Series co-creator Ed Boon is promising "BIG" Mortal Kombat X news coming hot on the heels of the latest Kombat Kast! Boon tweeted a picture to tease the update - a heavenly image familiar to klassic fans. Look to la luna below:
Fans of the original Mortal Kombat will remember a very similar night sky above The Pit stage, where secret character Reptile famously instructed fans to "Look to La Luna" [read more].
The teaser image seems to support Mortal Kombat Online's reports from July, which connected update code to a speculated return for klassic kombat arena: The Pit. Boon first floated the prospect of klassic arenas as DLC back in May.
The teaser could also be interpreted as an image of space - where no one can hear you scream. Ed Boon's twitter account was briefly a hot spot for Alien discussion, reigniting speculation about guest DLC.
A major patch update is already rolling out to PlayStation 4 & Xbox One consoles. It promises sweeping updates to character move properties, a few new moves, and bug fixes. Compatibility patches have been used to usher in other major updates.
What "BIG" news will the week bring? Register to join the speculation on the Mortal Kombat X forum! Make like Reptile and spread the news via @MK_Online & Facebook.
The latest developer Kombat Kast has dumped a mountain of updates on the slate for Mortal Kombat X!
The new patch will be rolling out over the next few days. Along with a raft of basic functional fixes, players can expect tweaks to a majority of the roster! Goro, Kotal Kahn and Takeda have brand new moves, with many more adjustments to note. Catch the full break down from the developer below:
General Gameplay Fixes:
Many move list corrections.
Removed the ability to add extra inputs while doing a normal attack 2in1 cancel which allowed some characters to have the special move cancel only occur on hit / block.
Removed the ability to have some specific input timings on a 2in1 cancel so it could come out on block but not come out on hit on some normal attacks
Removed the ability to option select execute a special move or throw reversal after block stun while still holding the block button.
Removed the ability to option select execute a wakeup non enhanced special move attack, wakeup throw, or wakeup backdash while still holding down the block button.
Slightly adjusted several characters collision regions while crouch blocking.
Slightly adjusted several characters collision regions while attacking while jumping.
Slightly normalized how far some characters get pushed back on stumble block animations.
Fixed several jump attacks moving backwards slightly on hit.
Fixed several attacks causing an extra frame of recovery when you blocked them ducking.
Character Specific Fixes: Cassie Cage
X-Ray is now +1 on hit (up from -5)
(Brawler) - Air Power Slam does 3 more damage and is now -2 on hit (up from -7)
(Spec Ops) - Target Paint now hits mid when it explodes on the ground
D'Vorah
Slightly adjusted Ovipositor Charge & Ovipositor Rush collisions to hit more consistently in combos
Can no longer cancel into Air Throw after a blocked jump attack
(Brood Mother) - Double Bug Blast and Double Bug Blast (Meter Burn) no longer trigger auto block but have reduced hit stun
(Brood Mother) - Krawler will no longer have its hit stun aborted when hitting someone during the first 10 frames of block stun
(Brood Mother) - Krawler will now always disable autoblock to allow a combo afterwards
(Brood Mother) - Fixed a bug where a reflected Krawler would not travel
(Venomous) - Bug Burst now has 13 frames startup (down from 28)
(Venomous) - Bug Spray now has 20 frames startup (down from 28)
(Venomous) - Increased the initial damage on Bug Spray and Bug Burst
(Venomous) - The FP, FP / FP, FP, BP / Down + FP / Jump + FP / Jump + BP attacks now also add Poison stacks
Ermac
Down + BK now hits low
Away + BP is now +1 on hit (up from -4)
