If there’s one gaming franchise that Warner Bros. has consistently excelled at developing and publishing, it’s undoubtedly the Mortal Kombat series? Can typically depend on being carried out properly? The franchise, which has navigated its share of highs and lows, owes its unparalleled success to a singular reason: its consistent delivery of exceptional, genre-defining prevention games across multiple decades. The past fifteen years have witnessed a resurgence of sorts for the franchise, as its successful reboot in 2009 struck gold, yielding a string of critically acclaimed and commercially successful films that have consistently delighted audiences worldwide.
However, despite this, problems emerge with a distinctly new perspective. Upon concluding the storyline’s culmination, it was widely anticipated that further exploration could be temporarily set aside, allowing the plot’s conclusive finish to take center stage and provide a sense of closure. No mistake exists; one of Warner Bros’ largest gaming properties has consistently been Mortal Kombat, making it unlikely that its sequel, Injustice, would be the final installment in the series. Nevertheless, for many fans, the notion was that NetherRealm Studios would have another opportunity to alternate between these two dynamic franchises, bringing a new chapter to the narrative.
More than a year since its debut, it’s evident that this installment marks a significant departure from the franchise’s usual standards. The sport didn’t entirely suffer from poor evaluations or sales; nor did it experience a complete absence of them, for that matter. On paper, with a mid-80s market rating and over 4 million items sold as of August, the company may not seem like a failure – yet there’s little question that it has regressed from its former glory days. For instance, it had successfully marketed 8 million items within roughly a year and a half of its launch, implying it is now promoting at a significantly slower pace.
WB Games reportedly considering drastic measures to improve poor performance. Although NetherRealm Studios has supplemented Mortal Kombat 11 with a plethora of post-launch content, including over a dozen DLC characters, several Kollectible fighters, and a narrative expansion, it appears that’s as far as it will go. According to insider FateUnknown, NetherRealm initially planned to release a third year’s worth of additional DLC fighters and another story expansion for the game, but due to the poor sales of the aforementioned growth, WB Games has decided against it.
It’s no wonder that curiosity is currently at an all-time low – surrounded by everything else, it’s easy to understand why. It’s not just because consecutive releases could have been overwhelming for many, considering only the post-launch content in each game.
Frequent criticisms of the new timeline are linked to its narrative, as it represents yet another instance where a multiverse storyline is attempting to follow a pattern that audiences have become increasingly tired of. While the concept of a multiverse narrative has grown increasingly tired due to overexposure, courtesy of Marvel’s influence and subsequent imitations, many are disillusioned by the recent decision to fall in line with this trend. The narrative has faced widespread scrutiny, with criticisms ranging from overindulgence in fan service to hasty and underdeveloped plot progression, as well as a pervasive sense of lacking stakes due to the abundance of easily replicable character clones on the market.
While some might argue this isn’t the worst aspect, particularly has indeed faced widespread backlash from fans due to a multitude of issues, not least of which are narrative shortcomings that have been extensively criticized. Despite its promising start, the growth is woefully underwhelming, with an exorbitant price tag far exceeding the value it offers in terms of content, leaving a lingering sense of disappointment among fans still reeling from the initial game’s shortcomings.
Surprisingly, monetization practices have not remained consistently in vogue. We explored the issue of overpriced growth, but more recently, controversy surrounding the pricing of Fatalities, the practice of nickel-and-diming players for alternate skins and announcer packs, and the exploitation of fear of missing out (FOMO) tactics that plague the video game industry have further heightened concerns. Aggressive monetization has become an increasingly prevalent issue in the gaming industry, particularly within mobile games and those with in-game purchases. Yet, for a franchise like Overwatch that excels in many areas, egregious monetization becomes even harder to excuse.
The truth about this sport lies in its undeniable strengths. With its exceptional manufacturing standards, stunning visuals, and outstanding gameplay features like the Kameo system, this title has plenty to keep fans engaged for an extended period. While expectations were understandably high, the series unfortunately failed to meet them, leaving a sense of disappointment in its wake. As its growth spiralled further downward, this unfortunately had no favourable outcomes. If it failed to perform well, prompting the cancellation of future submissions, it wouldn’t surprise us.
What lies ahead for the path forward? The question on everyone’s mind, despite appearances suggesting a secure trajectory, one that remains uncertain even after factoring in this setback. In recent times, Warner Bros. Games announced a strategic shift, opting to concentrate its energy on a more concentrated portfolio of flagship gaming titles, with one such property being explicitly highlighted. It’s likely that we will encounter even more of this in due time.
The type of phenomenon that can tantalize our senses and captivate our imagination is a rare occurrence that deserves attention. As the time frame for this celestial event approaches, it seems highly probable that we will soon be treated to a fresh installment in this remarkable series, earlier than initially expected. While NetherRealm Studios faces the challenge of addressing the largest narrative criticisms, only time will tell how they will tackle this issue and its impact on their future growth; it is imperative that they take concrete steps to rectify these concerns. Whether one aspect entails deviating from an established pattern, followed by resuming within its aftermath remains unclear. I must admit, I’d fully endorse such a notion? With several consecutive years of consistent exercise under our belts, it may be wise to step back from exhaustion and allow another aspect of life to take center stage momentarily.
