History of Mortal Kombat II in Timeline

Mortal Kombat II, a 1993 fighting game by Midway, saw widespread release across arcades and home consoles (MS-DOS, Amiga, Game Boy, Game Gear, Sega Genesis, 32X, Sega Saturn, Super Nintendo, and PlayStation in Japan). Ports were mainly handled by Probe Software and Sculptured Software, with Acclaim Entertainment serving as publisher. The game is a sequel, improving upon the original with refined gameplay and new characters.

1992: Mortal Kombat Predecessor

In 1992, the original Mortal Kombat was released. Mortal Kombat II built upon the foundation of the first game, enhancing gameplay and expanding the mythos.

1993: Official Comic Book Release and Marketing Campaign

In 1993, Alongside the arcade game launch, an official comic book detailing the game's backstory was released, accompanied by Acclaim's $10 million global marketing campaign with the tagline "Nothing ... Nothing can prepare you."

1993: Original Arcade Release of Mortal Kombat II

In 1993, Mortal Kombat II was originally produced by Midway for arcades, marking its initial release. The game was later ported to various home systems.

1993: Increased Sales for WMS Industries

In 1993, WMS Industries reported a sales increase, largely attributed to the arcade version of Mortal Kombat II.

January 1994: Final Version of Mortal Kombat II Released

In January 1994, the final version of Mortal Kombat II, revision 3.1, was released, completing the development process with finalized moves, finishing moves, bug fixes, and additional content.

September 9, 1994: Mortal Friday Release

On September 9, 1994, dubbed "Mortal Friday" by Acclaim's marketing, the Game Boy, Game Gear, SNES, and Genesis versions of Mortal Kombat II were simultaneously released.

September 1994: Top-Selling Game on Multiple Platforms

In September 1994, Mortal Kombat II was the top-selling game on Genesis, SNES, and Game Gear in the United States. It was also the top-selling game in the United Kingdom, including for the Mega Drive, SNES, Master System, Game Gear, and Game Boy.

November 1994: Release of Donkey Kong Country

In November 1994, Donkey Kong Country was released and eclipsed Mortal Kombat II as the world's best-selling video game.

1994: Daniel Pesina Appeared in BloodStorm Advertisement

In 1994, Daniel Pesina, who sought $10 million in the suits for his roles in the first two MK games, had appeared in costume as Johnny Cage in a print advertisement for the fighting game BloodStorm.

1994: Highest-Grossing Arcade Game in America

In 1994, Mortal Kombat II became America's highest-grossing arcade game, according to the Amusement & Music Operators Association (AMOA).

1994: Criticism Regarding Stereotypes and Misogyny

In 1994, Mortal Kombat II faced controversies, including criticism from the Media Action Network for Asian Americans (MANAA) for allegedly perpetuating stereotypes and accusations of misogyny due to violent possibilities against women.

1994: Awards From Game Players and VideoGames

In 1994, Mortal Kombat II received numerous annual awards from gaming publications. Game Players gave it the titles of "Best Genesis Fighting Game", "Best SNES Fighting Game" and "Best Overall SNES Game". VideoGames named MKII as the "Best Fighting Game".

1994: Acclaim's Investment in Mortal Kombat II

In 1994, the San Francisco Chronicle reported that Acclaim had invested $50 million in the development, manufacturing, and marketing of Mortal Kombat II, highlighting the significant financial backing behind the game.

1995: Mortal Kombat Film Features Elements of MKII

Although primarily based on the first game, the 1995 film Mortal Kombat features elements of MKII, such as the characters Kitana and Shao Kahn, and the setting of Outworld.

1995: Release of Mortal Kombat 3

In 1995, Mortal Kombat 3, the sequel to Mortal Kombat II, was released, continuing the franchise.

1995: Nintendo Power Awards

In 1995, Mortal Kombat II received Nintendo Power Awards for "Best Tournament Fighter (all Nintendo platforms)" and "Best Play Control (Game Boy)".