(Mystic) - Increased Levitate damage to 13 (up from 6) and Tele-Choke to 11 (up from 10)
(Spectral) - Increased Soul Charge damage to 11 (up from 9) and it now has 9 startup frames (down from 10)
(Spectral) - Can now perform Spectral Charge (enhanced Soul Charge)
(Spectral) - Removed 10 frames from Soul Charge recovery
(Spectral) - Can now chain combo FP > BP > FK > BK while hovering
Erron Black
Towards+FP,BP is now -1 on hit (up from -7)
Throw is now -3 on hit (up from -10)
(Gunslinger) - Stand Off Stance now activates in 10 frames (down from 11)
(Gunslinger) - Stand Off Quick Shot is now -8 on block (down from -31) and is easier to juggle afterwards on hit
(Gunslinger) - Stand Off Spin Shot now has 20 startup frames (down from 22) and has 10 less recovery frames
(Gunslinger) - Slightly sped up Money Shot & Barrage and they have 7-9 less recovery frames depending on distance
(Gunslinger) - Money Shot & Barrage now hit overhead on the way down
Ferra/Torr
Adjusted several regular attack collisions to hit more consistently on ducking opponents and in combos
Increased damage of Tuck 'n' Trample to 13 (up from 9)
(Ruthless) - Removed 20 recovery frames from Pain And Gain
(Ruthless) - You can now dash cancel out of Pain And Gain after being stabbed, doing so will knock Ferra off of your back
(Lackey) - Torr Charge (Meter Burn) no longer ignores damage scaling and had its damage increased by 2
Goro
Away + FP, BP, Up + BP has increased range
Up + FP/Up + BP now has 9 startup frames (down from 14)
Reduced the recovery on Stomp miss by 16 frames
Adjusted the reaction to Towards + BP, FP, BK and it can now be 2in1 canceled out of
Removed 5 recovery frames from Shokan Bolt
You can now meter burn regular Punch Walk on hit
Removed 2 startup frames from Stomp
(Kuatan Warrior) - Chest Lunge & Chest Charge now hit mid
(Dragon Fangs) - Removed the Down + Away + BP command attack
(Dragon Fangs) - Added Fang Low as a new special move (Away, Towards, BP)
(Tigrar Fury) - Removed 5 recovery frames from Flame Ball
Jacqui Briggs
You can now air 2in1 cancel out of Towards + BP, Up + BP
Towards + BP, Up + BP, BP + BK now hits overhead
You can now 2in1 cancel out of Away + BP and Away + FK, FK on block
FP now has 6 startup frames (down from 7)
BK has 8 starup frames (down from 11)
BK + Up + BK has more pushback on block
Down + FP now has 7 startup frames and is -4 on block (down from 8 startup and up from -7 on block)
Down + BP now has 9 startup frames (down from 11)
Away + F P, BP is now -3 on block (up from -18)
BP,FK is now -5 on block (up from -12)
BP,FK,FK is now -9 on block (up from -14)
Fixed a bug that was causing BK to sometimes be more negative on hit on ducking opponents
Slightly speed up Air Fake Out
Executing Air Fake Out and Tech Shield now gain a small amount of meter
Air Ground Tremor now pops the opponent up for a juggle combo
(Full Auto) - Adjusted the reaction on towards +2, Up + 2, BP + BK to make combos afterwards slightly easier
(Shotgun) - Adjusted the reaction on Towards + FP, BP, BP + BK to make combos slightly easier
(Shotgun) - Low Blast Double Barrel will now always stun regardless of distance
(High Tech) - Opponent is now forced to block the 2ndhit of Plasma Burst
Jason Voorhees
Corpse Grab & Corpse Slam now has 10 startup frames (down from 12)
Jason (Slasher) - Increased the cancel advantage on Towards + BP by 5
(Relentless) - Damned no longer carries over between rounds
(Relentless) - Damned increased to 10%/20%/33%/50% damage at under 50%/25%/10%/5% health (up from 3%/7%/12%/18% damage at under 75%/50%/25%/5% health)
Jason (Unstoppable) - You can now hold down to have Resurrection not trigger after losing all of your health when it is not your final round
Jax
Adjusted several regular attack collisions to hit more consistently on ducking opponents and in combos
Johnny Cage
