Ed Boon, the development chief behind Mortal Kombat 1, recently shared exciting updates on social media, including a sneak peek at the T-1000 Terminator's Fatality and hints about future downloadable content (DLC). This comes on the heels of the release of guest character Conan the Barbarian, which Boon announced has helped push Mortal Kombat 1's sales past the five million mark, up from the previously reported four million.
In a tweet, Boon showcased a short clip of the T-1000's Fatality, which is sure to resonate with fans of Terminator 2. The Fatality features the T-1000 driving a smashed-up truck into his opponent, reminiscent of the iconic chase scene from the film where the T-1000 pursues Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator and Edward Furlong's John Connor.
Boon's accompanying comment, "With Conan getting into player’s hands, we are excited to keep trucking forward with future DLC!" has sparked speculation within the Mortal Kombat community. While this could be a reference to the upcoming T-1000 release, many fans are hopeful it hints at additional DLC characters beyond the current set.
The T-1000 Terminator is the final character slated for the Khaos Reigns expansion, joining the ranks of Cyrax, Sektor, Noob Saibot, Ghostface, and Conan the Barbarian. As the current DLC lineup concludes, fans are eager to learn if NetherRealm Studios plans to introduce a third set of DLC characters or a Kombat Pack 3, especially given the game's strong sales performance.
Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company of NetherRealm, continues to show strong support for the Mortal Kombat franchise. In November, CEO David Zaslav emphasized the company's commitment to focusing on just four key titles, with Mortal Kombat being one of them.
In a September statement, Boon reassured fans that NetherRealm had already decided on its next project three years ago but promised ongoing support for Mortal Kombat 1. While many speculate that the studio's next game might be a third installment in the Injustice series, neither NetherRealm nor Warner Bros. has confirmed this. The Injustice series, which began with Injustice: Gods Among Us in 2013 and continued with Injustice 2 in 2017, has been on hold since the release of Mortal Kombat 11 in 2019 and the subsequent soft reboot, Mortal Kombat 1, in 2023.
In a June 2023 interview with IGN, Boon discussed the decision to release another Mortal Kombat game instead of an Injustice title. He cited the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the switch to a newer version of the Unreal game engine as key factors. Mortal Kombat 11 used Unreal Engine 3, while Mortal Kombat 1 runs on Unreal Engine 4. Boon emphasized the team's desire to ensure safety during the pandemic and their excitement about the new graphics engine.
When asked directly about the future of the Injustice franchise, Boon was clear: "Not at all," indicating that the door remains open for future Injustice games.
