Line #14 Creator/NetherrealmStudios


1	[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/netherrealm_studios_logo.png]]
2	[[caption-width-right:280:'''GET OVER HERE AND PLAY OUR GAMES!''']]
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4	[=NetherRealm=] Studios is an American video game developer based in UsefulNotes/{{Chicago}}. After [[Creator/MidwayGames Midway]] filed for bankruptcy, its assets for Midway Games Chicago were purchased by Creator/WarnerBrosInteractiveEntertainment. After a brief spell under the name WB Games Chicago, this newly owned property would eventually become [=NetherRealm=] Studios in 2010. The studio comprises many ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' veterans and is led by the series' co-creator Creator/EdBoon.
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6	Largely a FightingGame studio, they debuted with the critically acclaimed and hugely successful ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9''. The studio has developed something of a SignatureStyle, with fast-paced, heavy-hitting gameplay, superb production values, and massive amounts of single-player content. At the same time, though, they've faced criticism for stilted animations, perceived "casual" gameplay, and being quick to drop support for a game when their next one is released.
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8	As such, their games tend to be divisive in the general MediaNotes/FightingGameCommunity, but this hasn't crippled their popularity; in terms of sales figures, they're second only to ''VideoGame/SuperSmashBros''
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10	They also used to be criticized for poor, laggy net code, but this was amended with the ''XL'' update for ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'', and their online play has been held in high esteem ever since. [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jb0FOcImdg They even gave a GDC talk about it.]]
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12	The studio worked on a two-year cycle, alternating between ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' and the Creator/DCComics-based ''VideoGame/{{Injustice\|GodsAmongUs}}'' each time until ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' in 2019, whereupon they followed that up with ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'' in 2023. Ed Boon has stated that ''Injustice 3'' isn't off the cards, however.
13	!!Games:
14	[[index]]
15	* ''Franchise/MortalKombat'' (2011 onward)
16	** ''VideoGame/{{Mortal Kombat\|9}}'' (2011)
17	** ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'' (2015)
18	*** A mobile spinoff by the same name, later re-branded as simply ''Mortal Kombat'' with the release of ''Mortal Kombat 11''.
19	** ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' (2019)
20	** ''Mortal Kombat: Onslaught'' (mobile game, 2023)
21	** ''[[VideoGame/MortalKombat1 Mortal Kombat 1]]'' (2023)
22	* ''[[VideoGame/BatmanArkhamCity Batman: Arkham City Lockdown]]'' (2011)
23	** ''VideoGame/BatmanArkhamOrigins'' (Mobile version, 2013)
24	* ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'' (2013)
25	** A mobile spinoff by the same name.
26	** ''VideoGame/Injustice2'' (2017)
27	*** A mobile spinoff by the same name.
28	* ''WWE Immortals'' (mobile game, 2015)
29	[[/index]]
30
31	!!Tropes:
32	* ArtisticLicenseGunSafety: The studio tends to follow the RuleOfCool more than proper firearm etiquette.
33	** ''Franchise/MortalKombat''.
34	*** Stryker fires his weapon into the air and then [[GunTwirling twirls it before holstering it]] in one of his victory poses. And this guy is actually a police officer.
35	*** Cassie and Erron Black are just as bad in ''X'' (Erron’s TheGunslinger so his twirling his guns around is somewhat expected, while Cassie tends to ignore the [[UsefulNotes/GunSafety third rule of gun safety]] and she is ''in the military'').
36	*** Cassie’s even worse in ''11'', twirling guns in her intros ''as she loads them'' and shooting them wildly in one of her victory outros.
37	** ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs''
38	*** More or less averted with Deathstroke and Deadshot, who are only shown loading, holstering, and aiming their guns in their intros, and they tend to use lethal methods at all times. Played straight with Deadshot’s Super Move and victory outro.
39	*** Also played straight with Red Hood in ''VideoGame/Injustice2'', who twirls his guns and ''fires them into the air''.
40	* BorrowingFromTheSisterSeries:
41	** ''Mortal Kombat X'' borrowed the "Interactables" mechanic from ''Injustice: Gods Among Us'', as well as the [[PressXToNotDie quick-time event]] feature for its story mode. In addition, the game had a series of prequel comics, a first for the series, expanding the lore and properly introducing some of the new characters, and a three-character fighting mobile game, also another first, after ''Injustice''[='=]s own game.
