The Cost of Mortal Kombat 1's Omni-Man: A Cheaper Alternative to His Announcer Pack

Mortal Kombat 1 is facing fan criticism once again due to its excessive monetization. The first guest character DLC, Omni-Man, is actually cheaper to purchase than the game's Halloween Fatality. Players can obtain the paid-for fatality by spending 1,200 Dragon Crystals, which cost $10 for a bundle of 1,250 Dragon Crystals. This pricing discrepancy has frustrated game owners, considering the game itself has a suggested retail price of $70.

In contrast, Omni-Man provides a better value proposition as the character offers a pair of gruesome fatalities directly from the animated series adaptation. However, to fully enjoy the Omni-Man experience, players still need to spend more money on the character's announcer pack, which includes the voice of his actor, JK Simmons. This announcer pack costs 1,000 Dragon Crystals, again surpassing the price of the character DLC. Unfortunately, players are unable to purchase the exact number of Dragon Crystals they need since they are only available in bundles of 500, 1,250, 2,700, and 5,900.

In games with unique currencies, like Destiny 2 and Fortnite, it is common to unintentionally buy more premium currency than necessary, leaving insufficient funds for other purchases. This leads to the need to repeatedly buy more currency, continuing the cycle.

Fans of Warner Bros. Games can expect even more aggressive monetization in the future. During a recent investor briefing, Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav stated that the company's video game projects will prioritize increasing engagement and monetization over longer periods and at higher levels.

In 2023, the highly anticipated games Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat 1 were released by Warner Bros. Interactive. Since its launch in September, the new fighting game from NetherRealm, Mortal Kombat 1, has sold nearly three million copies. Rocksteady's Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, which faced delays, will finally launch on February 2, 2024. This game offers a live-service experience where Task Force X battles Brainiac-controlled versions of Superman, the Flash, and Batman.

Editor's P/S

As a Mortal Kombat fan, I am deeply disappointed by the excessive monetization in the game. The fact that the Halloween Fatality costs more than the first guest character DLC, Omni-Man, is ridiculous. It's also frustrating that players need to spend even more money on the announcer pack to fully enjoy the Omni-Man experience. This practice of nickel-and-diming players is unfair and leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

I am also concerned about the future of Mortal Kombat and other Warner Bros. Games. The company's CEO has stated that they will prioritize increasing engagement and monetization over longer periods and at higher levels. This means that we can expect even more aggressive monetization in future games. This is a worrying trend, and I hope that Warner Bros. will reconsider their approach.