-There is no motivation for Boon and co. to leave Midway as I see it.

-Who would hire a development team from a company that has been in deficit for the last 5-7 years?

-No mainstream company in fighting games would be interested. MK has 0 relevance in Japan and Korea. Should they decide to import it anyway, it would be perfectly japanized, turning it into the effective equivalent amount of donkey jizz.

Tsk Tsk, as if Japan and South Korea have any voice in what a good fighting game is.
But there is a good point that Chrome makes. What franchise has experience in making a good MK game without turning it into a bodakai or SNK joke? I am very sure there are many talented people out there that can make this happen. However, because Ed Boon is a huge legend, he will probably never let MK go. Ahnka, please ignore all the laughter my Ed Boon comment will make. Anyone who laughs at Ed Boon is severly brainwashed anyways.

Also, Mr. Chrome, even though Midway is bankrupt, MK is a cash cow for them. Any company that picks it up will generate money, not loose it.

The question is wether that is enough or relevant money.

I disagree that the oriental cannot make good fighting games. Sure, the stock stereotypical shit is found in almost any fighting game out there, but the gameplay mechanics are more often good (tekken, Virtua fighter).

Ed Boon is not in any way a video game legend. Sure, he made MK, but if that is enough then we can place (omitting japanese etc.) Peter Molyneaux, Sid Meyer and so on on Gods level and worship them. And aside from being an attempt to reproduce a western Street Fighter with different tone what did MK give us? Juggling and superficial gore.

And currently in the age of capitalist race-production in video game land that is severely not enough. MK has no unique appeal (Thrill Kill, Taste the Pain, Manhunt, Condemned, Blood, Harvester all supercede MK in terms of gore and brutality) and nothing specificly interesting what others do not have. Also, MK only sells in the western hemisphere (ah yes, the infamous sales scandal when MKD did not do as well as they said).

Note that the japanese discarded MK as an amoral, brutality driven video game with 0 character. And since we know that the japanese are soulless maggots who are a race of highly xenophobic fucks -sarcasm-, that is hardly any kind of attempt to criticise MK. Hate MK honestly for the shallowness, not because of fabricated prejudice if you must.

MK must not try to reinvent itself, for it cannot. It should however keep relevant as much as possible. And that is the problem: fluff minigames and superheroes are superficial, unnecessary, alienating and downright NOT ENOUGH.

I personally think that the MK team needs to reshuffle it's deck big time. They need some new minds with new ideas not only for the sake of advancing Mortal Kombat, but advancing the fighting genre as a whole. Is that necessary to make a "good" fighting game? Probably not. But it is essential to making a fighting game that's relevant outside of the shrinking fighting game fan base.

No, I'm not saying the MK team should turn MK into a shooter or a point and click Wii game. But the fighting genre has stagnated for several years now. I mean, have 3D fighters really advanced that far from the days of Virtua Fighter 2? Tekken 3? Those games came out a decade ago, or even longer.

The MK team needs to find a way to make their game unique again in the eyes of the consumer. As was said already, there are other games out there that do alot more in the way of gore. The fighting system, story, etc are all rooted in 90's gaming cliches (many of which the MK team started).

So no, I don't think it's a matter of the MK team needing to leave Midway to put out a better product. MK vs DC would be a stupid idea whether it took two years to make or five years. They'd still try to cram the game with as many lame minigames or fighting mechanic novelties if it was 2 years or 4 years in development.

They need to find people that can make appealing characters again. Did it shock anyone at all that the only all-star characters that made it into MK vs DC were from MK1 or MK2? Didn't think so. Those games came out 15 years ago, yet they're the only characters that people would want to see in a crossover game? Sadly, yes.

They need to find people that can write a grown up story. MK's story enthralled me when I was a kid, but now it's gone from hokey "Enter the Dragon" rip off to nonsensical garbage. The only way the storylines could get any worse is if the MK universe got invaded by an army of intelligent T-Rex's with eye lasers and jet packs. How about making some characters that are shades of gray? Show real human connections/emotions? How about a real story that doesn't just have "what if" endings that never seem to get resolved? How about a story mode that actually flows together?