Adjusted several regular attack collisions to hit more consistently on ducking opponents and in combos
Towards + BP is now -1 on hit (up from -8)
Towards + FK, BK is now -3 on block (up from -8)
(Stunt Double) - Can now also execute Mimic Eclipse Kick cancel out of Mimic summon
Kano
Adjusted several regular attack collisions to hit more consistently on ducking opponents and in combos
Slightly increased the hit cancel advantage on Away + FP; Away + FP, BP; Towards + BP; Towards + BP, FP; Towards + FK, FK; Away + FK; Away + FK, FP; Towards + BK
Up Ball & Uprise Ball will now hit twice on block more often on ducking opponents
Air Ball is no longer punishable if used at the end of some long combos
(Cut Throat) - Decreased the dam buff on Charge Up to 33% down from 50%
(Cut Throat) - Reduced the recovery on Charge Up by 13 frames
(Cybernetic) - Reduced the meter gain from Upward Laser
(Cybernetic) - Adjusted the reaction on Upward Laser (Meter Burn) to allow for slightly easier follow up combo
(Cybernetic) - Upward Laser now has 10 startup frames (down from 16) and does 7 damage (down from 9)
(Commando) - You can now meter burn the last hit of the FK, BP, Throw/FP + FK combo to allow for a combo follow-up
Kenshi
Down + FK now hits low
Fixed a bug that was causing FP, FP, FP to sometimes be more negative on hit on ducking opponents
(Balanced) - Removed 10 frames of whiff recovery from Tele-Flurry & Tele-Beat down
(Kenjutsu) - Removed 5 frames of whiff recovery from Tele-Toss & Tele-Strike
(Kenjutsu) - Away + BP now low crushes and has more pushback on block
(Kenjutsu) – Removed gap in the FP, FP, FP string
Kitana
Throw is now 0 on hit (up from -7)
Fixed a bug that was causing BP,FP to sometimes be more negative on hit on ducking opponents
Towards + FK, FK is now +3 on hit (up from -4)
Kotal Kahn
Adjusted several regular attack collisions to hit more consistently on ducking opponents and in combos
Away + FP has 9 startup frames (down from 10)
Away + BP now low crushes and has 25 startup frames (down from 27)
Towards + FP, BP is now -6 on block (up from -14)
Air Takedown attack priority now happens on frame4 (down from 8)
Mace Parry & Master Mace Parry now works against most projectiles
Mace Parry now has 7 startup frames (down from 9) and Master Mace Parry now has 1 startup frame (down from 4)
(Blood God) - Kotal now gains meter on being hit and when blocking while Obsidian Totem is active
(Blood God) - Blood Offering will now add its damage to an active Blood Totem
(War God) - Sword Shake & Sword Quake are now a hard knockdown
(Sun God) - has a new move Soul Spark (Towards, Down, Away, FK) which will grant him 1 level of Sun God Power
(Sun God) - Increased the life gain from Soul Scorch and meter gain from Soul Burn
Kung Lao
Towards + FK now has 19 startup frames (down from 21)
Towards + FK, Down + FK is now -12 on block (up from -22)
(Tempest) - Increased damage scaling after Hat Spin & Orbiting Hat and added a slight pushback on block
(Buzzsaw) - Low Grinder now starts slightly closer to Kung Lao making it less likely to miss someone running at him
(Hish-Qu-Ten) - Decreased hit advantage on Plasma Shot & Ground Plasma Shot by 5
(Hish-Qu-Ten) - Adjusted the window of when you can choose the direction of the held Plasma Shot so you can no longer shot a low Shot that hits high
Quan Chi
Adjusted attack collision on Away + BP / Away + BP (held), Away + BP(held maximum time) now juggles for a combo afterwards
Down + FP now has 6 startup frames and is -7 on block (down from 9 and -10)
Away + BP is now -4 on hit (down from -8), Away + FK is now -3 on hit (down from -8)
Throw is now +2 on hit (up from -8)
Skull and Air Skull no longer force autoblock
(Sorcerer) - Fixed a bug that would cause every 11th frame while standing in the Dark Curse rune to not have armor
(Warlock) - Portal Scoop & Portal Slam now has 11 startup frames (down from 18) and is now a hard knockdown
