NetherRealm Ends MK1 Updates, Moves to New Project

Warner Bros. has confirmed what Mortal Kombat 1 players suspected following the Definitive Edition release - no additional DLC characters or story expansions will be developed.

While Mortal Kombat 1 has moved 5 million copies (contributing to the franchise's 100 million total), its performance trails behind previous entries. Mortal Kombat 11 surpassed Mortal Kombat X's 11 million sales shortly after launch, eventually selling over 15 million units by 2022.

The official Mortal Kombat account tweeted: "While we'll continue supporting MK1 with balance updates, no further character DLC or story content will be produced. Our team must now prioritize the next project to ensure its quality."

While Warner Bros. didn't specify the upcoming project, industry speculation strongly suggests Injustice 3 as NetherRealm's next DC fighting game installment.

The complete statement reads:

"We recognize player requests for ongoing MK1 support. However, beyond balance patches and bug fixes, no new DLC fighters or story chapters will be developed. We appreciate this decision may disappoint fans, but refocusing development resources is necessary for our next major release."

The March 2025 T-1000 guest character (released 18 months post-launch) now stands as MK1's final significant content addition. This mirrors NetherRealm's previous MK11 support timeline, which ended two years and three months after launch when development shifted to MK1.

The announcement has reignited discussion about NetherRealm creative director Ed Boon's September 2024 tweet assuring fans: "NetherRealm remains fully committed to long-term MK1 support."

The January 2024 reveal of Floyd the pink ninja (a developer inside joke years in the making) briefly revitalized community engagement. However, core fans largely consider MK1 a disappointing entry overall.

Warner Bros. Discovery remains committed to the franchise, with CEO David Zaslav recently naming Mortal Kombat among four core gaming IPs for the company. The Mortal Kombat 2 film adaptation is scheduled for release later this year.