Unleashing the Ultimate Crossover: Why Mortal Kombat 1 Deserves an Iconic Guest Character
NetherRealm's Ed Boon revealed a failed attempt to secure a guest character for Mortal Kombat 1, but it's argued that it was a wise decision This article highlights why John Wick wouldn't have been an interesting choice gameplay-wise and how he wouldn't fit the proposed DLC theme
Highlights
Mortal Kombat 1 players are excited to continue discovering the abilities and strategies of the game's main and Kameo characters.
The upcoming Kombat Pack DLC for Mortal Kombat 1 will feature the addition of Homelander, Omni-Man, Peacemaker, Ermac, Quan Chi, and Takeda. NetherRealm attempted to include John Wick as a guest character; however, his lack of unique abilities and the superhero theme of the game's DLC rendered him an unsuitable choice.
Now that Mortal Kombat 1 has been released and offline tournaments are starting to happen, it's exciting to see what competitive players will discover and achieve with the game's main and Kameo roster characters. There's a lot to unpack with each character in the base game, even if professional players spent all their time labbing during the beta and early access. With the upcoming Kombat Pack DLC for Mortal Kombat 1, there will be even more to explore.
The Kombat Pack for Mortal Kombat 1 will include Homelander, Omni-Man, Peacemaker, Ermac, Quan Chi, and Takeda. Based on past Mortal Kombat games, it's expected that there will be at least one more Kombat Pack. There have been leaks suggesting this, but until official confirmation of new guest characters is released, it's unknown who will be included. Interestingly, Ed Boon has already confirmed that John Wick will not be in Mortal Kombat 1. While Keanu Reeves' character would have been popular, it may be for the best that NetherRealm Studios was unable to secure the rights to include him.
John Wick in Mortal Kombat 1 Wouldn’t Be an Interesting Choice Gameplay-Wise
In Mortal Kombat, characters with extraordinary abilities are common, but even the seemingly regular ones like Johnny Cage possess some sort of power. However, the more unique and unusual a character design is, the more captivating they tend to be. This is why someone like John Wick, who excels in close-quarters combat and marksmanship, wouldn't necessarily be out of place in a brutal game like Mortal Kombat. However, his gameplay would lack significant value as his martial arts skills would leave him limited as a long-range fighter due to the prominent gunplay in the John Wick movies' fight scenes.
John Wick Wouldn’t Have Fit Mortal Kombat 1’s Proposed DLC Theme
It is challenging to envision him engaging in anything other than wielding handguns or launching projectiles from any distance on the stage in Mortal Kombat. In terms of character resemblance, Red Hood from Injustice 2 or Cassie Cage from Mortal Kombat X closely mirror him from previous NetherRealm games. It would be exciting to witness how John Wick's bulletproof suit jacket could be incorporated into his moveset, but apart from that, there is little else about his character that would contribute to particularly exceptional or innovative gameplay.
Even if NetherRealm were to come up with a groundbreaking approach to enhance the persona of John Wick beyond being merely a gun-toting individual, he would still not align well with the presumed theme of guest characters being envisioned for Mortal Kombat 1. The game has officially disclosed only three non-Mortal Kombat characters so far, all of whom exist within the superhero genre—Homelander from The Boys, Omni-Man from Invincible, and Peacemaker from The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker.
It is possible that these hand-picked characters chosen for the Kombat Pack have a common background by mere coincidence. However, a more plausible theory is that any upcoming guest characters will also originate from superhero-related media. Given that the Joker frequently appears in NetherRealm games, it would be logical to assume that Harley Quinn may also make an appearance.
NetherRealm clearly has a strong affinity for superhero media, particularly DC, due to its extensive shared history. Considering this, it would be exciting to see future Kombat Packs featuring other superheroes or supervillains. In that case, including John Wick would not align with the theme of such characters.
Mortal Kombat 1 is available now for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.
