A cloud of corporate uncertainty continues to hang over the development of Mortal Kombat as multimedia conglomerate & rights owner, Warner Brothers Discovery, navigates widely publicized financial woes. A new report claims the giant is considering a soft sale of smaller assets, which could impact the world of gaming. Read on for details:

Debts incurred in the formation of the merger of Discovery Inc and WarnerMedia, announced in 2021, have notoriously followed the company through a series of strategies that have included the unpopular shelving of completed film projects for tax benefit, and emphasis on adapting franchise properties for live service gaming.

As an almost seventy percent stock drop follows WBD in the market; The Financial Times reports the company is seeking to avoid implementing a break-up strategy for its flagging television branches by exploring the sale of smaller assets. This could potentially include percentage stakes in the lucrative Warner Bros Games umbrella -- owner of Mortal Kombat.

Video games have consistently been one of the optimistically touted assets for the company -- despite recent disappointment with the poor performance of Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League. Current title Mortal Kombat 1 has also faced critical and technical challenges, but continues to roll out new material unabated, including the recently announced Khaos Reigns and Kombat Pack 2 downloadable content schemes.

The value of Mortal Kombat seems secure, with a Warner produced live-action feature film sequel coming next year, but NetherRealm Studios haven't been impervious to the flow-on instability of a corporate giant considering "nuclear" options. The MK developer was rocked by reported mass layoffs last month, most significantly impacting mobile game development, which had recently expanded to include Mortal Kombat: Onslaught.

The developer has publicly committed to continue support for the long-running Mortal Kombat Mobile app, despite a confirmed shutdown of Onslaught on October 21st, and an anecdotal mass layoff of mobile development staff. The DC branded Injustice 2 Mobile has also confirmed its continuation for the time being.

This isn't the first time a sale of WB Games has been considered: AT&T was repeatedly cited as looking at prospective buyers until sentiments cooled in late 2020. WBD are only reported to be considering the sale of stakes, rather than the entire company. A preferred alternative to years of potential litigation incurred if television rights holders separate from other wings of the company.