42	** ''Injustice 2'' borrowed from ''X'' the DialogueTree feature, the character selection screen (with the addition of the characters hitting each other after being selected), and the "Tower Konquest" battles, rechristened here as the Multiverse/Brother Eye. In addition, its CharacterCustomization feature expands upon ''X''[='=]s "three playstyles per character" system, with even more possibilities.
43	** ''Mortal Kombat 11'' took the CharacterCustomization system from ''Injustice 2'', its multi-character chapters for the Story Mode, the use of a numeric value to represent the character health, and an {{Overcrank}} effect for both [[FinishingMove Fatalities]] and {{Victory Pose}}s (save certain outros).
44	* DescendedCreator: Ed Boon still provides Scorpion's iconic "'''[[CatchPhrase GET OVER HERE!/COME HERE!!!]]'''", even though the role has been [[TheOtherDarrin Darrin'd]] to Creator/PatrickSeitz and later Ron Yuan. Even when the games are dubbed in other languages (as was the case with ''Injustice'' and ''MKX''), the line is ''retained'' [[NonDubbedGrunts in its original form]].
45	* GuestFighter: A DLC mainstay in [=NetherRealm=] games since day one. Each game of theirs will include at least one appearance by a famous pop-culture icon:
46	** ''VideoGame/MortalKombat9'': Kratos from the ''VideoGame/GodOfWar'' series (exclusive to the Sony versions of the game), and Freddy Krueger of the ''Franchise/ANightmareOnElmStreet'' horror movie franchise.
47	** ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs'': The only non-DC Comics character on the roster is none other than ''Franchise/MortalKombat''[='=]s own [[SeriesMascot Scorpion]].
48	** ''VideoGame/MortalKombatX'' returns to the well of horror icons: Jason Voorhes of ''Franchise/FridayThe13th'', Leatherface of ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'', a Xenomorph from the ''Franchise/{{Alien}}'' franchise, and its eternal rival the Franchise/{{Predator}}.
49	** ''VideoGame/Injustice2'': In addition to ''Mortal Kombat''[='=]s Sub-Zero and Raiden, fellow comic book characters ComicBook/{{Hellboy}} and the Franchise/TeenageMutantNinjaTurtles join in on the fun.
50	** ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' features [[Franchise/{{Terminator}} the T-800]], borrowing from its appearance in ''Film/TerminatorDarkFate'', ComicBook/TheJoker, returning the favor for the ''MK'' guests in ''Injustice'', Creator/{{Todd McFarlane}}'s ComicBook/{{Spawn}}, Franchise/RoboCop, and Franchise/{{Rambo}}.
51	** ''VideoGame/MortalKombat1'' proudly features Omni-Man from ''{{ComicBook/Invincible}}'' with Creator/JKSimmons reprising his role from [[WesternAnimation/Invincible2021 the animated series]], and Homelander from ''ComicBook/TheBoys'', also taking after his Creator/PrimeVideo [[Series/TheBoys2019 incarnation]].
52	** Their licensed mobile games even get in on the act. ''Mortal Kombat''[='=]s Kano is featured as an opponent in ''Arkham City Lockdown'', and Johnny Cage makes a playable appearance in ''WWE Immortals.''
53	* {{Mascot}}: None other than Scorpion, who is, unsurprisingly, Boon's favorite ''Mortal Kombat'' character.
54	* PlayingAgainstType: Boon wants the studio to develop games outside the ''Mortal Kombat'' universe. This desire was first realized with the release of ''VideoGame/InjusticeGodsAmongUs''.
55	* PlotIrrelevantVillain: This kind of character becomes a pre-order bonus in ''Mortal Kombat X'' and ''Injustice 2''. Averted with ''11'', whose PreOrderBonus Villain character actually plays a role in the entire story.
56	* RunningGag: [[GrievousHarmWithABody Throwing bystanders at the opponent]] [[UnusuallyUninterestingSight to the complete apathy of the other bystanders.]]
57	* UpdatedRerelease: If you don't like paying separately for DLC, just wait about a year after each [=NetherRealm=] console game drops, and they'll put out a GameOfTheYearEdition with all the extra content available on-disc from the start, along with a few little extras. In ''Injustice'''s case, the ''Ultimate Edition'' was also an opportunity to port the game to new systems, namely the Platform/PlayStation4, Platform/XboxOne, and Platform/PlayStationVita. ''11''[='=]s ''Ultimate'' edition serves the same purpose of porting the game to the Platform/PlayStation5 and Platform/XboxSeriesXAndS, with a free upgrade offered to current owners of the game.

Context Creator / NetherrealmStudios