Mortal Kombat 1's Final Content Drop
On May 23, 2025, NetherRealm made posts across Mortal Kombat's official social feeds explaining that while the team listened to players' requests, they would be moving their focus to "the next project". This follows the quietly released Definitive Edition, which included all DLC that has been released and additional skins—all of which seemed like they were poorly rushed to release before the new Mortal Kombat movie hits theatres in October 2025.
The Last Fighter & Community Reactions
The final DLC character for MK1, T-1000, was released 546 days from launch – slightly behind Mortal Kombat 11’s 574-day DLC life cycle. While some in the community are glad to see the end due to MK1's terrible start time, many believe it is premature, especially during a time where other fighting game franchises, including Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8, are still thriving and receiving constant support.
“We know some fans will be disappointed,” NetherRealm said. “But we want to make sure our next game is the best it can be.”
Unfulfilled Promises & Development Burnout
In 2023, Ed Boon stated that support for MK1 would be long-term and “at least as long as MK11”. It is still early to call, but it seems inevitable that support for MK1 has ceased altogether. The sharp turn from prioritising MK1 support is disappointing. Insiders sourced reports leading to speculation that the Khaos Reigns DLC may have poor sales, which caused the hard stop.
What’s Coming from NetherRealm?
While there is no official announcement on what NetherRealm is working on next, there are rumours of either Injustice 3 or a new IP. Given NetherRealm's history, we could have an announcement by summer.
Here are some interesting facts:
- This character was made after Robert Patrick's character from the movie Terminator 2.
- MK1 Definitive Edition was released without a trailer on release day.
- Skins for the unreleased Mortal Kombat movie (2025) were added to the store in anticipation.
