Mortal Kombat 11 teases the return of the anti-fatalities known as “friendships”— making its comeback along with the Aftermath downloadable content (DLC).
NetherRealm Studios will be resurrecting an old-school way of finishing-off your foes just in time for the release of the Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath DLC.
The developers over at NetherRealm have always taken pride in offering Mortal Kombat (MK) fans a plethora of ways to dispatch their opponents after every fight.
One such fan-favorite match-ender is called “friendship,” which is essentially a reverse “fatality.” Instead of savagely murdering their opponents, players would offer up a comical gesture of camaraderie to end the fight.
In the latest Aftermath trailer, Scorpion can be seen bringing in a giant teddy using his legendary spear, and the fiendish Kano is barbecuing up a storm.
https://twitter.com/MortalKombat/status/1262367337425977345
The history of “friendships”
What started as gruesome “fatalities” has grown throughout the years to include the animal coupe de grâce called “animalities,” vicious beatdowns named “brutalities,” the odd baby-related finishers known as “babalities,” as well as the aforementioned “friendships.”
“Friendships” were first introduced in Mortal Kombat 2 in response to public backlash regarding the inclusion of the hyper-violent “fatalities” in its predecessor.
The Ninjas of MK show their Friendship in Mortal Kombat Trilogy, by Midway. http://t.co/g6vXRxfTnd pic.twitter.com/9xkP3BE3Ut
— N64th Street (@n64thstreetgifs) July 10, 2015
In addition to performing a series of button combinations like in “fatalities,” players also had to win the match in a certain way. In MK2, for example, gamers had to win the round using a high or low kick, while in MK3 players had to win the round without blocking.
NetherRealm Studios dropped “friendships” from succeeding installments in the series after the release of Mortal Kombat Trilogy. This was likely due to the dying down of parental outrage surrounding the franchise.
The inclusion of “friendships” in Mortal Kombat 11 marks the first time in 24 years that NetherRealm decided to officially bring back the beloved finisher.
Mortal Kombat 11’s latest update
Despite appearing in the latest Aftermath DLC trailer, fans won’t be required to pony up US$40 [AU$62] for the expansion just to enjoy the new “friendships.”
They’ll be part of an upcoming free update that will also bring back a couple of retro stages, the acid-laden Dead Pool, and the blood-curdling Soul Chamber.
https://twitter.com/MortalKombat/status/1261748222936023041
The Dead Pool level made its first appearance in MK2 and was later featured in several of its sequels. Meanwhile, Soul Chamber debuted back in MK3 and also appeared in MK: Armageddon and the 2011 Mortal Kombat reboot.
Old arenas and “friendships” aren’t the only things making a comeback in the new update, as stage “fatalities” will also be reintroduced into the franchise.
Mortal Kombat 11’s Aftermath DLC, along with the free update, is set for release on May 26 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Stadia, PC, and Switch.
Image courtesy of Mortal Kombat/Twitter