History of Mortal Kombat in Timeline
Mortal Kombat is a media franchise originating as a fighting video game developed by Midway Games in 1992. The series is known for its high levels of gore and fatalities. The Mortal Kombat universe has expanded to include various spin-offs such as action-adventure games, movies, and television series, solidifying its place in pop culture.
1984: Karate Champ Inspiration
In 1984, Karate Champ served as an inspiration for Mortal Kombat, guiding the team to create a game different from Capcom's Street Fighter II.
1991: Mortal Kombat Development Start
In 1991, Mortal Kombat started development by Ed Boon, John Tobias, John Vogel, and Dan Forden at Midway Games.
October 1992: Original Mortal Kombat Arcade Release
In October 1992, the original Mortal Kombat game was released by Midway in arcades and later ported to various console and home computer systems.
1992: Universal Soldier Pitch
In 1992, Midway was approached to create a video game adaptation of the film Universal Soldier, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme. This influenced the creation of Johnny Cage as a spoof of Van Damme in Mortal Kombat.
1992: Mortal Kombat Game Release
In 1992, the Mortal Kombat media franchise was created around a series of fighting video games originally developed by Midway Games.
1993: Mortal Kombat II Release
In 1993, Mortal Kombat II was released as an update to the original game, maintaining the 2D fighting style and control scheme.
1993: "Techno Syndrome" Released
In 1993, the iconic theme "Techno Syndrome", incorporating the "Mortal Kombat!" yell, was released as a single and was used as a theme music for the Mortal Kombat film series.
1994: Mortal Kombat Sales Reach 6 Million Units
By 1994, Mortal Kombat games had sold more than 6 million units.
1994: Malibu Comics Published Licensed Series
From 1994, Malibu Comics published a licensed Mortal Kombat series consisting of two six-issue miniseries in addition to one-shot specials and miniseries dedicated to specific characters.
1994: Mortal Kombat: The Album Created
In 1994, Mortal Kombat: The Album, a techno album based on the first game, was created for Virgin America by Lords of Acid members Praga Khan and Oliver Adams as The Immortals.
1994: ESRB Game Rating System Introduced
In 1994, the original Mortal Kombat game paved a way for the introduction of the ESRB (Entertainment Software Rating Board) game rating system as well as the Australian Classification Board.
August 18, 1995: Mortal Kombat (1995) Film Release
On August 18, 1995, the first Mortal Kombat film was released by New Line Cinema, grossing $23 million on its first weekend and becoming a financial success.
1995: Mortal Kombat: Live Tour Launched
At the end of 1995, a stage show titled Mortal Kombat: Live Tour was launched, featuring Mortal Kombat characters in a theatrical display on stage.
1995: Mortal Kombat Kard Game Produced
In 1995, BradyGames produced the collectible card game Mortal Kombat Kard Game.
1995: Character Design Process
In 1995, John Tobias described the character design process for the Mortal Kombat series, detailing the steps from identifying the type and theme of a character to designing the costume and storyline.
1995: Malibu Comics Continued Licensed Series
In 1995, Malibu Comics continued publishing the licensed Mortal Kombat series consisting of two six-issue miniseries in addition to one-shot specials and miniseries dedicated to specific characters.
1995: Mortal Kombat 3 and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 Releases
In 1995, Mortal Kombat 3 and Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 were released, adding a sixth 'run' button to the control scheme and maintaining the 2D fighting style.
1995: Mortal Kombat 3 Release
In 1995, Mortal Kombat 3 was released in both arcade and home versions, expanding the Mortal Kombat series.
1995: Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins Release
In 1995, Mortal Kombat: The Journey Begins, an animated prequel to the live-action film, was released direct-to-video.
1996: Mortal Kombat Trilogy Release
In 1996, Mortal Kombat Trilogy was released, continuing the 2D fighting game style of the series.
1996: Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm Released
In 1996, an animated series titled Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm was released. It ran for one season and received negative reviews.
1996: Mortal Kombat: Live Tour Expanded
In 1996, the Mortal Kombat: Live Tour was expanded and continued to feature Mortal Kombat characters in a theatrical display on stage.
1996: Mortal Kombat Film Grossed the Most
Mortal Kombat 1996 was titled highest grossing film based on a beat ‘em up video game by 2011 Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition.
1997: Mortal Kombat 4 Release
In 1997, Mortal Kombat 4 was released, marking the jump of the series to 3D rendered graphics instead of the digitized 2D graphics used in previous games.
1997: Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero Release
In 1997, Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero, an action-adventure spin-off focused on Sub-Zero, was released for the PlayStation and Nintendo 64.
1998: Mortal Kombat: Conquest Released
In 1998, Mortal Kombat: Conquest was released and lasted one season.
1999: Mortal Kombat Gold Release
In 1999, Mortal Kombat Gold, an updated version of Mortal Kombat 4, was released for the Dreamcast.
2000: Tobias' Writing and Artistic Input Ends
Around 2000, after the release of Mortal Kombat 4, John Tobias' writing and artistic input on the series came to an end.
