Unlike many other video game genres, a steady stream of paid DLC has become an accepted and even welcomed strategy in the fighting game scene. The addition of new characters, costumes, and arenas is often viewed as vital post-launch support from the developer for a still-active player base. Unfortunately, this will no longer be true for Mortal Kombat 1 from NetherRealm Studios.
Following the recent announcement of a Definitive Edition release, many fans expressed concern that this could be a signal that the brutally violent fighting game had reached the end of its content lifecycle. Sadly, those fears have now been confirmed.
In an official post shared via their Twitter/X account, NetherRealm Studios announced their decision to wind down support for Mortal Kombat 1. While the game will continue to receive balance patches and other minor updates, it will no longer see the release of any new story content or additional characters through downloadable content.
The studio has shifted its focus entirely to a new project, one that is still shrouded in mystery and not revealed just yet. In the same statement, NetherRealm acknowledged the disappointment this move may cause among fans but emphasised that this decision was necessary in order to dedicate their full resources and attention to their upcoming title. They also expressed their ambition to make the next game as high-quality as possible.
While speculation continues to swirl around what this next project might be — with Injustice 3 often cited as a likely candidate — many believe that the game’s underwhelming sales performance influenced the decision to move on from Mortal Kombat 1. Compared to its predecessor, Mortal Kombat 11, MK1 is reportedly lagging significantly in numbers. Well, at least there is the movie sequel to look forward to.
Mortal Kombat 1 is currently available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.