1995: Mortal Kombat II Ranked as Best Sequel

In 1995, SNES magazine Super Play ranked Mortal Kombat II as the best sequel on the platform. Total! Listed the game 4th on its "Top 100 SNES Games".

1995: Action Figures Released in Argentina

In 1995, a series of Mortal Kombat II action figures were released in Argentina, expanding the game's merchandise offerings.

1996: Significant Arcade Machine Sales

By 1996, the number of arcade machines sold approached 25,000 units, marking Mortal Kombat II as a strong title.

1996: GamesMaster Includes Mortal Kombat II in Top 100 Games of All Time

In 1996, GamesMaster rated Mortal Kombat II 35th on their "Top 100 Games of All Time".

1996: First Lawsuit Filed Against Midway

In 1996, Mortal Kombat actors unsuccessfully filed a lawsuit against Midway, Williams, Nintendo of America, Sega of America, and Acclaim Entertainment for the unauthorized misuse of their likenesses and to seek royalties from sales of the games' home ports.

1997: Ranked Among Best Games on Nintendo Platform

In 1997, Mortal Kombat II was ranked as the 53rd best game on any Nintendo platform by the staff of Nintendo Power, highlighting its success on Nintendo consoles.

1997: Second Lawsuit Filed Against Midway

In 1997, Mortal Kombat actors unsuccessfully filed a second lawsuit against Midway, Williams, Nintendo of America, Sega of America, and Acclaim Entertainment for the unauthorized misuse of their likenesses and to seek royalties from sales of the games' home ports.

1999: Action Figures Released in the US

In 1999, a different series of Mortal Kombat II action figures were released in the United States, further broadening the game's merchandise.

2001: Ranked Among Top Games of All Time by Game Informer

In 2001, Mortal Kombat II was ranked as the 97th top game of all time by the staff of Game Informer, solidifying its status as a classic.

2002: Home Video Game Sales Exceed $400 Million

By 2002, estimated gross sales of Mortal Kombat II home video games exceeded $400 million, marking a significant commercial achievement.

2002: Arcade Gross Sales

By 2002, the Mortal Kombat II arcade version grossed $600 million.

2003: Inducted into GameSpot's Video Game Hall of Fame

In 2003, Mortal Kombat II was featured in GameSpot's video game hall of fame series, with the staff acknowledging its excellence as a sequel.

2005: Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks Released

In 2005, the plot and characters of Mortal Kombat II served as the basis for the spin-off game Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks.

2007: GamesRadar Highlights Mortal Kombat II Elements

In 2007, GamesRadar included several elements of Mortal Kombat II among the greatest things about the franchise. In 2007, IGN's Jeff Haynes stated that "Mortal Kombat II still manages to stand up almost 15 years later as one of the best arcade fighters around."

2007: Ranked Among Most Important Video Games by GamePro

In 2007, Mortal Kombat II was ranked as the 38th most important video game of all time by the staff of GamePro, recognizing its influence on the industry.

2007: Re-release on PSN

In 2007, Mortal Kombat II was re-released on the PlayStation Network (PSN), extending its availability to a new generation of players.

2008: Eurogamer Calls Mortal Kombat II a "Marketing Triumph"

In 2008, Eurogamer referred to Mortal Kombat II as "a marketing triumph", acknowledging the game's successful promotional strategies.

2008: Ranked Among Best Fighting Games by GamePro and Cinema Blend

In 2008, Mortal Kombat II was ranked as the third best fighting game by the staff of GamePro and the ninth best fighting game of all time by Rich Knight of Cinema Blend.

2009: Fans Consider Mortal Kombat II the Best in the Series

As late as 2009, many fans still considered Mortal Kombat II to be the best title in the series.

2009: Featured Among Best Games of the 20th Century and Ranked Among Best 16-bit Games

In 2009, Mortal Kombat II was featured among the 100 best games of the 20th century by Jakub Kralka of Benchmark and ranked as the tenth best 16-bit game ever by McKinley Noble of PC World.