2000: Mortal Kombat: Special Forces Release
In 2000, Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, starring Major Jackson Briggs, was released for the PlayStation.
2000: Total Revenue Reached $5 Billion
The Mortal Kombat franchise generated more than $4 billion by the late 1990s and $5 billion in total revenue by 2000.
2002: Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance Release
In 2002, Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance was released for consoles only and marked a change in the series' naming scheme, favoring sub-titles over numbered installments. It was also the first fully 3D Mortal Kombat game.
2004: Mortal Kombat: Deception Release
In 2004, Mortal Kombat: Deception was released for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, and GameCube.
2005: Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks Release
In 2005, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, starring Liu Kang and Kung Lao, was released for the PlayStation 2 and the Xbox.
2005: Epic Battles Card Game Used Mortal Kombat Characters
Score Entertainment's 2005 collectible card game Epic Battles also used some of the Mortal Kombat characters.
2006: Mortal Kombat: Unchained and Armageddon Release
In 2006, Mortal Kombat: Unchained was released for the PlayStation Portable and Mortal Kombat: Armageddon was released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox.
2007: Mortal Kombat Sales Reach 26 Million Units
By 2007, Mortal Kombat games had sold more than 26 million units.
2007: Mortal Kombat: Armageddon Wii Release
In 2007, Mortal Kombat: Armageddon was released for the Wii.
2008: Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe Release
In 2008, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, a non-canonical crossover fighting game, was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
2008: Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition Awarded
The 2008 edition of Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition awarded the Mortal Kombat series with seven world records, including "most successful fighting game series".
2009: GameTrailers Ranked Mortal Kombat
In 2009, GameTrailers ranked Mortal Kombat as the ninth top fighting game franchise as well as the seventh bloodiest series of all time.
2010: Mortal Kombat: Rebirth Released
In 2010, Kevin Tancharoen released an eight-minute short film titled Mortal Kombat: Rebirth as a proof of concept for a reboot film franchise to Warner Bros. Pictures.
2010: Mortal Kombat: Legacy Web Series Ordered
In 2010, Warner Premiere ordered a web series inspired by the Rebirth short, titled Mortal Kombat: Legacy and also directed by Kevin Tancharoen.
April 2011: Mortal Kombat: Legacy First Season Released on YouTube
In April 2011, the first season of the web series Mortal Kombat: Legacy, directed by Kevin Tancharoen, was released for free on YouTube, promoted by Machinima.com.
September 2011: New Feature Film Announced
In September 2011, New Line and Warner Bros. announced that Kevin Tancharoen had signed on to direct a new feature-length Mortal Kombat film from a screenplay written by Oren Uziel, aiming for an R rating.
2011: GameSpy Undeniable Fighting Game History
In 2011, GameSpy wrote "its place in fighting game history is undeniable" in regards to Mortal Kombat.
2011: Mortal Kombat Soft Reboot
In 2011, Mortal Kombat returned to a single 2D fighting plane with 3D rendered characters and a limb-based attack button layout.
2011: Franchise Holds Ten World Records
In the 2011 Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition, the Mortal Kombat franchise holds ten world records, including the "largest promotional campaign for a fighting video game" (Mortal Kombat 3), "highest grossing film based on a beat ‘em up video game" (Mortal Kombat 1996), and "most successful video game spin-off soundtrack album" (Mortal Kombat: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack).
2011: Mortal Kombat Banned in South Korea
Mortal Kombat (2011) is banned in South Korea.
2011: Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors Released
The 2011 Mortal Kombat video game saw the release of Mortal Kombat: Songs Inspired by the Warriors, a new soundtrack album featuring electronic music by various artists.
March 2012: Shooting Delayed
Shooting for the new Mortal Kombat film was expected to begin in March 2012 with a budget of well under $100 million, but was ultimately delayed due to budget constraints.
2012: Complex Article on Mortal Kombat Phenomenon
According to Complex in 2012, "Years ago, Mortal Kombat became a phenomenon far outside gaming circles alone. Its name has become recognizable enough to be name dropped on sitcoms (Malcolm in the Middle and Married... with Children), found in movies (Christian Slater plays Mortal Kombat 4 in Very Bad Things), and used as part of cultural studies (see Justine Cassell and Henry Jenkins' book From Barbie to Mortal Kombat: Gender and Computer Games)."
2012: Mortal Kombat Sales Exceed 30 Million Units
By 2012, Mortal Kombat game sales had exceeded 30 million units.
2012: Street Fighter Producer Comments on Potential Crossover
In 2012, Capcom's Street Fighter producer Yoshinori Ono said he is getting a lot of requests for Street Fighter vs. Mortal Kombat and understands why people want it, "but it's easier said than done.
2012: Complex Ranked Mortal Kombat
In 2012, Complex ranked Mortal Kombat as 37th best video game franchise overall, commenting on its "legendary status in video game history".
2012: Tobias Plans for Future Story
In 2012, John Tobias mentioned that he had written a sequel to the first Mortal Kombat film and an advancement to the game's mythological roots.
