Get ready for some blood, guts, and fighting on the go. Warner Bros. Games has announced a brand new mobile role-playing game, Mortal Kombat: Onslaught, that is set to launch in 2023. The game is coming to mobile devices, meaning it will offer some video game violence in the palm of your hand. It is developed and co-published by NetherRealm Studios and will feature what is being billed as “the first mobile-exclusive cinematic story experience for the franchise.”
So, what is Mortal Kombat: Onslaught, exactly? Per Warner Bros. Games, players must build a team of fighters from a vast roster of characters – and unleash them in massive real-time group battles to stop a dark and dangerous threat from wreaking havoc across the realms. This title will not be the first mobile entry for the Mortal Kombat franchise, but it is the latest since the release of Mortal Kombat Mobile. That game has amassed over 150 million installs and is one of the top five most downloaded fighting games on iOS and Android, making it quite successful. As such, this new RPG makes a lot of sense. David Haddad, President of Warner Bros. Games, had this to say about it:
“Mortal Kombat is a legendary franchise and pop culture phenomenon, and it continues to engage players and advance the fighting genre across multiple platforms. Mortal Kombat: Onslaught is a testament to why Mortal Kombat has been a top gaming franchise for over 30 years, as the NetherRealm team continues to innovate and bring new gameplay to fans.”
The announcement also comes as the franchise celebrates a landmark 30 years of existence in 2022. The original game was published in 1992 to great controversy, given its graphic violence, something that was not all that prominent in video games up to that point. Controversy be damned, we’re up to Mortal Kombat 11 in the main series, not to mention the many spin-offs over the years and tens of millions of copies sold over the years. Ed Boon, Chief Creative Officer of NetherRealm Studios, had this to add:
“We are pushing the boundaries of Mortal Kombat to allow players to experience the franchise in new ways, while still staying true to its core visceral nature. With Mortal Kombat: Onslaught, we reimagined Mortal Kombat into a strategic team-based collection RPG with fast-paced, group melee combat that both new and existing fans can enjoy.”
Aside from the game, Warner Bros. is also developing a sequel to the 2021 live-action, R-rated Mortal Kombat movie. While that film wasn’t a huge hit at the box office, it did gigantic numbers on HBO Max, so much so that the studio was happy to pull the trigger on another installment. So there will be no shortage of Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and the gang over the next few years, safe to say.
Those who are interested in the game can sign up now for updates here.
