put in 4 guests in MKX without thinking about MK purists. The only time they want fans opinions is when Ed Boon does a poll. That's when you have your say.
Guests which are not on the main menu, which people have to BUY, unlike Kratos.
NRS knows that people most people out there hate Hsu Hao (whether it's warranted or not), so they got rid of him for good.
The same can be said for that toy factory accident.
And, if you don't think the fanbase opinions affect anything, you're wrong.
Look at MKX Liu Kang, Kung Lao and Kitana.
People b****ed and cried for MONTHS on end to have those 3 in and they're playable in MKX.
They're default costumes aren't even cannon, which means that NRS likely originally planned to have them dead and changed their tune when people en masse kept hounding them about it.
The same goes with Tremor.
People kept on hounding NRS about including Tremor in (including myself), ever since MK9 and he was put in the Vita version and then finally put in MKX.
When it comes to MK games, then fanbase is pretty vocal and if they like or don't like something, and they'll let NRS know.
That can be a good thing or a bad thing, as proven on Twitter.
Still amazes me there are some morons who complain about a fan character idea. Because Ermac, Skarlet and etc. are not made up characters. /s
The difference is that those are NRS made up characters, not a character based off of a toy factory accident.