Recently, NetherRealm Studios, the mind behind the Mortal Kombat franchise, was reported to have laid off at least 50 employees. The studio’s layoffs primarily affected the mobile division.
Due to this, many feared the future of Mortal Kombat: Onslaught, which was a popular mobile gaming among fans. Unfortunately, it’s been confirmed that the title is also coming to an end just one after its release.
Mortal Kombat: Onslaught is Shutting Down Soon
Mortal Kombat: Onslaught is an action-adventure beat ’em-up title which debuted for mobile devices back in October 2023. The game was released right after Mortal Kombat 1‘s debut and eight years after the previous mobile game.
With NetherRealm’s mobile division shut down due to layoffs, it has played a major role in the decision to shut down Onslaught. While the developers still haven’t provided a specific reason for abandoning the project, it’s clear that something is not right at the studio.
No specific shutdown date for the game has been announced at the time of this writing, but it’s been confirmed that Onslaught will cease all work in October of this year. While most of the franchise fans are concerned about the future of mainline titles, this is undeniably sad news for everyone.
However, if you’re itching to get the fighting experience on your mobile, Mortal Kombat Mobile is still available to play. The studio is still regularly updating it with new content. With the recent layoffs, it remains to be seen how much support the game will receive moving forward.
Apparently, the title is popular enough to be kept online, whereas the same can’t be said for Onslaught. NetherRealm’s next game still remains a mystery, but the studio is still working on its 2023 release, having teased plans to finally reveal Kombat Pack 2 at the upcoming San Diego Comic-Con on July 26.
Demise Continues 2024 Gaming Industry Layoffs
There’s no doubt that 2024 has proven to be a disastrous year for the gaming industry and its workers. In January, we witnessed Activision-Blizzard slashing off about 2,000 workers right after Microsoft acquired the company. Between August 2023 and March 2024, even Embracer Group laid off more than 4,000 employees.
Even other top companies, including Sony, Electronic Arts, and Unity, have all laid off more than 1,000 employees. It’s a concerning trend, which seems to be getting worse every month.
The massive layoffs in the gaming landscape kicked off in 2023 when a staggering 10,000 jobs were lost. This continued in 2024, with more than 10,000 developers having already lost their jobs from January to June this year.
These job cuts look to be a result of multiple factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to an unsustainable surge in demand for video gaming, as well as the rising cost of game development and a shift towards mobile gaming.
For now, it seems like NetherRealm will continue to focus on its upcoming title and releasing DLC fighters. Let’s hope they can fill in the void with another mobile title that doesn’t get abandoned.
Did NetherRealm make a mistake by shutting down the mobile game? Let us know in the comments!
