The original Mortal Kombat almost didn’t have fatalities, according to series creator Ed Boon. Mortal Kombat is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, and Boon has been sharing a number of behind-the-scenes anecdotes from its long history. No new information regarding the next installment in the fighting game franchise is expected during the festivities, however, with the focus on celebrating NetherRealm’s past accomplishments rather than the studio’s next steps.When Mortal Kombat first hit arcades in 1992, it was both beloved and abhorred for its violence, which was considered brutal at the time. Fatalities were one of the main reasons for that notoriety, and they quickly came to define the popular image of the series. Fans loved punching off heads and ripping out hearts, but the moral panic resulting from the game led to some big shifts in the gaming industry. Mortal Kombat and its many now-classic fatalities were largely responsible for the creation of the ESRB and the implementation of game ratings.Related: Mortal Kombat Has Always Had Its Iconic Logo, But Not Its NameIn a chat with YouTuber Brian Tong, Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon revealed that fatalities weren’t always part of the project. Initially, Boon said, the only character who could perform a fatality was Shang Tsung, the final boss. At one point, Shang Tsung had a sword that he could use to chop off the player’s head when they lost. Although that fatality was ultimately cut from the final game, it did inspire the idea of fatalities for other characters. Johnny Cage was the first to get his own fatality, and the feature took off from there.
Mortal Kombat Developers Were Shocked By Fatalities
Although it’s bizarre to think of Mortal Kombat without its fatalities, given they were a novel and unique feature at the time, it might not be too surprising that they weren’t planned from the start – or that their introduction met internal opposition before the game’s public backlash. Boon said that even on the production team, Mortal Kombat‘s most violent moves were somewhat controversial. According to Boon, half the team said “we can’t do that” after seeing Johnny Cage’s fatality for the first time. The other half of the team was thrilled by the idea, and in the end, they all decided to create fatalities for every character.
Now that Mortal Kombat is turning 30 years old, fans and developers alike are reflecting on its impressive legacy. Ed Boon’s enjoyable anecdotes have lent a lot of cool context to the history of the series, and it’s surprising how much footage and other recordings he still has to share. Although many fans were hoping for a compilation of the classic Mortal Kombat titles as part of the celebration, that could still happen at some point down the line. The Mortal Kombat creator also discussed NetherRealm’s next game and said that while fans won’t be seeing it during the 30th anniversary, they can look forward to more info about it in the near future.
Sources: Brian Tong/Twitter, Brian Tong/YouTube
