http://www.mortalkombatonline.com/content/forum/showmessage.cds?id=157621

I asked the same question a while back, here's the link.

Its hard to tell, the system works better with some characters than others.

Honestly, I can work with either one though. I don't even bother learning all 3 for one character though, I just play around with all 3, find one that feels right and has the tools I feel like suit the way I like to play and that's what I use when I play that character.

Seeing how this was the first time doing it and they took a variety of approaches with different character (Kenshi being very different, Reptile being minority different) I think another game is essential to see the full potential of variations.

That said, I wouldn't mind if it was just a MKX unique thing.

I'd love if they returned but won't be heart broken if they don't.

Something I'd like to see them do is give each variation a different ending for that character. Or maybe each one gives a different part of the ending and once you have all 3 you unlock the full ending.

Honestly? I kind of hope they do.

I was very apprehensive of them at first, but I've come to thoroughly enjoy the variety. Initially I expected chopped up and pieced together move sets, but they delivered much more.

Even though it didn't really seem to work out well with a small handful of characters, overall it was a great new feature that I hope to see them build on in the future. And who's to say they won't improve that minor handful's options next go-around?

I also thought it was a great way to expand and develop characters, old and new. Who would have thought Kenshi could summon demons? Or that Goro had Kintaro's capabilities? Or even that Sonya would be tossing grenades and parrying attacks with garrote wire?

Good stuff, I tell ya. So yeah, I hope they return.

It probably will stay but in a modified, possibly more simplified form. Maybe two instead of three with much bigger differences between the two?

Maybe they should do just 2 variations instead of 3 in the future. Focus more on 2 styles will have better quality.

If they can make them work equally well for all characters then sure. If we're going to get more one good and two negligible then no.

I think maybe they shouldn't have been so ambitious. Maybe if they do come back only give the characters two.

Although I must say I hope some of the properties of variation specific moves stick around cause I don't think I can go back to a non moving fan lift.

I'd rather take a bigger roster than a variation system with some characters borrowing movesets from other characters.

God I fucking hope not.

Seriously. The variation system is terrible. From the beginning I knew some characters would benefit and others wouldn't.

I literally can not with Ermac in the variation system.

I like them though some characters could have used specials from one variation across all variations. Some just don't make sense for certain characters, while some were two basic for its own variation. But I am a fan, just maybe stick to two next game. Possibly a variation next game where you can have a custom variation with a set amount of specials and combos to make your character best suited for you. Could make it hard to balance everyone..

I think they'll stay and have some tweeking in the next game, although maybe will drop down to two.

Adds to the shelf life of the game as if you are a serious Kombatant, you'll want to work harder at mastering the other variations.

PRO:

Variation is mandatory to move the players out of their cozy and lenient entitlement.

Variation is mandatory to establish quality and ensure that otherwise good moves that would have to be discarded stay in one ofr or another. This means that good ideas stay in and that the overall number of move ideas can be retained, while not having to compromise, but allocate them.

Sharing moves for greater roster is demonstrably a false, stupid and unintelligent statement. It is an atavistic backstep.

It forces the player to engage on a cerebral level and not be a lazy fuck who picked kabal all the time in MK3 due to convenience.

It forces the player to engage emotionally due to movement distribution.

It allows for longevity for the game.


CONTRA:

....wait, what?

I'd be okay with variations staying, as long as they didn't give a character's moveset to another as much as they did in MKX.

Goro's Tigrar fury variation was a Kintaro one, Sonya's demolition a Cyrax/Stryker one, and there was obviously Kitana's mourning variant.

It'd be nice if they could come with more individualized movesets for every characters' variations, but otherwise, it's too much of a "one size fits all" approach for the characters.

It means that the same move reused for other character so that they could have moves at all only dilutes them and the moves.

Rather have a smaller roster with more differentiated characters than Armageddon.

I am going to say yes because they like it a lot from what i heard in interviews. My complaint is the lack of characters if they use better tech in the next game they should add at least 5 to10 more characters than MKX has. Just my opinion.

I doubt we see 3 variants again. I think two would work nice for future mk or injustice games