2009: Mortal Kombat II Ranked Among Top Arcade Games

In 2009, Mortal Kombat II was ranked as the fifth top arcade game by the staff of GameTrailers.

February 2010: PSN Version Remains Popular

In February 2010, the PSN version of Mortal Kombat II continued to occupy the service's top ten monthly sales chart, demonstrating its sustained popularity.

2010: Ranked Among Best Video Games by The Boston Phoenix

In 2010, Mortal Kombat II was ranked as the 32nd best video game of all time by The Boston Phoenix.

2010: Ranked Among Best Fighting Games by UGO and GamePlayBook

In 2010, Mortal Kombat II was ranked as the third top fighting game of all time by Marissa Meli of UGO and the second best 2D fighting game ever made by Robert Workman of GamePlayBook.

2011: Mortal Kombat II Remains a Fan Favorite

According to a 2011 article by Mike Harradence of PlayStation Universe, the "bigger, bolder and bloodier" game remains "a firm fan favourite among MK aficionados". IGN's Richard George wrote that "Mortal Kombat II is considered by many to be the pinnacle of the series".

2011: Influence on Mortal Kombat Soft Reboot

In 2011, Mortal Kombat II had the greatest influence on the 2011 soft reboot game Mortal Kombat, demonstrating the game's lasting legacy.

2011: Mortal Kombat II Ranked Among Top Arcade Games of All Time

In 2011, Mortal Kombat II was ranked as the 31st top arcade game of all time by the staff of GameSpy.

2011: Ranked Among Best Fighting Games by Complex

In 2011, Mortal Kombat II was ranked as the third best fighting game of all time by Peter Rubin of Complex.

2011: Mortal Kombat Retells Events of MKII

In 2011, the events of Mortal Kombat II, along with the first Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat 3, were retold in the fighting game Mortal Kombat, which was an effective reboot of the series.

2011: Skarlet Officially Introduced in Mortal Kombat

In 2011, the red female ninja character who was dubbed "Scarlet" by fans was officially introduced as Skarlet in 2011's Mortal Kombat.

2012: Ed Boon Recalls Creating Mortal Kombat II

In 2012, Ed Boon recalled creating Mortal Kombat II among his best Mortal Kombat memories, explaining the development team's focus and resources during the game's creation.

2012: "Toasty!" Ranked as Funniest Moment

In 2012, Rich Knight of Complex ranked Dan Forden's "Toasty!" effect during an uppercut as the 11th funniest moment in video games.

2013: Mortal Kombat II Ranked as Sixth Best Arcade Game of the 1990s

In 2013, Complex ranked Mortal Kombat II as the sixth best arcade game of the 1990s.

2013: Complex Praises Mortal Kombat II

In 2013, Rich Knight and Hanuman Welch of Complex wrote that "Mortal Kombat II took everything we loved about the original and magnified it by about a million." In 2013, Knight and Gus Turner from the same magazine also ranked it as the sixth best 2D fighting game of all time.

2014: Complex Reflects on Mortal Kombat II's Impact

In 2014, Kevin Wong of Complex wrote: "Today, we remember Mortal Kombat II for its anarchic spirit—the game was endlessly intriguing and weird, and it had an uneasy atmosphere—anything could happen at any given moment."

2017: Listed Among Best Sega Genesis Games

In 2017, Gamesradar listed Mortal Kombat II as 29th on its "Best Sega Genesis/Mega Drive games of all time".

December 26, 2022: Mortal Kombat II Source Code Leaked

On December 26, 2022, the source code for Mortal Kombat II, which included cut content, was uploaded online to GitHub.

January 6, 2023: Warner Bros. Discovery Issues DMCA Takedown

On January 6, 2023, Warner Bros. Discovery sent a DMCA take down notice to GitHub in response to the Mortal Kombat II source code leak, and public access to the repository was disabled.