The first printed piece of information I saw on MKX said that it was the most new characters since MK1 and if you count Ferra/Torr as two then I suppose it's technically true but yes NRS tends to lie a lot during their promotional cycles.

The problem has always been that they don't give fans any time to warm to to certain characters. If they aren't instant successes then they get tossed out. If more (any?) MK3 characters showed up in MK4 they'd be more popular. The only MK4 characters of any notable popularity are the ones that made appearances outside of their debut game. Hopefully they've learned a lesson about the constant roster changes and we won't have to deal with only three new characters returning.

One has to wonder, if characters such as Sonya or Liu Kang were to for the first time debut today, would they have made it to another game? I'd bet not.

Hell no they wouldn't. I love every single MK1-3 character like crazy, but I acknowledge my nostalgia probably has a lot to do with that. None of them are particularly deeper than guys like Kai or Fujin, they were just blessed with more screentime. And the fanbase hadn't yet gone into fullblown "THE OLD GUYS WERE BETTER" mode yet with 3, although it was beginning a bit.

They (NRS) will not develop most of the characters of the era MKDA - MKD...

Accept it.

I have, that's why I'll just go back and play those games when I want to use those characters. I won't complain about it that they don't use characters they don't want to, it'd just be neat to see is all. I don't know why people have to be incredibly antagonistic on either side.

Funny considering they actually are in their own backhanded way. Fujin looks the best he's ever looked and got a kick-ass scene. Li Mei gets substantial stuff to do in terms of driving the plot, Tanya and Rain both got elevated to new heights...

Just because they aren't playable doesn't mean squat. This is a new era of MK, the cinematic era; they can develop as many characters as they want without actually being playable in the roster. That goes for the guys they kept around. The reason they're in the game (from the 3D era) are because they are here to stay.

That's why he said most.

To be honest, we will never have: Motaro, Kintaro, Kai, Sheeva (shame), Mavado, Hsu Hao, Taven, Daegon, Meat, Blaze, Kobra, Kira, Ashra (don't know how to write her name, another shame), Nitara, Mokap, Chameleon, Khameleon, Reiko, Moloch, Drahmin, Shujinko, Darrius, Hotaru and Dairou has playable characters ever again.

They might make cameos like the ones we had in MKX and in the comics.

Bo'Rai'Cho, Li Mei, Havik and Fujin might return one day.

Shinnok, Kenshi and Quan Chi are the only ones that became staples.

From the newbies in X, Cassie, Takeda and Kotal are the only ones I'm sure, if D'Vorah doesn't become popular she will just be a NPC in Story Mode, Jacqui and Ferra/Torr are the ones who have the lowest chances to returno. i expect Kung Jin and Erron Black to return again.

Sonya and Johnny will most likely return as well, they are fan, developers and tournament favorites, and the game hints at their return with Johnny's ending and Sonya's win pose. The there is also the fact that neither died and both have very important roles in the story.

No ideia on Jax and Kenshi.

Raiden, Liu Kang, Kung Lao and Kitana will definetly return too.

Motaro won't, too much work on their part.
Kintaro is 50/50.
Kai is 50/50.
Sheeva probably not.
Mavado, & Hsu Hao are gone for good.
Taven & Daegon are still around and kicking according to sources.
Meat is definitely out.
Blaze is still around and kicking.
Kobra is out.
Kira got a cameo in MK9, her chances are 50/50
Ashrah also 50/50, interesting character if they decide to bring her back.
Nitara pretty much gone me thinks.
Mokap is definitely done.
Chameleon is definitely done.
Khameleon is eh, depends where they take Reptile.
Reiko is definitely a shoe-in considering his popularity due to comics resurgence.
Moloch & Drahmin are done.
Shujinko gets a shout-out so 50/50.
Darrius, Hotaru and Dairou are done I think.

Kintaro, Motaro, and Sheeva will eventually show up again someday in some form due to be Trilogy characters.

Sheeva will probably be the only one who's playable, and it might take two or three more games, but I expect to see her back with the other MK3 characters one day.

The New SF will return, but the reception is really good (even outweighing SF) on the Outworld four so any of them coming back is pretty likely.

Frost has good chances, Fujin too.

Totally need havik in the next game

@KenshiMaster16

Hotaru had an MK9 cameo as well, and he generally the most well received Seido character.

I'm holding out hope Darrius reappears since Vogel likes him.

I hope the next game features the return of Chaos/Orderrealm, but it may be bloated with all those realms involved.

Ed has stated D'Vorah and Ferra/Torr are two of his new favorites, so they may make the roster.
...
I definitely think Tanya will be on the base roster. She barely missed MK9, and now she's DLC. She's clearly their first choice for a 3D era female, but I bet a lot more of them will finally return.

Darrius was hilarious and made a cool villain. I can't see why people didn't like him. His mismatch fatality was great.

Assuming we get 24 characters again, here is what I think we'll get.