(Warlock) - Portal Scoop no longer ignores damage scaling on the last hit and had its damage increased by 2
(Warlock) - Portal Grab last hit no longer ignores damage scaling and had its damage increased by 2
(Summonner) - Demon Spark no longer forces auto block and allows for combos afterwards
Raiden
Adjusted several regular attack collisions to hit more consistently on ducking opponents and in combos
Lightning Projectile no longer causes auto block
Towards + BK is now -3 on block (up from -12)
Fixed a bug that was causing Away + FP, BK to sometimes be more negative on hit on ducking opponents
(Displacer) - Removed 10 recovery frames from Teleport
(Displacer) - Teleport (in front) no longer costs stamina
(Master of Storms) - Static Trap now does small proximity damage to the opponent before they are activated
Reptile
Towards + BP is now +1 on hit (up from -8)
Acid Spit no longer triggers auto block and had its damage increased by 3
Changed the Floating Ball motion to Down, Down, BLK
Removed 4 recovery frames from Forceball & Slimeball
Slightly loftier reaction on Slippery Slide
Removed 4 recovery frames from Acid Puddle
Klaw Swipe is now -6 on block (up from -11)
Klaw Slash is now -15 on block (down from -10)
Klaw Pounce is now -7 on block (up from -17)
Klaw Bounce is now -20 on block (down from -17)
Reptilian Dash is no longer a hard knockdown and had its reaction adjusted
(Deceptive) - Activating stealth no longer triggers auto block on the opponent allow to continue some combos
(Deceptive) – Reduced the recovery of stealth ex by 11 frames
Scorpion
Towards + BP now low crushes and has 17 frames startup (up from 15)
Increased the damage of Away + BP by 4
(Inferno) - Low minion ex has 21 startup frames (down from 28) and does 5 damage (up from 3)
Shinnok
FK, FP is now +2 on hit (up from -7)
(BoneShaper) – Staff beam is now -12 on block (down from -4) and has increased pushback on hit
(Bone Shaper) – The range of Sceptre Slam was slightly decreased
Sonya Blade
Increased combo damage scaling after X-Ray
Away + FP, BK is no longer a hard knockdown
Fixed a bug that was causing BP,BP to sometimes be more negative on hit on ducking opponents
(Covert Ops) - Last hit of Air Strike no longer ignores damage scaling
(Demolition) - Lowered the input priority of Bake 'n' Wake on wakeup
(Special Forces) - Increased Away + BP damage by 4
Sub-Zero
(Cryomancer) - Air Frost Hammer is now -2 on block (down from -8)
(Cryomancer) - Frost Hammer has 31 startup frames (down from 36) and is -9 on block (down from -10)
(Cryomancer) - Increased the hit cancel advantage on FP,FP,FP and the damage by 1
(Cryomancer) - Increased the hit cancel advantage on Towards + FP,BP
(Cryomancer) - Reduced the damage of Towards + BK, BP, Throw/FP + FK combo by 9
(Cryomancer) - Can now 2in1 cancel out of Towards + BK, BP, Throw/FP + FK combo
(Unbreakable) - Changed the input of Frozen Aura / Ice Aura to Down, Away, FK/Down, Away, FK + BLK
(Unbreakable) - Can now execute the Ice Burst & Frost Bomb special moves
(Unbreakable) - Ice Burst & Frost Bomb do additional while Frozen Aura & Ice Aura are active while removing the Aura
(Unbreakable) - Activating Frozen Aura & Ice Aura no longer triggers auto block which can allow some combos to continue
(Unbreakable) - Ice Aura has 16 less recovery frames
(Grand Master) - Adjusted the validity check on Ice Statue
Takahashi Takeda
Removed gap in the towards +Fp, bp,bp +bk string
Adjusted several regular attack collisions to hit more consistently on ducking opponents and in combos
BP now has 14 startup frames (down from 20) and is now 3 on hit (up from -7)
Away + FP, FP is now +3 on hit (up from -6)
BP, FP is now +2 on hit (up from -27)
Away + BP is now +8 on hit (up from -7)
Away + BP, FP is now +3 on hit (up from -10)
Towards + BK now has 20 startup frames (down from 24) and is 2 on block (up from -6)
