Mortal Kombat 12 could mark the return of Mortal Kombat's beloved characters from the 3D era according to a recent tweet by NetherRealm Studios creative director Ed Boon. Although Mortal Kombat 12 has not been officially announced, Boon appears to be already preparing fans for what's to come for the iconic fighting game franchise.
The Mortal Kombat franchise found even greater levels of success following Mortal Kombat 9, which served as a reboot for the series in 2011. Since Mortal Kombat 9 marked a new beginning for the franchise, many of the characters from Midway's 3D Mortal Kombat titles were missing. Subsequent titles such as Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11 would reintroduce a few 3D-era characters including Tanya and Fujin. However, Mortal Kombat's 3D era contains a vast roster, so fans continue to clamor for characters last seen in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. Boon noticed the fan outcry, and one of the creator's latest tweets implies that NetherRealm Studios is taking the feedback seriously for Mortal Kombat 12.
When answering a fan's question about the lack of 3D-era characters in modern Mortal Kombat games, Boon claims Mortal Kombat 12 will "soon fix" the issue. Boon enjoys teasing fans on Twitter about potential NetherRealm Studios titles, but the creator's recent hints lean heavily in favor of Mortal Kombat 12. If Boon's tweets hold true, Mortal Kombat 12 will include multiple 3D-era characters at launch. In response to Boon, fans have already begun to expect characters such as Ashrah and Havik to make a return.
According to Boon, the next NetherRealm Studios game will be either Injustice 3 or Mortal Kombat 12. These two options have been likely guesses from the fighting game community for quite some time considering the studio's development history since 2011. For example, Injustice: Gods Among Us' 2013 release was followed by Mortal Kombat X in 2015, Injustice 2 in 2017, and Mortal Kombat 11 in 2019. Injustice 3 could be next for NetherRealm Studios, but many of Boon's hints imply Mortal Kombat 12 is just as likely to be the studio's next release.
NetherRealm Studios' next fighting game is shrouded in mystery, and Boon's tweets fuel even more speculation about Mortal Kombat 12 while fans wait for the highly anticipated reveal. Boon and NetherRealm Studios respect the feedback from passionate Mortal Kombat fans, so Boon may be completely truthful when addressing the inclusion of more 3D-era characters.
Boon revealed that he will be in attendance at The Game Awards 2022 on December 8, but he will not be presenting at the show this time around. A Mortal Kombat 12 reveal at The Game Awards this year appears unlikely since Boon will not be present on stage.
Mortal Kombat 12 is rumored to be in development.