Its becoming a routine of every couple of years: Ed Boon has updated his Twitter avatar and background -- signalling the ritual cycle of speculation for NetherRealm Studios' newest upcoming game project.

All rumors and reason point toward a follow-up to the franchise starter: Injustice: Gods Among Us. A presumed development back and forth begun with Warner Brothers' post-acqusition Mortal Kombat (2011), and the soon-to-be DC Comics fighting game series of 2013.

Not content to play it entirely safe, Boon's pushing ambiguity in the face of expectation. The "DAMN good question" being asked: Does his teasing image indicate the Roman numeral II (two) for Injustice, or the number 11 for a Mortal Kombat X sequel?

The future of non-playable character cameos in the Mortal Kombat series may be in doubt as the impact of persistent fan outcry within NetherRealm Studios comes to light.

Mortal Kombat X Sound Designer Brian Chard has been sharing his unique perspective with inquisitive fans, revealing aggressive interest in inaccessible fighters may have had a negative effect on the powers that be: "... [You] should know that those who complained about NPCs pretty much convinced Ed not to have em in future games."

When asked to clarify which types of NPC he believed are in danger, Chard pointed to in-game opponents and story mode cut scene cameos: "The impression I got was both, when it comes to potential roster chars (i.e., Outworld Soldier #2 is still safe)."

Both types of non-playable character drew significant attention from fans who've been trained to expect post-release additions through downloadable content channels. Remarkably, decisions relating to DLC have been largely disconnected from in-game appearances - an otherwise natural method for building anticipation for subsequent releases. Of the eight DLC characters, only one of each NPC type was included: Tanya, who appeared as an NPC opponent, and Bo' Rai Cho - a minor player in story FMVs.

Far from condemning his colleagues, Chard questions the quality of discourse from fans quick to attack the developer studio: "I think it's stupider of people who complained about them not being playable and called us lazy." With regards to characters who appear in NPC fights, he explains: "Just so everyone understands: It's a long way from fightable to playable." Characters who appear as NPCs may otherwise have missed out all together. On fan desire, Chard adds: "... it shows us how well received the original game was, which is nice."

"Lazy" has become an unfairly frequent catchall phrase for fans dissatisfied with perceived inconsistencies in the NetherRealm and Warner Brothers' approach. The substitution of personal preference in place of legitimate critique often downplays the work of artists and developers contributing to the marathon of a finished product. Malicious attacks and demands through social media - among the most egregious examples of fan ignorance.

Of course, no game is immune from criticism, and NPC kombatants have played an awkward role in the life of Mortal Kombat X. Invasion Mode appeared to suffer for the absence of existing and new character assets [read more]. Expectations for a character like Fujin: as much a consequence of the decision to reboot the series in 2011, as his consolation appearance in story mode sequences. Mortal Kombat X draws considerable inspiration from 1997's Mortal Kombat 4 - which introduced the character in a playable capacity.

Will they or won't they? That's been the question surrounding additional downloadable content for Mortal Kombat X. A poll posted by NetherRealm Creative Director Ed Boon asked fans what they'd like to see the studio develop next - and it's DLC that is still dominating fans minds!

News late last week of the shock passing of music legend Prince has inspired an outpouring of mourning and tribute from fans the world over. The global pop sensation was prolific throughout the 1980s and '90s: as remembered for his unique visual signature and fashion sense, as his provocative music and lyrics.

Purple was the color of choice; forever associated with the musician thanks in no small part to his 1984 record and film: Purple Rain. Rolling Stone call the soundtrack the second greatest album of the eighties. It won the Academy Award for Best Original Song Score that same year.

The success of Purple Rain led Warner Brothers to apply the resident artist to Tim Burton's 1989 Batman film. An odd combination complimented by the madcap antics of the purple villain Joker. Mortal Kombat and Prince may seem an even more unusual combination, but as many fans know: Series co-creator Ed Boon is a self-professed long time fan, who stumbled into his own living tribute to the artist through the game series, in 1995.

Kotaku jumped on the connection, pulling a quote from a 2011 interview with PlayStation.Blog:

Hot on the heels of an all male poll [full story]; Mortal Kombat X Creative Director Ed Boon has asked fans which female kombatant they missed most from the best selling tenth installment.

The four character Twitter poll produced a closer race between options, with 1,334 more votes registered than the initial query. Jade was an unsurprising winner with 37%, often commanding a highly motivated cult following. 2011 DLC fighter Skarlet was a more surprising second with 27% of the vote.

One year on from the record release of Mortal Kombat X; NetherRealm Studios Creative Director Ed Boon has polled fans on the controversial subject of absentee characters.

Using a Twitter poll: Boon asked which character fans missed the most, isolating his options to just four characters. With a 45% majority, Noob Saibot was the overwhelming winner. Popularly requested cult favourite Rain came second with 22%.

European gaming site Gamereactor has a new feature interview with Ed Boon discussing some of the basic beats of Mortal Kombat X.

Not a lot of new information to speak of, but the NetherRealm Studios Creative Director and Mortal Kombat co-creator touches on the influence of fandom and how the team manages content. Registered users can give their thoughts on the Mortal Kombat X forum.

Creative Director Ed Boon has dropped an enticing message for Mortal Kombat X fans on Twitter. The slightly cryptic note: a promise of much more good news beyond the imminent, controversial Kombat Pack 2.

It's a brand new year and that means brand new Mortal Kombat X DLC is getting closer! Fans can look forward to their first look at new content in action later day with the release of the first Kombat Pack 2 gameplay trailer!