Fixed a bug that was causing Towards + FP, BP to sometimes be more negative on hit on ducking opponents
Can now cancel into X-Ray after a blocked jump attack
You can now meter burn Fist Flurry on hit
Tornado Kick is now -6 on block (up from -21) and is now always a hard knockdown
Adjusted the reaction to Tri Kunai to connect more consistently in combos
(Shirai Ryu) - You can now charge Quick Phase to delay for 2 seconds (up from 1)
(Lasher) - You can now meter burn Whip Assault on hit
(Lasher) - Removed 5 recovery frames on hit from Whip Strike & Whip Thrash
(Lasher) - Has 2 new air command attacks on Towards + FP & Towards + BP
(Lasher) - Down + Towards + FP Low Slash is now 19 on hit (up from 4)
(Ronin) - Fixed a bug that was causing BP, FP to sometimes be more negative on hit on ducking opponents
(Ronin) - Shirai Ryu Kan does 10 damage (up from 9) and Double Shirai Ryu Kan does 14 damage (up from 11)
(Ronin) - Piercing Spark has 2 less recovery frames
(Ronin) - Away + FP now hits mid, has 11 startup frames (down from 13) and is -2 on block (up from -23)
(Ronin) - Away + FP, FP is now 0 on block (up from -21)
(Ronin) - BP now has 12 startup frames (down from 14)
(Ronin) - BP, FP is now +2 on block (up from -10) and now causes a different air reaction
(Ronin) - Away + BP now has 12 startup frames (down from 15)
(Ronin) - increased active frames on Shirai Ryu Kan until he is done rising
Tanya
There are now 8 min frames before you can dash cancel out of Teleport delay
Flip Kick is now always a hard knockdown
X-Ray is now 0 on hit (up from -6)
(Kobu Jutsu) - Fixed a bug that was causing Tonfa Strike to have 2 hits of armor instead of 1
Tremor
BP and FK attacks now hit high instead of mid
Towards + BP has 1 less startup frame, is -6 on block (down from -11), and increased damage by 3
FK, FK is now a hard knockdown
Rock Toss & Boulder Throw (including the variation versions) have 19 less recovery frames
Rolling Stone & Rolling Kutter (including the variation versions) have 10 less recovery frames
Stone Shatter & Rock Blast (including the variation versions) have 3 less startup frames and has 3 less recovery frames in Metallic while Golden
Stone Punch & Stone Slam (including the variation versions) have 3 less startup frames
(Aftershock) - Airquake has 5 more block stun frames on the opponent
(Aftershock) - delayed quake will no longer have its hit stun aborted when hitting someone during the first 10 frames of block stun
(Crystalline) – Rock summon ex has 10 less recovery frames, increased rock throw damage by 3
(Crystalline) - Rockblaster will no longer have its attack cancelled in the corners of some backgrounds
Register to share your thoughts on the Mortal Kombat X forum. Skip straight to mechanics and issue online challenges in the dedicated Gameplay & Matchmaking forum. Support the community by getting involved and liking & sharing via @MK_Online & Facebook.
Months of rumors and speculation can finally end. Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment has announced Mortal Kombat X is officially cancelled for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. In a statement today, the publisher cited quality issues as a leading cause for the end of 'last gen' development.
After months of development, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has come to the regrettable conclusion that we cannot release Mortal Kombat X for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Please know our teams worked diligently to meet the quality standards set by the current-gen versions of the game. We were not able to get the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions to the quality expected of a Mortal Kombat game and are very sorry for not being able to deliver the products as originally planned.
If you pre-ordered Mortal Kombat X for PS3 or Xbox 360, please go to the retail location where you pre-ordered the game and you will receive a full refund.
