People are jumping to conclusions like crazy. We all should just be a bunch of Fonzies and not assume anything. He's been clear that this is a sequel to MK9, I imagine a lot of the year leading up to release will be the reveals of loved characters. It's not going to be a total clean slate. It makes sense to push all these new characters now because the hype is so high, they'll get more attention than they would if they were promoted alongside a ton of classics.

I'm sure you're right. Fingers crossed.

This makes me happy! I want the Edenian Princess back.

12 new characters and 12 old characters returning

I just want anyone familiar back at this point lol

I could easily see Kitana make a comeback then! Like over 25 years, there has to be some point where she can escape Quan Chi's clutches. Especially when the big bad is someone who does not seem to be Shinnok or Quan Chi. And hey, if we do get a dark Liu Kang as the boss, what better character to help stop him than Kitana right?

There's also Smoke. Him being an Enenra can come into play too so I can see him be a returner that was previously dead in MK9.

I'm just wondering how many of the returning will be from MK9.

It's not the loved favorites I'm worried about.

It's the lesser loved characters that are likely to (continue to) get neglected. This was the perfect opportunity for characters like Bo' Rai Cho, Tanya, Havik, and Ashrah to return and be seen in a new light. With the extension of new characters, it is likely that the remaining slots will be filled by classic characters.

This only continues the ever-going neglect of characters. If this continues onward, imagine how many new characters in MKX are going to be kicked to the curb when MK11 comes around.

This. I can already see Cassie Cage going the Kira route and never being seen again.

Not only do I agree, but I don't understand how people either A) don't see this as an ongoing pattern, or B) don't consider it a bad thing.

What's the point of the a new character if the new character has an expiration date?

I'm sure there will be at least a few returning MK4-MKA characters in the mix, probably not many, but there will be some. Plus, DLC (not that anyone wants to hear that, but that's the nature of the beast.) I'm just glad the new characters are miles ahead of the likes of Hsu Hao and Kobra.

All I need is Tanya & Havik.

The PS3-era characters aren't being forgotten. They're being left in the past on purpose, because everyone views them with stigma. The devs don't want future titles to be connected to games that everyone views as inferior. You'll still see characters like Kenshi, Havik and the few others who were actually well received. Honestly I think it is a very positive choice to exclude the likes of Tanya, Dairou, etc.

Boon is wondering how you came to the conclusion that Sindel killing everyone was "anti-climatic."

That's all.

And not just the obviously lesser loved characters either. If this game starts at the end at MK9 and ends 25 years in the future it may be the last hurrah for quite a few favorites. The Kano/Kabal/Reptile/Sheeva/Sindel's of the franchise are probably in the most danger.

I hope he's trolling you and asking you how you came to the conclusion that the MK9 characters were met with anti-climatic deaths.

I agree with this. I've patiently waited since MK2011 to see the likes of Havik, Li Mei and Tanya re-imagined in 2D, they were standout characters in mostly shitty iterations of MK. There's been strong fan expectation we'd see them this time around. As much as I'm loving the influx of new blood, I'd rather see those characters return first. Be really sad for them to be shafted to the sidelines of MK history.

Whoever mentioned Cassie Cage alongside the curse of 'new mk characters', is spot on. She will have a mix of Cage and Sonya playstyles - in fact, you can probably select between a sonya playstyle or a cage playstyle. She'll be panned as fodder and the "new kira/Jared" etc and never heard from again. It's sad but somewhat predictable.

But why is Tanya more popular and requested tan Havik?

You are jumping to conclusions. Eventhub's article MKX says the story takes place immediately after MK9 and spans up to 25 years into the future.

I won't speak for others, but I will say that my problems with Kira (and other bland MKDA/MKD characters) wasn't the recycling of special moves. They were characters that were bland of story and exceedingly bland of design. (Tight red and black leather! Ken from SF!)

Nothing I've seen yet has indicated that any character in this game will be bland in either respect. Plus Cassie Cage holds a special place in this story that opens up a whole lot of interesting narrative possibilities, much more than "New Black Dragon Henchman!" does.

Yes, because "offspring of cast members appearing in a game that had a sudden time jump" is very original. All they've done is give the 'clone' a story for being a 'clone'. Guess thats better then Smoke at least.

This completely. If we're losing characters like that in favor of characters like Kotal Kahn and Ferra/Torr, sign me up. Post MK3 characters are all almost pure shit. Cassie Cage remains to be seen, but I imagine her personality will differentiate her, even if her moves don't. And who is to say she couldn't get her own moves in future games if Sonya or Cage return? But even aside from that, MK is at a point now where all of their characters have ultra defined identities, and that wasn't the case in the MKDA-MKA days. Characters now have a very unique style in HOW they play, not just their moves and fatalities and design. She will feel substantially different than Cage or Sonya. Count on it.

I see your point, but that's a bit reductive, no?

"Evil Emperor Trying to Take Over the World" and "Righteous Good Guy Defeating Aforementioned Evil" aren't especially original concepts, either, but they're the basis of two thirds of every video game ever made. The characters are what you make them.

All that made up Kira/Kobra/etc. were on the basic labels on their tins. Given MK9 and what I've seen thus far, I'm trusting NRS to treat characters like Cassie with nuance and pathos. I'm on board.

I don't mind these characters, but I just don't think their premise behind them is any better then any other character.. including Mokap.

What I don't like about the younger Cage, isn't that she looks bland or might play bland. I think it would've been awesome to have the story jump 25 years. Have Raiden fuck shit up soo bad that not only did Shinnok take over, he ruled absolutely the entire time. Have him gain his amulet and successfully avoid Armageddon (by killing Blaze or w/e). An elder god with no one powerful enough to challenge him. Since he is only ruling all the realms and not merging them the remaining elder gods would do little to nothing.

You know how bleak the opening of Days of Future Past is (if you've seen it), I want it to be like that. Except no time travel to undo it.

I do hope that the characters from Deadly Alliance - Armageddon do make an appearance. I'd be happy if the ones who should be showing up at least make an appearance as an NPC. Darrius doesn't have to be playable, but if the story does go to Orderrealm at all, I'd like to see those characters at least as NPCs.

Btw Reptile should be extremely devolved/or dead by the end of this, should he?