Mortal Kombat 1's Ed Boon Hints at Future DLC Following T-1000's Arrival
Ed Boon, the creative director behind Mortal Kombat 1, recently shared a sneak peek of the upcoming T-1000 Terminator's Fatality on social media, simultaneously teasing future downloadable content (DLC). This announcement coincided with the release of the Conan the Barbarian guest character and the revelation that Mortal Kombat 1 has surpassed five million copies sold.
Boon's tweet showcased a brief clip of the T-1000's Fatality, a nod to the iconic truck chase scene from Terminator 2. The accompanying message, "With Conan getting into player’s hands, we are excited to keep trucking forward with future DLC!", sparked considerable speculation within the Mortal Kombat community.
While the phrase could simply refer to the imminent release of the T-1000, many fans interpret it as a hint towards additional DLC characters beyond the current Khaos Reigns expansion. This expansion includes Cyrax, Sektor, Noob Saibot, Ghostface, Conan the Barbarian, and the concluding addition, the T-1000.
The question of a potential third DLC pack or "Kombat Pack 3" has been a recurring topic among fans, fueled by the game's sales performance and Warner Bros. Discovery's continued investment in the Mortal Kombat franchise. Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav confirmed the company's commitment to only four core game titles, with Mortal Kombat being one of them.
NetherRealm Studios, the developer, has previously stated its intention to support Mortal Kombat 1 for an extended period. Ed Boon himself confirmed in September that the studio had determined its next project three years prior but pledged long-term support for Mortal Kombat 1.
While speculation centers on a potential third Injustice game, neither NetherRealm nor Warner Bros. has officially confirmed this. The Injustice franchise, featuring DC Comics characters, previously saw releases in 2013 (Injustice: Gods Among Us) and 2017 (Injustice 2). The decision to release another Mortal Kombat game (Mortal Kombat 1) in 2023, after Mortal Kombat 11 in 2019, broke the previously perceived alternating pattern between the two franchises.
In a 2023 interview with IGN, Boon alluded to various factors influencing this decision, including the COVID-19 pandemic and the transition to a newer Unreal Engine (Unreal Engine 4 for Mortal Kombat 1, compared to Unreal Engine 3 for Mortal Kombat 11). He explicitly stated that the door remained open for future Injustice installments.