Fighting game fans across the globe have been waiting for news regarding Mortal Kombat 12 since 2019, but a recent comment from series creator Ed Boon might come as a disappointment to those who are hopeful. Despite being one of the most prolific and longest-running video game franchises out there, NetherRealm Studios has continued to iterate and expand the games with modern releases, regularly polishing iconic Mortal Kombat features like Raiden's complicated hat.
2022 marks thirty years since the first Mortal Kombat arrived in arcades and took the world by storm. The franchise is best known for its memorable cast of legendary characters, notoriously brutal animations, and over-the-top action - something that seems to only get more exaggerated with additional entries. The 90s saw a new Mortal Kombat game release almost every year, which is a tradition the series would continue going into the 2000s and onto home consoles. Things started to slow down a quite bit in the 2010s, however, and only three mainline Mortal Kombat games were released over the course of the last decade, with no news available regarding the next game, which is presumed to be called Mortal Kombat 12.
Amidst convincing Mortal Kombat 12 leaks, fans have been clamoring for more news about follow-ups to the smash-hit 2019 fighter. Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon recently shared a classic BTS clip on Twitter in celebration of the series' 30th anniversary, prompting a fan to ask if "something big" can be expected soon. Boon responded with a concise tweet stating simply "Soon? No."
While this fan and Boon are both being rather vague with these tweets, it can be assumed that they are referring to Mortal Kombat 12. It's unlikely that most fans were expecting something as solid as a release date for the upcoming game, but it's likely that many were hoping for at least some official details from NetherRealm or Warner Bros. This sentiment would certainly be reasonable, as the longest wait between Mortal Kombat entries has been four years, and it has already been three years since Mortal Kombat 11.
Fans can rest assured that the twelfth game is coming, as Mortal Kombat still needs to compete with Street Fighter and other popular fighting franchises. Still, it makes sense that players would feel disappointed by this radio silence, as very little has been revealed about NetherRealm Studios' other popular fighting series, Injustice, which could make this long wait even more agonizing. "Soon" is a relative term, so perhaps players can expect more Mortal Kombat 12 news in 2023.
Source: Ed Boon/Twitter