It's hard to believe that the Mortal Kombat franchise has already been around for three decades, but such is the reality as Mortal Kombat 12 was confirmed to be in development a short while ago. After numerous rumors pointing to its existence, Warner Bros. Interactive announced the game during an investor's meeting, teasing more information to come in the future. However, fans didn't need to wait that long as a recent leak may have given away some intriguing details.
Of course, all this should be taken with a grain of salt until these inclusions are outright confirmed during an official preview. All the same, sometimes these situations have truth to them, such as the leaks for Tears of the Kingdom proved. Hardcore fans should be wary of potential spoilers, but if the leaks prove to be true, Mortal Kombat 12 has quite a few special surprises in store for players that are eager to test their might.
Mortal Kombat 12 May Not Be What It Seems
One of the most noteworthy pieces of info from the Mortal Kombat 12 leaks actually revolved around the title of the game itself. Despite being the twelfth mainline entry in the long-running fighting game franchise, this new Mortal Kombat has chosen to ditch attaching the number 12 at the end of its title in favor of something else entirely. Supposedly, this new game will serve as a series reboot and actually be called 'Mortal Kombat 1'.
While an odd decision at first glance, it does make sense especially factoring in that this new game will serve as a refresh of the series. Furthermore, and potentially adding credibility to this leak, was a recent teaser video for Mortal Kombat 12 featuring a ticking clock. As the hand moves along the numbers and inches its way closer to 12, it stalls and completely jumps over the number entirely in favor of the number one. Combining this leak, and the official trailer together makes it safe to say that this new title is a strong possibility.
Rumored Bonus Fighters for the Next Mortal Kombat
Information regarding the title of the game isn't the only thing in the leak, as it hints at a few potential guest characters to show up on the roster of Mortal Kombat 12. It has been a series tradition for quite some time to feature characters from other popular franchises, such as RoboCop and Terminator showing up in Mortal Kombat 11. The choices are usually fitting, as these characters are just as violent and eccentric as the core cast comprising iconic faces like Scorpion and Johnny Cage. This helps spice up the main selection of fighters, and gives developer NetherRealm a fun new set of abilities to toy with and integrate into its own universe.
According to the leak, two new fighters will be Peacemaker from James Gunn's popular HBO show of the same name, as well as Homelander, the megalomaniac antagonist from Amazon Prime's The Boys. Both of these characters have risen in popularity since both of their franchises kicked off on streaming these past few years. Homelander in particular is just as sadistic and brutal as any of the most ruthless combatants from Mortal Kombat history, and can give them a run for their money in a one on one match.
With a potentially fresh new perspective on the series and the inclusion of some exciting new extra characters, Mortal Kombat 12 is already shaping up to be one of the premier fighting games of 2023. While more news has been promised to be revealed in the future, hopefully gamers don't have to wait that much longer to see what's in store for one of the most consistently enjoyable fighting game franchises.
Mortal Kombat 1 is rumored to be in development for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.