Mortal Kombat 9 characters with screenshots from the game

Mortal Kombat fans are banding together to petition Warner Bros. and Netherrealm Studios to remaster Mortal Kombat 9. Many fans consider the 9th game to be the best in the notoriously gruesome fighting game franchise. The title was released in 2011 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 and ported to PC two years later. Unfortunately, it’s no longer available for purchase, making it difficult to get a hold of a copy and even more difficult to find someone to play it with.

The petition was started on Change.org by ETN Zach, who appeals to the Warner Bros. and Netherrealm to consider remastering or simply re-releasing the beloved Mortal Kombat game. The petition starter writes about how important the game was to them and others, and how difficult it is to find and play today. The petition has already collected over 340 signatures since its launch on April 8, and the number of supporters is steadily growing by the hour.

Mortal Kombat 9 Is Extremely Difficult To Find Today

The PC Version Isn’t Available For Purchase

Mortal Kombat 9 characters mid-fight 2 Mortal Kombat 9 characters mid-fight 3 Mortal Kombat 9 characters mid-fight 4 Mortal Kombat 9 characters mid-fight 2 Mortal Kombat 9 characters mid-fight 3 Mortal Kombat 9 characters mid-fight 4

Mortal Kombat 9, also known simply as Mortal Kombat was released on April 19, marking next week as its 14-year anniversary. The petition notes this, pointing out that it’s time to bring the game back. The game is currently only available to play for gamers who still use old-gen consoles, or those who owned a PC copy. Currently, there’s nowhere to officially buy the PC edition of Mortal Kombat 9, known as Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition.

“MK9 is a game that means a lot to me.”

“MK9 is a game that means a lot to me, personally,” writes the petition’s starter. The comments reflect this, clearly showing that Mortal Kombat 9 left a lasting impression on players who grew up with it. The game was also significant to the franchise, reigniting the love for the entire series and ensuring its survival to modern times. As ETN Zach points out in the petition, “If Mortal Kombat (2011) had failed… the entire franchise may have gone the way of so many other Midway properties and arcade classics.“

A Mortal Kombat 9 Reboot May Be Out Of Warner Bros.’ Hands

It’s A Question Of Rights And Ownership

Mortal Kombat 9 characters mid-fight

In 2020, Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition was quietly removed from the Steam store. Game Rant reported on the game’s sudden disappearance at the time, noting that no official explanation was given for the game’s delisting. However, many fans believed that Warner Bros. was forced to remove the game from Steam because it had lost the rights to Freddy Krueger, who appears in the game.

Although this may seem trivial and easily resolved, the legalities of video games is a complicated topic that’s caused the death of many franchises. For instance, despite fans desperately wanting a sequel to Bloodborne, the game’s rights are owned by Sony, and the company is keeping the IP locked up.

It’s possible that the same situation exists with Mortal Kombat 9, preventing the developers from rebooting it into a form that fans can enjoy. If this isn’t the case, fans will have to hope that the petition reaches large enough numbers to get the attention of Warner Bros. and Netherrealm Studios, showing them that there’s interest in a remaster.