I could continue on about the fighting system, the style/look of the games etc but it's all been said before by several people, many of whom have voiced these opinions in a much better way than I could ever hope to do.

But I'll just get back to my original point. It's not 1993 anymore. What wowed videogame audiences then doesn't work now. The gaming audience is more discerning. MK is one of the few remaining stalwarts in an otherwise dying genre. The market is flooded with good games, especially this time of year.

So how about instead of relying on flash without substance gameplay, minigames, novelties and (ugh) crossovers, how about assembling a new MK team that can put out a modern game that appeals to the 18 to 34 range that grew up playing MK, but who's tastes have advanced well beyond the 10 year old that thought Sub Zero's spine rip was the coolest thing he'd ever seen ever before ever.

My expectations and experiences with video games have advanced since those days, and it would be fantastic if my all time favorite series that has been around for almost 20 years could maybe...just maybe do the same.

Nah the series is doing more than well for a 17 years old one .
I grew up playing MK and while I agree that there are some silly part in it .It still has a good team behind it .If you dont like the storyline then just have a look at how stupid the other games are when it comes about the story .

It is just the fact that Fighting Games began to lose popularity .So each series needs to keep its own fanbase .And the MK team is doing great in that .

MK was never perfect and wont be ever perfect but it is really great to see how the team is doing their best to come out with new things .People from Ed to Carlos Pesina passing by Vogel ,Goskei and Stever are really really good .

So , the main answer depends on how will the team work if they were given longer time and better budjet .


BTW I agree with baraka when it comes about the charcter part .Tobias should return to creat some charcter because Bo Rai Cho ,Taven ,Kenshi and Havik are the only good charcter after MK4 however they need to be improved alot .

I agree but I think midway's the one that is still pushing them to get a game out in X amount of time.

No matter what others think look:

1) MK has been a multi-verse of story far more than other fighting games. Yes we all love Ken, Ryu, Jin or other fighting games to linear fighting agendas but to a extent of fag orgy. Hay at least Liu Kang is everyones window shopper.

2) So what the game has lasted long hay does Street Fighter retire, Final Fantasy retire, Star Trek or Star Wars retire. Even on the concept comic books just take it like a Mk Fan or not Mk Fan.

3) ITs Friggin AMERICAN!!! Sorry I know I'm don't even live in the country but the same respect xbox has people dissing. Can't you guys get over anything non-japanese seriously ( I do respect japan) but I'm sure if on the town or in the suburb they love to brag to westerners. I'm not american sorry but YOU GUYS NEED PRIDE IN GAME FORM!!!

There... Don't COMMENT if your gonna degrade some ogre thought of randomness.

I seriously hope you were just sarcastic when you said that. Because if they don't have the voice on that matter, then who on Earth has? I thought it's a common knowledge that the best of fighting games and gamers come from the Far East.

It really depends on where Midway will try to push their next MK installment. If I remember reading an article a while back, Ed Boon said that he was paid by Midway to make their first fighter game of MK. Midway sent him to school too during his early years with the compnay to learn programming. Midway has been nice to Boon for a long time and it would be a difficult decision for him to make. With MK vs DC, there is a small story behind this game. Warner Brothers has of course had a bid on most DC Universe characters for films, but supposedlly they are trying and so far winning the bid to produce the next MK Movie.

Leave this board clown....i cant believe the fucking ignorance that prevails in this site....freaking airhead fanboys.

No , japanese games suck all of them .

I am with outworld .
Just look at their crap the same thing for 20 years .Kidish games with stupid anime style ....we it is official they suck !

yes mk should leave midway so we can stop getting half ass mk games the mk team deserves a better publiser that does not rush the the making of the game

I am personally tired of seeing a rushed product, that has the potential to be 10Xs greater but ends up being watered down. I really don't care what they do with midway. I just want to see a complete MK game that has quality, for once. It does seem that Midway is constantly rushing the MK team and putting restrictions on them. I wouldn't even think it far fetched for Boon to buy Midway, or luanch ou and start his own CO. Just give us quality!

I like potatoes.


QFT, sadly...

I figure that fanboyism should be a sufficient reason for a permanent ban.