Along with other franchises likeTekkenandStreet Fighter,Mortal Kombatis up there as one of the most iconic and long-running fighting game series of all time. Its characters are legendary, its catchphrases are ubiquitous, and its fatalities are as brutal as they are impressive. TheMortal Kombatseries has spawned multiple installments, comics, and even films, and remains one of the best-selling fighting game franchises. As the series wore on, the mechanics became slicker, and animations more impressive, the cast of characters more varied, and a more complex story was interwoven among the multitude of fights and combative showdowns.
AfterMortal Kombat 11’s release in 2019, fans have been waiting for news of the inevitable sequel. While it’s been assumed that NetherRealm Studios has been working onMortal Kombat 12, it has yet to be confirmed and players have been left to wonder when they might be able to see the next game.Mortal Kombat 12was among the titles mentioned in themassive Nvidia leak back in 2021, and while some titles on the list seem unrealistic, others have already been revealed as legit which has given the leak more credibility. Nevertheless,Mortal Kombat 12remains as elusive as ever, but this hasn’t stopped fans from speculating what the game might look like.
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Mortal Kombat’s Storytelling
Mortal Kombat’s storyhave started off as fairly simplistic, with in-game text and a few illustrative images. As the games evolved, so did the narratives, with full-blown cinematics entering the mix. Now, the story mode is among the best features inMortal Kombat, with engaging and energetic plots that let players control a variety of characters and face up to a mixture of different threats. As with any property that has multiple dimensions, things can get a little complicated. TheMortal Kombatmultiverse has many realms, alternate timelines, and more than a few meddling gods, which makes for some pretty crazy plot threads.
Mortal Kombat 11followed in the footsteps of some of its predecessors, with time travel, alternate universes, and vengeful deities featuring prominently in the story. Where the majority of earlier games were much more linear, later titles have taken their storytelling to new heights with a healthy dose of ridiculousness thrown in.Mortal Kombat11’s many betrayals, time-bending antics, and lore-rich escapades are the perfect amalgam of what aMortal Kombatstory has come to represent, and they set a successful template for whatMortal Kombat 12could look like too.
Possible Directions For The Sequel
TheMortal Kombatgames are anticipated as much for their B-movie adjacent plots as they are for fighting mechanics, andMortal Kombat 12is no different. With a few possible endings in bothMortal Kombat 11and the 2020 expansionAftermath,there are some interesting directions that NetherRealm could take the story. Things got a little heated between the warring factions inMortal Kombat 11,with Shinnok’s mother Kronika taking on the role of the main antagonist and trying to rewrite history to suit her whims. The game culminated with a joint Earthrealm/Outworld army coming together to defeat her, only for Shang Tsung to enact his own plan for revenge and dominance inAftermath.
Depending on player actions,Aftermathcan eitherend with Shang Tsung ruling over all the realms, or he is erased from existence if Liu Kang beats him and the latter ushers in a New Era. It’s likely that NetherRealm will make the second ending canon, as it opens up so many more opportunities than a dark timeline where Shang Tsung rules with an iron fist.
However, if this is the path that the next game goes down, it also means that players will enter the timeline at a much earlier point, before fan-favorites like Scorpion or Sub-Zero are even born. While some characters could very likely make a return, this does open the doors for newer faces or even mythic characters that have only been referenced in previous games to make an appearance.
Bringing the story back 500 years to the era of The Great Kung Lao is risky, but it gives players a chance to see some iconic characters in their younger (and less powerful) years. Younger versions of classic characters have already been introduced in the series with characters meeting themselves atdifferent points in time inMortal Kombat 11, and exploring earlier relationships and histories could be interesting. This could setMortal Kombat 12up as a prequel to the first game, which is an area that hasn’t really been explored yet, despite the proliferation of time travel in the series.
As well as exploring established characters on their rise to greatness,Mortal Kombat 12could introduce a cast of new characters. While this has had mixed results in the past, a few series staples have had more than enough outings under their belts already, and some fans feel like it’s time for a change and some new blood. With the slate being wiped pretty much clean afterAftermath, NetherRealm isn’t necessarily tied to its previous canon narratives either.
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Everything Known About Mortal Kombat 12 So Far
In July 2021, NetherRealm announced that it would be focusing on its next project rather than continuing to supportMortal Kombat 11, leading many fans to believe this meant the nextMortal Kombatgame. Various leaks and rumors have seemed to confirm this, butMortal Kombat 12still hasn’t been officially announced. The story and setting are still very much up in the air, but if Liu Kang’s plotline is followed then it seems likely that characters likeLord Liu Kang, God of Thunder & Firehimself as well as his new protege Kung Lao will feature as they begin their training.
Some have speculated thatInjustice 3might actually be NetherRealm’s next game, but so far there hasn’t been a lot of evidence either way. Whatever the studio’s next title will be, it’s likely that fans will get some answers soon, even if they won’t be able to play it for a little while at least.