Returning newcomers from MKX
1. Cassie Cage
2. Jacqui
3. Kung Jin
4. Takeda
5. D'Vorah
6. Kotal Kahn
7. Erron Black

*I feel like Ferra/Torr might be a one-time deal

Returning veterans from MKX
8. Raiden
9. Liu Kang
10. Kitana
11. Scorpion
12. Sub-Zero
13. Reptile
14. Kung Lao

Returning Veterans from other games
15. Havik
16. Hotaru
17. Fujin
18. Tanya
19. Noob
20. Ashrah
21. Smoke/Enenra
22. Rain

*Playable boss Onaga?

The rest will probably be new.
23. New character
24. New character

I think if Havik comes back, Hotaru will too. I also think Fujin and Tanya will be on the starting roster this time.

I think Ashrah has a decent chance (imagine that voodoo doll fatality on current-gen consoles) because the next game seems like it will put quite a bit of emphasis on the Netherrealm since If Ashrah comes back, I think Noob has a pretty good shot as well.

Smoke seems pretty likely after the way he was introduced in MKX.


What do you guys think about this? Would you be okay with this roster? I think it would be pretty interesting and have some great story applications.

I remember him saying two of his new favorites were going to be revealead at E3, but are you sure it's D'Vorah and Ferra/Torr instead of Kotal and Cassie?

Not doubting you, it's just that I never heard about this, do you have the link?

Is it weird that I think D'vorah has a higher chance of returning than Kotal? From what I've seen, she does more for the story while Erron and Master Blaster are unfortunately jobbers despite being more interesting ideas than Jacqui. Kung Jin also has a connection to the Kung Fu twins if Liu Kang is still considered Lao's cousin. Cassie is the new main character anyway. Li Mei in this timeline doesn't seem like a fighter. Sareena apparently becomes good and has a connection to the Netherrealm but her story of redemption is going to be the same as Ashrah.

@residentfan, I'll have to go dig up the link, but I do remember him saying he loved D'Vorah's stingers in a demonstration.

I think the roster was limited because of it being their first attempt on new gen hardware so if I had to guess based on history and what I've seen of MKX, I would wager;

1. Raiden
2. Johnny Cage
3. Sonya Blade
4. Kenshi
5. Cassie Cage
6. Takeda
7. Kotal Kahn
8. Jacqui Briggs
9. Kung Jin
10. Erron Black
11. Ermac
12. Kitana
13. Liu Kang
14. Fujin
15. Tanya
16. Reptile
17. Scorpion
18. Sub-Zero
19. Li Mei
20. Noob Saibot
21. Shang Tsung
22. Bo' Rai Cho
23. Sareena
24. *New*
25. *New*
26. *New*
27. *New*
28. *New*

D'Vorah as well as faces like the revenants could be cameos again. Maybe even some more odd ones out like Kira, Jarek, Shujinko, Ashrah, ect.

I would imagine this...

Returning:
- Scorpion
- Sub-Zero
- Cassie Cage
- Takeda
- Kung Jin
- Jacqui Briggs
- Kotal Kahn
- Ferra/Torr
- Erron Black
- Liu Kang
- Kitana
- Raiden
- Kung Lao
- Ermac
- Nightwolf
- Stryker
- Kabal
- Smoke
- Cyrax
- Sektor
- Noob Saibot
- Shang Tsung
- Rain

New:
- Li Mei
- Sareena
- Havik
- Frost
- New* (Time Traveler - Future son of Liu & Kitana)
- New* (New Black Dragon)
- New* (New Tarkatan)
- New* (New Red Dragon)
- New* (New Brother/Sister of Shadow)
- New*
- New*

Final Boss: Onaga

I'm still confused why some of you guys are saying D'Vorah's gonna get cut. She's an important story character, like REALLY important, and is a brand new design that's been well received by basically everyone, plus she survives all the story happenings. I have no idea how people could think she'd get dropped first ahead of Jacqui or Ferra/Torr or Kung Jin.

Yeah I have no idea why people think D'Vorah won't be back. Her chances are about as good as Cassie's or Kotal's. She's almost a more important villain than Mileena.

Because other than Troll Chi the villains tend to take breaks. Also to note her story is seemingly wrapped by the end of the game. If they can find something for her then cool but realistically some of the newbies are gonna sit the next one out, thats just the way its gonna work. That whole NRS PR rubbish is just that... rubbish.

I have the strongest inkling that MK11 will see the return of Shang Tsung and I think Liu and the Netherrealm will be a big focus as to how theyre setting things up. With Quan potentially sitting one out, I think D'Vorah will too.

Its not about picking favorites, its about being realistic. They wont all be back and thats the cold hard truth of the matter.

I don't disagree, but I still think you're barking up the wrong tree entirely. Gonna branch into some leaked story details so into the spoiler tag we go.

In which comes in the new era of MK; the cinematic era. She can easily just be a fightable NPC or a background character as they can now give us those without taking up roster spots. No doubt most all of the newbies will return... but they won't all be playable, it's unrealistic to expect them to be, especially the way NRS makes their MK games.