Mortal Kombat 1's Ed Boon Hints at Future DLC Following T-1000 Reveal

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 follows the release of the Conan the Barbarian guest character, a milestone Boon celebrated by announcing Mortal Kombat 1's sales exceeding five million copies.

Boon's tweet showcasing a brief clip of the T-1000's Fatality—a nod to the iconic Terminator 2 truck chase scene—included the phrase "keep trucking forward with future DLC," sparking speculation within the Mortal Kombat community. While this could simply refer to the imminent arrival of the T-1000, many fans interpret it as a hint towards additional DLC characters beyond the current Khaos Reigns expansion.

The T-1000 marks the final character in the Khaos Reigns expansion, following the additions of Cyrax, Sektor, Noob Saibot, Ghostface, and Conan. The question of a potential third DLC pack or "Kombat Pack 3" has been a recurring topic among fans, fueled by uncertainty surrounding the game's sales performance.

However, Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent company, has reaffirmed its commitment to the Mortal Kombat franchise. CEO David Zaslav stated in November that the company intends to focus heavily on four key titles, with Mortal Kombat being one of them. Furthermore, Boon himself confirmed in September that NetherRealm had already decided on its next project three years prior, while pledging continued support for Mortal Kombat 1 for an extended period.

While many anticipate NetherRealm's next title to be a third installment in the Injustice fighting game franchise, this remains unconfirmed. The development history of both franchises, marked by alternating releases, was disrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic and the studio's transition to a newer Unreal Engine (Unreal Engine 4 for Mortal Kombat 1, compared to Unreal Engine 3 for Mortal Kombat 11). Boon acknowledged these factors as contributing to the decision to produce another Mortal Kombat game before returning to the Injustice series, explicitly stating in an interview with IGN that the Injustice franchise is not closed off.

The ambiguity surrounding NetherRealm's future plans keeps the Mortal Kombat community engaged, eagerly awaiting further announcements regarding future DLC and the studio's next major project.