Mortal Kombat 1 Developer Teases Sequel Plans (Exclusive)

Those at developer NetherRealm Studios have already indicated that they’re beginning to think about and plan the eventual sequel to Mortal Kombat 1. At this point in time, the latest Mortal Kombat installment is only a few weeks away and it will serve as a full reboot of the series that began back in 1992. With so many big changes on the horizon with MK1, NetherRealm is beginning to think of new ways that it can shake things up in the future. 

During a recent Mortal Kombat 1 preview event, ComicBook.com NetherRealm’s story director Dominic Ciancolo. When asked about what excited Ciancolo most about MK1, he said that it was the fully rebooted nature of the game. Ciancolo went on to add that NetherRealm isn’t simply viewing its new Mortal Kombat game as a one-off entry, but the studio instead sees it as the “first step” of a larger story it will begin to tell in implied sequels. 

“I think there’s an expectation that was established because of MK9. That was obviously a speed run through the first three games. So we saw characters fully develop to what people knew them to be over the course of that one game,” Ciancolo said. “Mortal Kombat 1 as a narrative is a springboard. It’s the first step on this road. And so we’re going to obviously see the characters develop, they’re going to change, things are going to happen, but this is not the end. This is just the beginning. And so that’s going to be something we hopefully will evolve as we go forward.”

When Will the Mortal Kombat 1 Sequel Release?

Generally speaking, it’s not a shock to hear that NetherRealm is taking a long-term view with Mortal Kombat following the launch of MK1. After all, this is a franchise that has been around for over 30 years and surely won’t be ending any time soon. Per usual, Mortal Kombat 1 will likely be a major hit for NetherRealm commercially which will eventually prompt a follow-up game to one day release. 

As for when this Mortal Kombat 1 sequel might launch, well, that’s a bit harder to say. Given that Mortal Kombat 11 arrived back in 2019, there will have been a gap of a little more than four years between games once Mortal Kombat 1 rolls out on September 19. Assuming that this same period of time were to play out again, it would suggest that Mortal Kombat 2 (or whatever this new game would be called) wouldn’t release until 2027. 

Still, NetherRealm may look to create a completely different game after its work on MK1 which would delay this next Mortal Kombat title further. Previously, NetherRealm director Ed Boon has said that the studio hopes to eventually continue its work on the Injustice series with Injustice 3. Additionally, Boon also has aspirations for a Marvel vs. DC fighting game to come from the studio, although licensing difficulties may keep this dream from ever becoming a reality.