Before NetherRealm Studios officially revealed Mortal Kombat 1 in May 2023, the existence of the game had already been leaked multiple times, not only by Johnny Cage's voice actor, Andrew Bowen, but also by the CEO of Warner Bros., David Zaslav. Nonetheless, Mortal Kombat 1's reveal trailer garnered a lot of attention from fans, partially because of the intriguing premise of the game. NetherRealm Studios confirmed that Mortal Kombat 1 was a reboot of the MK franchise, and it stated that the game would be set in an all-new timeline with noticeably different incarnations of fan-favorite characters.
At launch, Mortal Kombat 1's reviews were largely positive, with many critics praising the game's overall presentation and its new gameplay mechanics. Sadly, though, the reputation of Mortal Kombat 1 gradually soured over the course of the following months, due in part to the game's underwhelming post-launch support and its excessive use of microtransactions. Following this response to MK1, it's unclear how NetherRealm will handle the Mortal Kombat franchise moving forward, but at least one thing is known: the figurehead of the company, creative director Ed Boon, will still be there to oversee it.
Although Mortal Kombat 1 hasn't yet sold as well as its predecessor, Mortal Kombat 11, the game is still one of the best-selling fighting games of this console generation, outselling Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6.
Mortal Kombat 1 Fans Are Not Happy About the Definitive Edition
Fans are not happy about the recent release of Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition, with many worried about the future of the franchise.
One of Mortal Kombat's Co-Creators Won't Be Moving On From the Series Anytime Soon
Ed Boon Will Keep Working on Mortal Kombat as Long as It's Fun for Him
At San Diego Comic Con 2025, The Direct conducted an interview with Ed Boon, during which he shared his thoughts on his future at NetherRealm Studios. In response to a question about how long he plans to work on franchises like Mortal Kombat and Injustice, Boon stated that he would continue doing so "as long as it's still fun to do." He then added that, although "hundreds of people work on these games," he and NetherRealm Studios will continue making them "as long as [they're] keeping the fans happy."
As many fans of the franchise will know, Ed Boon is one of the co-creators of Mortal Kombat. He made the series, alongside fellow video game designer John Tobias, in the early 1990s, and he's remained involved with it to this day. Boon has nearly 40 years of experience in the video game industry, and he has worked on pretty much every mainline installment in the Mortal Kombat franchise, as well as most of its spin-offs. To say that he's had a significant role in the creation and evolution of the series would, no doubt, be an understatement.
Many Developers Are Stepping Away from the Franchises They've Created These Days
Ed Boon's willingness to continue working with the IPs he's created for such a long period of time is somewhat uncommon in today's industry. Lately, many esteemed developers have expressed a desire to move on from the franchises they've built, either because of creative burn-out or retirement plans. Metal Gear Solid creator Hideo Kojima is seemingly not willing to direct a potential Death Stranding 3, Masahiro Sakurai appears to be uninterested in making another Super Smash Bros. Game, and even Bethesda legend Todd Howard believes that the upcoming Elder Scrolls 6 may be his last-ever Elder Scrolls title.
Ed Boon's Decision to Stick Around at NetherRealm is a Promising Sign for the Company's Next Game
Although the Mortal Kombat franchise may have seen better days, it is still very popular and has maintained a level of consistency, in part because of Ed Boon's involvement. It's not clear what Boon is currently working on, but he did state in an interview back in September 2024 that NetherRealm Studios' next game has already been in development for roughly three years. Maybe Warner Bros. And NetherRealm will announce what this upcoming game is later this year, though there is a possibility that it may be a new Injustice title instead of a Mortal Kombat installment. Even still, the news that Ed Boon won't be leaving NetherRealm and moving away from Mortal Kombat anytime soon may comfort a lot of fans.
Mortal Kombat 1
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 87%
- Released
- September 19, 2023
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
- Developer(s)
- NetherRealm Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Warner Brothers Games
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 4
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer
- Cross-Platform Play
- PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S
WHERE TO PLAY
Welcome to a new era of Kombat. NetherRealm Studios ushers in a new era of the iconic fighting franchise with a total reset that changes the entire world as we know it. Following the thrilling climax of Mortal Kombat 11, the all-powerful Fire God Liu Kang has created a New Era in the hope of bringing peace to Earthrealm and beyond. Through the series' most cinematic story mode yet, you'll be reintroduced to a cast of legendary warriors as you've never seen them before. Expect twists on classic friendships and rivalries, as well as new backstories that will change everything you think you know about your favorite Kombatants. Discover a host of new offline and online game modes as you master a revitalized fighting system that boasts bone-crunching Fatal Blows, defensive Breakers and the most creatively vicious Fatalities yet.
- Genre(s)
- Fighting
