Mortal Kombat creator asks how to revive Killer Instinct
Although it’s a franchise that has fallen under the radar of many gamers, fighting game fans will no doubt be familiar with the name Killer Instinct. Rare’s action-packed brawler series was very popular in arcades and on Nintendo’s consoles in the mid-90s, and back in 2013, it was rebooted by Double Helix Games for Xbox One and PC, with development responsibilities eventually moving to Iron Galaxy Studios.
Killer Instinct received plenty of post-launch content – the biggest additions to the new playable characters in the lineup – and Iron Galaxy boldly updated the game with server upgrades, Xbox Series X|S upgrades, and a limited crossplay mode option. The 2023 Anniversary Edition also offered players an easy way to purchase all of the game’s characters in one purchase.
But while Iron Galaxy has done an admirable job of keeping Killer Instinct modern over the past decade, there’s a widespread desire for new Killer Instinct is a game in the fighting game community – and one of the genre’s biggest developers wants to know how he thinks Microsoft and Xbox should make one.
What is immediately clear when you look at the poll results is that the public does not they want the future of Killer Instinct to be exclusive to the Xbox ecosystem. Only 5.4% of fans want it to be a $70 Xbox-only game, while 5.3% want an Xbox-only free-to-play game.
A majority, 46.3%, want the next Killer Instinct to be a paid game available on all platforms, but it’s a narrow lead; 43% believe it should be multiplatform, but free to play instead. It’s worth noting that the 2013 reboot of Killer Instinct is free-to-play, with playable characters rotating weekly for those who choose not to get the Anniversary Edition and unlock the full roster.
There are pros and cons to both models, with the premium pricing reducing the pressure on game developers to monetize the long-term live service, and the free-to-play structure completely removing the barrier to entry and making it much easier for anyone to jump in.
Considering that the niche Killer Instinct is in the niche genre already, I think that the free-to-play route makes more sense, as it may be difficult for Microsoft and Xbox to get players to invest $ 70 to get their foot in the door. Maybe it would target a wallet-friendly $40, though; they’re not fighting games, but Helldivers 2 and ARC Raiders proved just how powerful that price can be.
At the end, regardless with how it’s being marketed, it would be nice to see Killer Instinct finally get another installment. And like the 2013 game, I’m sure the new one will be available (or have its own paid content) to play through Xbox Game Pass.
How to get Killer Instinct back?
Which option on Ed Boon’s poll did you choose? If you had the power, how would you bring back Killer Instinct? Let me know in the comments.
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