Street Fighter has finally returned to the big time, so maybe it’s time for the franchise's old sparring partner to come back as well. Warner Bros. has wasted no time getting a new Mortal Kombat up-and-running after purchasing Midway’s assets last year. Today, the company announced that Mortal Kombat 9 is now just Mortal Kombat, a new take on the classic fighting franchise. The game is being developed by Ed Boon’s NetherRealm Studios, veteran Mortal Kombat development house and formerly WB Games Chicago (Midway Games Chicago prior to that).
The title is being developed for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 with a projected release date in 2011. The reboot “marks a triumphant return to the series’ mature presentation and a reinvention of its classic 2D fighting mechanic.” Expect new Fatalities, a new graphics engine and new features - including a brand-new story mode and tag-team fighting. Up to four players can participate online in the tag-team mode, with two players being able to tackle the single-player game in the new ‘Co-Op Arcade Mode.'
“We are bringing the Mortal Kombat franchise back to gamers with the talented NetherRealm Studios team creating the game fans long to play,” said Warner Bros Interactive President Martin Tremblay. “Re-establishing the brand with Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, Mortal Kombat innovates on past games while staying true to the brand’s legendary characters and fighting style.”
“We can’t wait for players to get their hands on Mortal Kombat,” said Boon. “This game really is a response to what players have been demanding: mature presentation, reinvented 2D fighting mechanic and the best, most gruesome fatalities ever!”
