Mortal Kombat 1 Could Be Getting Another Story Expansion

NetherRealm Studios is rumored to be working on a new story expansion for Mortal Kombat 1. While the studio has remained mostly secretive about the game’s future, newly surfaced information suggests it may have been developing a long-awaited Mortal Kombat 1 DLC that some fans believed had been canceled.

Back in November 2024, rumors claimed that NetherRealm had scrapped plans for Mortal Kombat 1′s Kombat Pack 3. At the time, leakers suggested the decision was due to poor sales of the Khaos Reigns expansion, though the developer never addressed these claims. The rumored Kombat Pack 3 was expected to expand MK1′s campaign, which left fans disappointed by the news of its cancelation. However, it now appears that the campaign expansion might still be in development after all.

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Mortal Kombat 1’s DLC Future May Be in Limbo, But Fans Still Have Other Sources of New Content

The supposed cancelation has fans justifiably upset, but a well-timed crossover could still provide some levity for the community.

According to a newly surfaced job listing, NetherRealm appears to be hiring a senior animator to support its “story mode campaign.” The listing also mentions “experience with martial arts/fighting games” as a qualification, further fueling speculation about a possible Mortal Kombat 1 story expansion. While the position could be tied to an unannounced project or a new fighting game IP, the fact that NetherRealm is only hiring a single senior animator and hasn’t shown signs of broader team expansion suggests it may be working on one of its existing titles, most likely Mortal Kombat 1.

Mortal Kombat 1 May Not be Abandoned, as Some Had Feared

Although Mortal Kombat 1′s initial campaign rebooted the lore, fans generally welcomed the new storyline. Many had hoped the developer would expand on it with DLCs, which briefly happened with the release of the Khaos Reigns expansion. However, none of the subsequent updates made any attempt to further develop the campaign. In January 2025, Mortal Kombat 1 received a major update that added Conan the Barbarian as a playable character. This was followed by a March patch that introduced the T-1000 and Madam Bo, along with a series of gameplay improvements.

Although none of Mortal Kombat 1′s recent updates expanded the story, they were well received by fans. Based on the game’s concurrent player trends on Steam, it could even be argued that these updates contributed to a slight uptick in player activity. If the rumors are true and NetherRealm’s new hire is indeed working on a second story expansion, fans might have reason to hope for a potential revival of the game. A new DLC could draw lapsed players back in and give current players more reason to stay engaged while waiting for the next installment in the series.

Mortal Kombat 1

8/10

Released

September 19, 2023

ESRB

M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language

Publisher(s)

Warner Bros. Games

Engine

Unreal Engine 4