Mortal Kombat 12 could see the return of a feature that we haven’t seen since the 2000s, with Ed Boon saying that Konquest mode could possibly be added to the highly anticipated sequel.
The single-player story mode hasn’t appeared in a Mortal Kombat game since Armageddon, and is seen as a staple of the 3D era games in the series. It’s not clear if a new Konquest mode would replace the typical story mode we’ve seen in recent MK games, but if it’s added, it would allow players to experience the story at a much slower pace, and one that doesn’t rely on constant kombat.
This comes during a Twitter Q&A, with series co-creator Ed Boon. While most of his responses are as trolly as we’ve come to expect, some of the answers do give us some insight into the direction the series could take.
In response to being asked if there will be a Mortal Kombat: Deception remaster, Boon admits this is “not likely.” However, he also adds that the team is “more likely [to] do a new Konquest.”
While the replies are understandably disappointed that we probably shouldn’t expect a remake of the fan-favourite 3D-era game, it has got them thinking about how a Konquest mode could be implemented. It’s most likely that we’d see it as a mode in Mortal Kombat 12, rather than its own release.
However, as evident in some of the replies, there is a feeling that the 3D era is often ignored and not as respected as the 1990s games. Many of the features that these games introduced – 3D kombat, a bunch of new characters, different fighting styles and weapons – were ditched by NetherRealm Studios. Even in the movies, some fans complain that 3D era characters are given a rough time, more likely to be killed off and not used much in the story.
In fact, during the Q&A, one fan straight up asks Boon if NetherRealm “hates” these games. Boon replies “not at all”, of course, especially since he worked on these games himself.
It’s likely that a return to the Konquest story mode – where we play as a totally new character and explore the world of Mortal Kombat on foot – would go a long way in appeasing these fans. Nothing like them has been attempted in the NetherRealm games, with the story modes simply following the main cast from battle to battle.
As for when Mortal Kombat 12 launches, we have no idea if it’s even in development. It’s been hinted at constantly, so we know it’s almost definitely going to happen, but it remains to be seen when NetherRealm decides to actually confirm it.