The announcement ends a dichotomous saga for the latest instalment of the series, which topped 2015 game sales at the mid-year mark.
The tenth Mortal Kombat had the world's attention from day one, trending globally, and producing one of the most watched trailers on YouTube in 2014. This mass anticipation fuelled a successful worldwide launch in April, but it was then the problems really began.
Third-party PC ports proved especially problematic for Mortal Kombat X, reporting a slew of crippling errors, and basic quality issues as fans flooded to the affordable and accessible alternative. Problems persisted as efforts were made to improve the experience, and new patches introduced new fatal errors [full story]. The saga eventuated in anecdotal reports of a change in developers in June - a grim omen for delayed 'last gen' ports once targeted for Summer [original story].
The push to third-party developed PC gaming was rough all around for Warner Brothers Interactive Entertainment. The publisher was left redfaced again in June, when NetherRealm sister studio Rocksteady Games were forced to announce the complete suspension of PC sales of Batman: Arkham Knight amidst further issues [read more]. [Editor's Note: Mortal Kombat X has since been stabilized, with Arkham Knight now in the process of patching.]
PlayStation 4 and Xbox One weren't exempt from frustrating Mortal Kombat X launch issues. Players complained of barred access to basic features, pre-order redemption issues, and frequent misunderstandings regarding multiple advertised purchase options. Minor controversy dogged the new release further, with NetherRealm's downloadable content scheme evolving to include: micro-transactions for basic in-game functions; a download version of an in-game NPC; and eventually the free release of pre-order paid incentives.
FINISH HIM:PS3 & 360 versions of Mortal Kombat X will never arrive.
Mortal Kombat Online has persistently heard via forums, social media, and e-mail from fans unable, or unwilling to upgrade their hardware. Today's announcement will not be the answer they hoped for, but will finally close the book on a frustrating chapter of Mortal Kombat history.
For those who can make the leap, the series pushes on, with clues toward new content expected next week, when the developer streams its newest Kombat Kast. All things present considered, that should be a very interesting experience.
Whether surprised, philosophical or dismayed, we encourage you to share your thoughts with us. Register to immortalize your reaction on the Mortal Kombat X forum. Support the fan kommunity by liking and sharing stories via @MK_Online, Facebook & YouTube.
"[It's] been a while since we've had a Kombat Kast." So it was written, so It shall be! NetherRealm Studios will gear up for a return to streams Monday, August 31st via Twitch!
We last heard from the developer for July's release of Tremor. The official reason for the next stream is to break down new Mortal Kombat X patch notes, but with speculation decisively targeted at new DLC, the always epoch-making Ed Boon has teased "news & klues" as well. With a K!
The Creative Director may have merely been talking around Alien rumors of late, but he's flat-out guaranteeing a reason to "rejoice" for Jacqui Briggs players come the next patch!
Will Kombat Pack sequel hopefuls be in luck? All signs point toward more DLC, but to date, no NetherRealm game has formally bundled DLC extensions into a second package. There's a first time for everything - and demand could just push them over the edge.Tune in to watch the stream live on Mortal Kombat Online to find out who or what is next!
Register to immortalize your reactions while you watch the stream live on the Mortal Kombat X forum! Support the community and spread the word by liking & sharing the news via @MK_Online & Facebook!
It's a pretty simple equation: There are going to be 2 guest characters in Mortal Kombat X and one of them is a Predator. The other one must be the Xenomorph of Alien franchise fame then - right?.. Wrong.
In what seems like a two-prong masterstroke of viral provocation and legendary pranking: NetherRealm stocked their Kombat Pack with two characters famously tied to absent big screen rivals -- Jason Voorhees leading the charge as the other DLC guest.
The Friday the 13th slasher was a hotly requested commodity during the previous game's download cycle, inspired partly by the presence of slasher nemesis: Freddy Kreuger. If you're a long-lived Nightmare on Elm Street fan, you probably have the dark sense of humor to appreciate the hilarity of dividing two horror icons -- and stars of Freddy versus Jason -- between separate games.
