IS MORTAL KOMBAT 1 DEAD?

From the unknown factors of who is voicing Homelander to the bare bones online mode and everything in between, there have been a lot of questions in regards to whether or not “Mortal Kombat 1” has died in under a year. The short answer is yes it is a dying game that may injure the long-standing Netherrealm Studios in regards to whether or not there will be another entry.  However, in this blog post, I am going to discuss my personal opinion on why I think it truly is a dying game, less than eight months after release.

“Mortal Kombat 1” released originally on September 14, 2023, which was about three months after Capcom’s “Street Fighter 6” and three months before Namco’s “Tekken 8”. Which presents its own challenges, and how to separate itself from the competition. NRS made a few awkward choices in the marketing of its pre-release consent. Shang Tsung, was available as a pre-order bonus, or for $7 USD in the shop after release, but he was the final boss above the story mode and arcade ladder. PS5 owners were the only ones with an opportunity to play the closed beta for the game about three or four months before release.  The original prices for the game were $69.99 for the standard edition, $109.99 for the premium edition, and $249.99 for the collector’s edition. After looking at Amazon, those editions are still around the same price points, eight months later. Good news is they have at least matched the sales number of Street Fighter 6, but Tekken 8 may eclipse both within a month after its release.

The modes in the game are extremely limited. NRS decided combine the Krypt, living towers, in a few “Test Your _____” mini games in one singular mode that a player needs online access for, Invasions. This, unfortunately, outside of the arcade towers and practice mode is  the only single player content within the game after you finish the story mode. So if you don’t want to play a monopoly-inspired game mode to unlock skins and shaders and there’s no single player content in Mortal Kombat 1. The rate at which the content resets is inconsistent as a seasons have not reset regularly. If you were one of the ones that got the premium or collectors edition of the game there was no clear DLC roadmap to when characters would be released. One month a main character and then the next a Kameo (assist) character gets released. And that is not enough to make someone come back to a fighting game, especially when the online is inconsistent and it took them eight or nine months to implement crossplay failing online community. Street Fighter 6 is still getting more than 10 times the amount of player base that MK1 is currently.

The Netcode it’s probably the worse it’s been since NRS took over the franchise. Online matches have given players the capability of cherry picking who they fight against. It’s not even available to simulate a proper tournament setting of best of five. Those in the professional scene say that the gameplay is better than MK11 but everything else is dragging the game down. The amount of communication between NRS and Warner Bros is at an all-time low. Lastly, the biggest issue with the game is micro transactions for some of the best skins in the game. Three games do you have them but Mortal combat. One already charged the most at base price. (Including a season pass) and then to dump, micro transactions for skins, and you can only customize one item on your default character.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? HAS MK1 OFFICIALLY DIED? BE SURE TO LEAVE YOUR THOUGHTS IN THE COMMENTS BELOW!