I've been recently thinking about fighting games franchises lately (horrible I know this is a cry for help) and upon remembering that MK is still a somewhat annual franchise I came to a really odd conclusion

I don't think mortal kombat has any actual identity anymore aside from liveleak gore videos and incredibly lacklustre mechanical design, Now I know this is a bit harsh and I'm not exactly speaking from a position of objectivity despite how much i think objectivity is a meme but really think about it.

With how much every other fighting game franchise has adapted and changed to meet the times whether its tekken, street fighter or even KOF I cannot think of a single reason for MK to still exist beyond nostalgia value as an IP and really over the top liveleak-esque gore.

For one NRS cannot design characters for shit every one of their games i feel has always had that one character that one badly designed character that just completely ignores the fundamentals and destroys whatever is in its path whether its NRS adherence to the policy of never designing good zoners or completely batshit overpowered DLC characters (which to give credit many companies are also guilty of) I cannot think of a single reason to continue playing a single NRS fighting game past its launch window when everyone has figured out all the broken tediously designed characters.

Now I don't think anyone is willing to defend NRS character design but if they are just remember they were okay with injustice's base roster.

Another point of contention I feel is NRS's insistence on always following the worst monetization plans in the industry now typically I am one to ignore this kind of thing as if it isn't directly affecting the flow of gameplay it is of minor concern to me but when the last 3 or so NRS games have had the worst monetization on cosmetics possible its something you eventually notice and take into account when viewing these games fucking holiday exclusive fatalities that are paid only? wtf is this company smoking? To give some slack however it isn't like other companies have followed suit people seem to give shit to trend setters but never the people to then follow those trends Tekken 8's awful monetization scheme deserves a special mention as it was a catalyst for a review shitstorm on top of contributing to what seems like them ignoring blights on the current balance but that's a story for another day.

Now despite all this musing over how much of a failure I feel MK is as a brand it will still sells like hotcakes because unfortunately nostalgia IP's like MK will sell well regardless of quality because MK's audience of edgy teenagers and boomers aren't ones to typically question quality after all who care's if the net coding has been terrible since day one and highly requested community fixes for matchmaking aren't implemented look its peacemaker from that show you like! and look its homelander you guy's like homelander right from that show you like on streaming right guys? be sure to keep buying time crystals so you can buy skins that used to be free in older titles!

Sarcasm aside I think ultimately ed boon should be hunted with an harpoon gun at sea but that's just me.