The question now - will the same fate befall sci-fi cinema's Predator and Alien?
In August, the Alien has certainly been on Creative Director Ed Boon's mind. On-going news regarding a soft reboot in a fifth Alien film inspired musings about the success of repeat visits to the franchise. On August 16th, he remarked; "All those remakes failed to rejuvenate their franchises, and while Aliens is my favorite action movie of all time... despite how the last 2 were disappointments... I wonder if they should just leave the Alien franchise alone."
It seems Uncle Ed has grown tired of reboots that don't quite hit the balance of honoring and reinvigorating their brands, "After remakes/reboots of Robocop, Total Recall and Terminator I'm finding it hard to get excited about Alien 5." A sentiment many shared after the Alien vs Predator concept made its way to film - twice - under maligned direction by Paul Anderson, and the brothers Strause. [Related Article: Paul Anderson on Mortal Kombat and Film Adaptation]
On the surface, Boon's critiques sound like arguments against including the Xenomorph as Mortal Kombat DLC, but the finer details present nuanced arguments in different directions.
Xenophobia:The Alien stalks players in Sega's Alien: Isolation.
It's worth noting the Alien experience was rejuvenated just last year -- through video games, no less -- when Sega delivered critically celebrated survival horror: Alien: Isolation.
The game put players in the unenviable role of Amanda Ripley - a character referenced in deleted scenes from [James] Cameron's Aliens, and daughter to Sigourney Weaver's iconic film heroine: Ellen Ripley.
By tapping in to the tone, presentation and lore of the first two films; Isolation found new ways to inspire fear and excitement from the menace of the alien. All of this goes to show the interactive experience of video games can add a rejuvenating twist that diminishing film sequels cannot.
Of course, the success of Isolation came very much from restoring distanced respect to Ridley Scott's original veiled, lurking threat -- a perspective the fixed screen of fighting games fundamentally denies. Putting players in control of the Xenomorph may pose serious challenges to the developer if respecting the prestige of the concept is at all the aim.
The Mortal Kombat co-creator notes his favourite instalment is Cameron's action-oriented sequel: Aliens. The leap from mauling gun-toting space marines to Mortal Kombat's Special Forces certainly isn't a stretch for the imagination. The alien doesn't necessarily scream three Variations of hand-to-hand combat, either, but viewed through the prism of Scott to Cameron, maybe Mortal Kombat X can be the action sequel to Isolation's atmospheric precursor.
Besides - who could say no to a face hugger projectile or chest burster fatality?
On the flipside: Having one icon and not the other has proven to be an undeniably successful carrot-on-a-stick for NetherRealm and Warner Bros.
Guest character speculation and wishlists have brought Mortal Kombat X major mainstream coverage, and intense fan interest on forums like Mortal Kombat Online. This could cynically be viewed as the ultimate pre-promotional tool, extending awareness and engagement with Mortal Kombat into the next game's cycle. After all, we were talking about Jason & Predator as early as E3 2014! It's a little Weyland-Yutani, but it speaks to the very nature of using crossover characters to attract attention.
- In the pipe, five by five. (43.0%)
- Gamer over, man! Game over! (56.9%)
Mixed metaphors would make these tweets face huggers - impregnating fandom with gestating alien mania waiting to explode sometime circa 2019. Are they confirmation of downloadable content on the horizon? Not really. That's not a NetherRealm character model, and these tweets aren't percentage significant proof that Alien is in development. That's not to say it isn't, either!
From the running Character Dead Pool, to our oft cited eight-month forecast for Brazil Skins & Klassic Fatalities -- Ed Boon is a font of early information, if you know where to look. There's enough proverbial 'Alien smoke' to warrant speculation. Until we get a trailer with an ominous heart beat, drifting close-ups toward kombatant's chests, and a bursting baby alien that announces DLC is coming -- we just can't guarantee it.
Is an alien egg waiting to hatch? Register to join the ravenous speculation on the Mortal Kombat X forum! Infect your friends by liking & sharing this story via @MK_Online and Facehuggerbook!
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