Mortal Kombat 1's Ed Boon Hints at Future DLC Following T-1000 Reveal
Ed Boon, creative director of Mortal Kombat 1, recently shared a sneak peek of the upcoming T-1000 Terminator's Fatality on social media, simultaneously teasing future downloadable content (DLC). This announcement coincided with the release of the Conan the Barbarian guest character and the revelation that Mortal Kombat 1 has surpassed five million copies sold.
Boon tweeted a short video showcasing the T-1000's Fatality, a nod to the iconic truck chase scene from Terminator 2. The accompanying tweet, "With Conan getting into player’s hands, we are excited to keep trucking forward with future DLC!", sparked considerable speculation within the Mortal Kombat community.
While the statement could simply refer to the imminent release of the T-1000, many fans interpret it as a hint towards additional DLC characters beyond the current Khaos Reigns expansion. This expansion includes Cyrax, Sektor, Noob Saibot, Ghostface, Conan the Barbarian, and the soon-to-be-released T-1000. The question of a potential third DLC pack or Kombat Pack 3 has been a recurring topic among fans, fueled by the game's sales performance.
Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company, has expressed continued confidence in the Mortal Kombat franchise, stating plans to significantly invest in only four key titles, with Mortal Kombat being one of them. Ed Boon himself previously confirmed that NetherRealm had already decided on its next project three years prior, while also promising extended support for Mortal Kombat 1.
Speculation points towards a third installment in the Injustice fighting game franchise as NetherRealm's next venture, although this remains unconfirmed. The development history suggests an alternating pattern between Mortal Kombat and Injustice titles, though this was disrupted by Mortal Kombat 1's release in 2023. Ed Boon has alluded to several factors influencing this decision, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to a newer Unreal Engine (Unreal Engine 4 for Mortal Kombat 1, compared to Unreal Engine 3 for Mortal Kombat 11). However, Boon has explicitly stated that the Injustice franchise is not closed off.
The future of Mortal Kombat 1 and NetherRealm's next project remains to be seen, but Boon's recent comments certainly fuel anticipation for what's to come.
