While the next NetherRealm Studios project is hotly anticipated, it needs to avoid the mistakes of its sister title MultiVersus.
Soon enough, fans will know more about what the treasured Western fighting game developer NetherRealm Studios has in store. As the developer of both the Mortal Kombat and Injustice franchises, NetherRealm has made a name for itself as something to look out for. Its games are consistently some of the highest-selling titles in their genre and include experiences built to last even if the game’s owner only plays offline. With Mortal Kombat 12 in development for a late 2023 launch, many fans are excited to hear more about what NetherRealm Studios has been working on.
However, Mortal Kombat 12 isn’t the only WB Games-published fighter circulating through online discussions. While it’s technically still in open beta, MultiVersus has been operating since the summer of 2022. This free-to-play platform fighter collects characters from across WB Games’ catalog, evoking the image and gameplay of Super Smash Bros. to great effect. MultiVersus launched to massive success, but half a year later, its Steam player base had shrunk by 99%. As different as a premium NetherRealm experience and the free MultiVersus are likely to be, there’s still plenty of good lessons NetherRealm should take from this once-promising fighting game.
NetherRealm’s Next Fighter Needs To Feel Full At Launch
The first is something that, hopefully, will prove to be a non-issue. MultiVersus had a fully-featured fighting system at launch, but that was all it had. After a short tutorial, players had to choose between fighting online or offline, and that was it. Adding to that are the sparse menus, which, while functional, hammer home the fact that the game is in beta and doesn’t have much going on. Sadly, MultiVersus could only justify so much play time before the initial hype wore off and players realized there wasn’t anything else to do.
Fighting games do need good online features, and a drop in casual players who aren’t interested in them is to be expected. However, keeping them entertained and present for as long as possible is something that NetherRealm specializes in. From story modes that have been heaped with praise to various side modes and dynamically shifting arcade towers, there is much to do all while Mortal Kombat‘s gritty aesthetic or Injustice‘s flashy art keep the immersion going on every screen. While NetherRealm should have this lesson in the bag, it never hurts to remember just what strengths got it to where it is.
NetherRealm Must Show Support Until Games Can Stand On Their Own
There is one method that NetherRealm hasn’t locked in yet, and that’s integrating live service elements. Many cite this as the primary cause of MultiVersus’ decline, as it did not justify its continued existence as a free title with paid elements. While some cosmetics were beloved, others were much less well-received and took disproportional work to get. Daily challenges sidetracked from normal play and made the act of engaging with the game frequently feel like a chore. Even as a live service title that must be monetized somehow, it’s important for a game to keep its fun factor as its firm focus. The long absences of content within seasons, even though MultiVersus is still in beta, then became the final nail in its coffin.
That was something that another realm struggled with recently in Mortal Kombat 11. Its launch was infamously confusing thanks to the many in-game currencies, only a couple of which were actually tied to the in-game store. Progression and unlocking content was very tedious, and most unlockables were alternate palettes or other minor things. While the full package was enough to keep MK11 afloat, NetherRealm needs to make sure that its next game’s initial live service design is good, and then keep up a good pace while doling out planned content. If all goes as intended, it should have another hit on its hands, but MultiVersus stands as a reminder that it takes a lot of careful planning to get there.
Mortal Kombat 12 is in development.
