Following a tease from Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon, rumors around Mortal Kombat 12 have already started circulating ahead of any official announcement from Netherrealm Studios.
Days ago, Boon posted a short video of a ticking clock on Twitter counting down to something, and that something is most certainly Mortal Kombat 12. The clock almost reaches the 12th hour before an explosion rockets it ahead to land on “1.”
Today, another Twitter account associated with previous PSN leaks, @billbil_kun, alleges that the next grizzly fighter is titled Mortal Kombat 1, making that “1” in Boon’s video seems a little more significant.
As you may notice, game will be available for Next-Gen consoles only (while including Nintendo Switch)
Comes in 3 editions:
– Standard
– Premium
– Kollector’s Edition (Physical only, not available for Nintendo Switch)Announcement should be close
— billbil-kun (@billbil_kun) May 11, 2023
“Next Mortal Kombat game from NetherRealm Studios / WB Games will be called: Mortal Kombat 1,” @ billbil_kun wrote, following up with a bulleted list of specifics:
- “PC, PS5, Xbox Series S|X, Nintendo Switch
- Standard: 69.99$ (PS5, XB) / 59.99$ (SW)
- Premium: 109.99$
- Kollector’s: 249.99$ (PS5, XB)”
The tweets also note an official announcement “should be close,” and the game is only for this generation of consoles. There’s no Kollector’s Edition available for Switch either, and the pricey package will only have a physical release.
Whether or not the “1” in the official Mortal Kombat video actually means something–like a reboot–remains unknown, as official channels are limited to teasers. Once the rumors took off, Boon denied claims from leakers, following up with another tweet highlighting a video from @unCAGEDgamez “shootin’ down the rumors.”
Great video by @unCAGEDgamez shootin’ down the rumors!https://t.co/rGGULDDzvf
— Ed Boon (@noobde) May 12, 2023
Specifics like pricepoint, platform, and title may be easier to glean from a glance, but Mortal Kombat 12’s initial “reveal” remains the more surprising. Last February, the news Netherrealm was planning another Mortal Kombat sometime this year broke during an earnings call when a Warner Brothers executive mentioned the title by name.
It’s been four years since Netherrealm released Mortal Kombat 11, though the recent teases line up with a bigger milestone celebrating the series’ 30th anniversary. The studio has also mentioned it’s working on another project, which is why it ended MK11’s DLC support, though Netherrealm never announced what that project is.
Andrea Shearon is a freelance contributor for IGN covering games and entertainment. She’s worn several hats over her seven-year career in the games industry, with bylines over at Fanbyte, USA Today’s FTW, TheGamer, VG247, and RPG Site. Find her on Twitter (@Maajora) or the Materia Possessions podcast chatting about FFXIV, RPGs, and any series involving giant robots.
