Yup. That's really how it works. That's how they weed out the weak from the strong.

This is a popularity contest though. Hell no it's not right to play the popular game, but when it comes down to it this is a popularity contest because people are going to vote for the most popular characters.

The guys who made the competition were obviously just trying to keep the competition more interesting. I mean if Scorpion and Sub-Zero, Mileena and Kitana were put up against each other in the first round. Then Scorpion and Kitana in the second round that would just be cutting your popular characters just to keep unpopular characters. Which makes no sense because you are basically just doing the opposite of giving the popular characters an advantage, you are then giving the unpopular characters an advantage which makes less sense than keeping your popular characters in.

In the end the most popular character is going to end up winning anyway. Regardless of who they face in the final round. If Raiden makes it to the end and faces Taven then it would still be Raiden winning just the same as if it was Raiden vs Scorpion.

Many of the "less popular" characters have strong fanbases, but were matched against characters they obviously couldn't win against in a vote.

It's like matching Usher, a successful and very popular artist, against Michael Jackson, a music icon with success and popularity lasting beyond his death. It's unfair; the icon would obviously win.

These one-sided matches also manifest a long lasting flaw in the MK series; with in each game, too many characters are created, with only a few receiving initial recognition. Other characters are either dragged along, eventually gaining some kind of credibility, or are cast out completely. Deception and Armageddon are to perfect examples. Many of the characters reintroduced in those games were not seen in almost ten years.

Also, take a look at these stats:

Of the 30 characters currently in the series prior to 1997, only eight appeared in MK4 as principle characters. None of those characters were originally introduced in MK3 or its updates.

Of the seven principle characters originally introduced in MK4, only one appeared in Deadly Alliance.

Of the eight prinicple characters originally introduced in Deadly Alliance, only three appeared in Deception.

As you can see, many characters are made, but very few are catered to, thus leaving very little for the gamers to go with. This is why we have so many "less popular" characters.

Wow, those are some crazy stats. Basically you're saying they should follow up on their characters once they introduce them. Bo Rai Cho, Li Mei, and Kenshi were the only characters from Deadly Alliance to return in Deception.

While none of the new fighters from MK4 with the exception of Quan Chi returned in Deadly Alliance.

That's just dumb. That's why only like one new character should be in the next game as well. They should bring all of the worthwhile characters from MK4-MKA back and give them a chance this time while letting all of the others die off.

Then in MK11 they can try a FEW new characters like 3 maybe 4. NO more than that though, and returning characters from MK 9 and MK10.

I recognize that the match-ups might SEEM unfair. But that's just how it is. You want a less popular character to win, vote for them.

But it is just a popularity contest, so let's just have fun with it.

My point is you shouldn't create so many characters if you're only going to expand on a few.

If you're only going to make three or four characters that's fine, but if you're going to push out seven or eight, expand on at least five, otherwise it's a waste of work.

NRS has obviously been creating more characters than they're willing to work with. I think for them, cutting down on the amount made is a good thing.

Big Bo would sit on and gnaw on Shang Tsung

Bo Rai Cho love
coming from above

Vote for Bo!

You want a lesser character to win, then vote for them. Just like in sports, top seed versus low seed. Maybe you'll get lucky and see a "Cinderella" before round one is over!

I dunno I think Kenshi might have a chance to break the streak of the lesser characters since he seems to have a popular fanbase, I think the polls will come fairly close with him against Nightwolf.

The only polls I'm actually excited about are Ermac vs Reptile, Smoke vs Sektor, and Ashrah vs Nitara. I think all of those will come fairly close in votes. The others are pretty much a given.

I wouldn't neccessarily say that Kenshi is the lesser of the characters between he and Nightwolf. He was introduced later but his fanbase is overwhelming. I think he will most certainly beat Nightwolf.

Also, Smoke is going to blow Sektor out of the water. For whatever reason Smoke has one of the larger fanbases in MK. I don't know why but that has been the truth for ever since I can remember. I don't know if it's the name or what, but he has a huge fanbase. Sektor does not stand a chance. Although I will probably vote Sektor because personally I never liked human smoke.

Ashrah and Nitara should be good though. I'm expecting a Nitara win there though.

Ermac and Reptile should be a throwdown too. I'm even torn there.

yay first to vote. 100% for nightwolf lol.

though i love the idea of kenshi and his story. never been a fan of the fact he was a blind ermac more less.

I voted Kenshi.

I didn't really care for him at first, but he grew on me. I really like Nightwolf but I feel like Kenshi has the cool factor. Being a blind, telepathic swordsman and all.

The concept art speaks for itself. Dat ass wins.

Seriously though, I pick Kenshi, but I could go either way with this one. Kenshi is nice, Nightwolf is nice... Neither is particularly offensive... I would vote for Nightwolf based on the story for him I have in my head, but Nightwolf hasn't actually done these things I want him to do yet so... He remains a character I'm not that interested in, gameplay or story. Kenshi, on the other hand, is someone I've always kind of liked.

Kenshiiiiiiiiiiii

Voted for Nightwolf. MK9 really redeemed him in my opinion. Kenshi was always meh to me, though I will admit he has some of the best mk9 fatalities.

Kenshi. My favorite character. His motivations are stagnant, but otherwise, he's great.
Super fun to play as (except online,) and great fatalities and specials.
Nightwolf certainly is not a bad character, though.

I want to cry inside.lol. I love Both of these characters, but ultimately.........I voted for Kenshi.

Nightwolf. He was really fun to play as in MK9.

Kenshi has my vote this round.

Nightwolf is a great character, even back in MK3-MKT days. However, Kenshi was a great addition and beloved character put into MK:DA. I've loved him ever since.

Kenshi FTW!

Voted Nightwolf.

I've always hated Kenshi. He's so boring to me. That in combination with Nightwolf's recently badassery makes this a fairly easy choice.

Kenshi,ONLY because of design...

Prior to MK9, I would have edged in Kenshi's favor. But MK9 pushed Nightwolf over the top. Now not only has this man been seen to purify souls and ensnare evil ones in the Netherealm, he gave Scorpion a verbal smackdown and later died the single greatest death in all of Mortal Kombat's history. Nightwolf got some serious cool points this game, so he gets it from me.