Mortal Kombatcreative director and co-creator Ed Boon has shared his thoughts on potential protagonists in a hypothetical spin-off title of the long-running franchise. Ed Boon often engages with fans online, usually sharing stories about how the series came to be, potential developments, or sometimes tease fans withcryptic hints aboutMortal Kombat 1or other NetherRealm Studios projects. Ed Boon recently commented on which characters he believes would receive the spotlight in a brand-new spin-off game, if NRS ever developed one.
WhileMortal Kombathas traditionally been a 2D fighting game series, the franchise has branched out of the fighting game space a couple of times. The most notable of these spin-offs looked to expand upon the series' lore, steering away from a fighting game to single-player action adventure titles. While games likeMortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-ZeroandSpecial Forceswere critically panned for being poor translations of theMKformula to an action game, fans praisedShaolin Monksfor being an excellent template of what the series could be if it was a co-op multiplayer action brawler. However, the series hasn’t had a spin-off like that in quite a long time, and fans are hoping that NetherRealm could revisit the idea.
A recent tweet by Jim’s Retro Emporium asked fans whichMortal Kombatduo deserves their ownShaolin Monks-styled spin-off game, listing off four of the most iconic pairs: Sonya Blade and Jax, Scorpion and Sub-Zero, Raiden and Fujin, and finally Kitana and Mileena, though there are plenty more other options that fans commented. Ed Boon directly commented on his pick regarding the protagonists of a potential successor toShaolin Monks:the iconic rival duo of Scorpion and Sub-Zero. “Without a doubt, if (when?) we do one, it will be Scorpion and Sub-Zero,” replied Boon on Twitter.
Ed Boon Wants Scorpion and Sub-Zero to Star Together in a MK Spin-off
This wouldn’t be a surprising choice, considering how Scorpion and Sub-Zero are the mascots ofMortal Kombat, but some longtime fans may also recall the canceledMortal Kombat: Fire & Ice, which was going to be a successor toShaolin Monks.Fire and Icewould have played likeShaolin Monks, but instead of Liu Kang and Kung Lao, Scorpion and Sub-Zero would have been in the leading roles. It appears Boon still wants to make that game happen, as evidenced by past comments regardingremasters or follow-ups toShaolin Monks.
As much as fans would likely love aShaolin Monksfollow-up, NetherRealm Studios is currently focused on post-launch support forMortal Kombat 1, with multiple updates and new DLC characters released s ofar. While there have been recentrumors of a potential action-adventureMortal Kombatspin-offearlier in June, fans should still take that particular rumor with a grain of salt.
Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat is a fighting game franchise originally created by Ed Boon and John Tobias for Midway Games in 1992. The franchise has a reputation for its over the top violence and finishing moves called fatalities which result in comically gruesome kills. The series immense popularity has helped it evolve into other mediums like comic books, spin-off games, television shows, and multiple film adaptations, both live action and animated.
