6 March 2009
Josh

Mortal Kombat 9 release date set for Q4 2009, says Midway

Midway has announced that they are giving Mortal Kombat and MK co-creator Ed Boon another chance as they slate Mortal Kombat 9 for a fourth-quarter 2009 release date.

Why would that be? Because it seems Midway may have finally realized what everyone else already knows, Midway is a goner without the MK franchise.

They announced that Ed Boon will be pocketing up to $900,000 for his work on the completion and sales of Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe (which were good at around a million units but under expectations) and will be getting a further $105,000 in bonuses for the Mortal Kombat franchise itself (which comes from the sale of older MK games like Mortal Kombat 2 on PlayStation Network, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 on Xbox Live Arcade, the MK movies and such).

This is interesting because Midway does not have money to spend, but they say that the bonuses and payments given to Boon are “critical to maximize the value of one of the Debtor’s (i.e. Ed Boon) primary assets.”

This is good news for Midway and MK fans in general, now hopefully their next game will be better received than MK vs DC Universe was.

And I’m STILL waiting for Midway to announce the release of Mortal Kombat 1, Mortal Kombat 2, Mortal Kombat Trilogy and Mortal Kombat 4 on ALL downloading fronts (Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network and WiiWare). Come on Midway! GET ON IT! Not only is that instant cash right there but I’d buy all of those without giving a second thought. LEVERAGE YOUR CLASSIC BACK CATALOG ALREADY!

Jeez. I should be managing Midway myself . . .

UPDATE June 2009: MK creator Ed Boon’s Twitter page sees him mention motion capture work is underway for Mortal Kombat 9! To quote his personal stream of thoughts:

Ed Boon (@noobde): Motion capturing special moves & fatalities today….they are kind of sick !!

Ed Boon: Carlos & Rick O. doin some kool fatalities. I hope we aren’t taking these too far.

MK Fan (@McCarron): @noobde If you are not sure if you are taking them too far, that means you can go further.

Ed Boon: @McCarron U r absolutely right. People want an M-rated MK….dammit we will give them an M-rated MK.

Ed Boon: still…they are sick.

Update Attendum: The original article references Midway’s “Key Employee Incentive Plan” from earlier this year. Turns out a court committee edited or outright declined this proposed plan later on, explaining why Ed Boon claimed this intel to be false via Twitter (thanks André Lopes). That or he never heard about it with Midway’s plans getting cancelled. As for the release date, let’s hope that estimate isn’t false, I want a new Mortal Kombat game this year as much as the next fan!

UPDATE August 2009: A Warner Bros. Games Inc. Chicago job listing shows Mortal Kombat 9 will focus on online play! The job description reads:
“WB Games Inc. seeks a Senior Software Engineer, Network to help us implement cutting-edge online features to ensure the Mortal Kombat franchise is an industry leader in online functionality. We are looking to position Mortal Kombat as the “gold standard” for network play, and we are looking for someone who wants to push the boundaries of what is possible with online interaction.

You will work closely with architects and designers on both the Mortal Kombat team and the advanced technology group to help design and implement functionality ranging from the core network transport layer all the way to owning the final implementation of brand-new features that will revolutionize online play.

The job opening can be viewed in it’s entirety here at TimeWarner.com’s job page for those interesting in applying to join the team. We can’t wait to see what the team has up their sleeves as far as these “revolutionary features” go. The dynamic interactivity of playing at the arcade has not yet been duplicated properly in an console fighting game yet.”

7 March 2009 07:26
JQ

Midway are releaceing MK9 dispite being bust?! How do they manage that, lol! JQ

7 March 2009 08:19
Vince H.

Wow, a new MK game released one year after the previous one. I think they should copy Street Fighter IV and do a 2.5D game because personally, I don’t think the 3D aspect really worked for this series. Also, each character needs their own unique, gruesome fatalities back. MK vs DC Universe was rated T and MK Armageddon failed to do this. I would like to buy another MK game, but they aren’t sticking to what made this game a classic. Can’t wait to see the new game!!! Thanks for the info, and yeah, they should put those classics online!

8 March 2009 05:14
astrotriforce

You’re welcome.

I am a HUGE MK fan and like you Mortal Kombat Trilogy was my favorite in the series. I couldn’t get into the 3D games and although I did like MK vs DCU it didn’t impress me like I was hoping it would.

So I think you are right, they should try bringing the series back to a side-scrolling view ala Street Fighter 4. Either that or do MK vs Street Fighter!

JQ, who knows. Midway has serious management issues and has for a long, long time. That’s how they are in the hole they are in now. It’ll be really interesting to see if they can climb back out somehow. Hopefully with a GREAT new MK game.

But if they really are going to release it only a year after MK vs DCU, then I wonder if they will even have the time to make it great. I guess we’ll find out.

8 March 2009 09:41
supadupagama

Forget about Mortal Kombat, what about Immortal Boon? That guy hasn’t aged a day since he made the first game in the series, it’s spooky. He’s like Richard from Lost!

8 March 2009 15:30
Tremor

Who thinks tremor should be in MK9?

8 March 2009 18:53
Jeremy Sims

Both of u guys are right the should bring Mortal Kombat back in it’s traditional form for as the fatality goes,or make another series with another video game like Mortal Kombat v.s.Street Fighter or either Mortal Kombat v.s. Killer Instinct if they decied to bring it back that will be a site to see.

9 March 2009 04:10
yeah buddy

They already have Capcom vs. Marvel and now there’s MK vs. DCU. I think the next step should be MK unrated vs. D.O.A unleashed. Also think about putting a Tekken and a Soul Calibur character in, to unlock. Bring back Johnny Cage back from the dead. Please no cheap moves. It gets repeatitive and boring. Oo yeah more violent!!!!!!!!!!!!!! On the finisher moves. So, us players can be like OOOOOooOOOOooOO sshhiiieeettt!!!!!!!!

11 March 2009 15:28
K-KRUSH

Hey i agree with you man thats wat got me into mortal kombat games the more gruesome fatalies and the 2d modes, hell i was only 3 years old playn the shit and now im 20 and still big fan of it, i think if they go wit the 3d mode it shud be like mksm cus that game kicks *ss hard. and they shud have a co-op season with any of the player but only good team with good and bad with bad that’ll be awsome. i know that they can do it look at all the other games mid-way mad that had serious depth. But regardless wat thay do ima by the game cuse i just like playing them huge fan of mortal kombat. now im waiting on the movie to restart all over again cus the second one fucked up every thing they shud stop selling them, no hard fillings but i really really f*cked up the movie sequels. BUT ITS GONA BE AWIGHT YOU CAN DO ED, OH YEA HE HASNT AGE A BIT HES IMMORTAL.

11 March 2009 15:31
K-KRUSH

hey this me again im sorry for the incorrect and incomplete spelling lol you understand it.

15 March 2009 00:32
SS5 GOKU

they need to make more MK games like Shaolin Monks were you walk around worlds and beat the monsters and all that!!! Enviromental hazards are needed too!!!!