2012: Mortal Kombat Vita Release
In 2012, Mortal Kombat was ported to the PlayStation Vita.
2012: Tobias Comments on Mortal Kombat's Pop Culture Status
In 2012, Tobias commented on Mortal Kombat's enduring place in pop culture, comparing it to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and predicting it will be around for another 50 years.
February 2013: Mortal Kombat Banned in Australia Lifted
Mortal Kombat was banned in Australia until February 2013.
October 2013: Director Quits Production
In October 2013, Kevin Tancharoen quit the production of the new Mortal Kombat film.
2013: Mortal Kombat Windows Release
In 2013, Mortal Kombat was ported to Microsoft Windows.
2013: Wale and Rihanna Reference Mortal Kombat in "Bad (Remix)"
In Wale and Rihanna's hit 2013 song called "Bad (Remix)," Wale says "you try and play Sub-Zero, I be Scorpion, pshh get over here today" in reference to Scorpion's iconic "get over here!" catchphrase.
2013: Mortal Kombat: Legacy Second Season Arrived
The second season of Mortal Kombat: Legacy arrived in 2013.
2014: Mortal Kombat Absent From Tournaments
Between 2014 and 2017, the Mortal Kombat game was mostly absent from the tournament scene, due to NetherRealm Studios being focused on their Injustice series as their top priority.
2014: Mortal Kombat: Generations in Development
In 2014, Blue Ribbon Content had been developing a live-action series titled Mortal Kombat: Generations that was to tie in with Mortal Kombat X for a planned 2016 release.
2014: Martial Artist Opines Mortal Kombat Superior to Street Fighter
In 2014, martial artist Frankie Edgar opined Mortal Kombat has been far superior to Street Fighter.
2014: "Mortal Kombat" Drug Introduced
In early 2014, the name "Mortal Kombat" was given to a dangerous illegal recreational drug that was introduced and caused multiple fatalities.
September 2015: Mortal Kombat X series ended
The Mortal Kombat X series by DC Comics, set before the game's events, ran from January to September 2015 with three miniseries of twelve issues that were released weekly in 36 chapter installments.
2015: Mortal Kombat X and Mobile Release
In 2015, Mortal Kombat X was released on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Microsoft Windows, paired with the first Mortal Kombat game for tablet and smartphones, Mortal Kombat Mobile.
2015: Reboot Production Restarted
In 2015, production restarted on a reboot of Mortal Kombat when James Wan joined to produce.
2015: Mortal Kombat Game Banned in Germany Lifted
In Germany, every Mortal Kombat game was banned for ten years from its release until 2015.
2016: Mortal Kombat: Generations Unreleased
The live-action series Mortal Kombat: Generations, which was planned for release in 2016, was not released.
2017: Mortal Kombat Absent From Tournaments
Between 2014 and 2017, the Mortal Kombat game was mostly absent from the tournament scene, due to NetherRealm Studios being focused on their Injustice series as their top priority.
2018: Nicki Minaj Refers to Herself as Mortal Kombat Character in "Miami"
In Nicki Minaj's song "Miami" from her 2018 album called "Queen," she refers to herself as a made-up guest character in the line "Mortal Kombat, ninja Nicki, who ya pick is?"
2018: Mortal Kombat Returns to Combo Breaker
Mortal Kombat games returned to Combo Breaker in 2018.
2019: Mortal Kombat 11 Release
In 2019, Mortal Kombat 11 was released for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows.
April 2020: Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge Release
In April 2020, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge, the first R-rated Mortal Kombat film, was released direct-to-video.
April 23, 2021: Mortal Kombat (2021) Released
On April 23, 2021, the Mortal Kombat reboot film was released to mixed reviews, grossing over $84 million worldwide from theaters while also releasing simultaneously on HBO Max.
August 2021: Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms Release
In August 2021, Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, the second film in the direct-to-video series, was released.
2021: Mortal Kombat Surpasses Competitor Sales
As of 2021, Mortal Kombat has surpassed competitor fighting game franchises in worldwide lifetime series sales.
October 11, 2022: Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind Release
On October 11, 2022, Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind, the third film in the direct-to-video series, was released.
October 18, 2022: Mortal Kombat: Onslaught Announcement
On October 18, 2022, Mortal Kombat: Onslaught, a role-playing game for Android and iOS, was announced by NetherRealm.
2022: Franchise Sells Around 79 Million Units
As of 2022, the Mortal Kombat franchise had sold about 79 million units.
September 2023: Mortal Kombat 1 Release
In September 2023, Mortal Kombat 1, a sequel to Mortal Kombat 11, was released.
October 17, 2023: Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match Release
On October 17, 2023, Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match, the fourth film in the direct-to-video series, was released.
2023: Mortal Kombat: Onslaught Release
In 2023, Mortal Kombat: Onslaught, a role-playing game, was released for Android and iOS.
2025: Franchise Surpasses Over 100 Million Copies
By 2025, Mortal Kombat has surpassed over 100 million copies.
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