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Midway hawking Mortal Kombat rights News

News by Dan Pearson

2 March, 2009

Troubled publisher Midway is thought to have put the rights to the Mortal Kombat series up for sale in a last-ditch effort to save the company.

The sale is part of a three-part plan to keep afloat in the face of bankruptcy, studio closures and cancelled games. "Corporate Restructuring and Bankruptcy Blog" netDockets reports that agreeing a sale is part of an incentivised scheme which would involve senior management staff receiving large bonuses. Step one was the off-loading of Vin Diesel vehicle The Wheelman, while steps two and three involve agreeing and closing the Mortal Kombat deal.

The report has apparently angered many regular Midway staff, as there are claims the money being used for the bonuses had been earmarked for paying off lower-level employees. Kotaku is reporting that the money comes from a fund which Midway originally intended to use to compensate sacked staff members for unused holiday time.

Apart from Unreal, we're not sure what Midway will have left on the books should the beat-'em-up series head out of the door. It's not too likely a full financial recovery will occur off the back of sales of Blitz: The League II .

Let's hope that the franchise finds a good home. Street Fighter Vs. Mortal Kombat anyone?

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Comments: 1-22 of 22 in total

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DFawkes
02/03/09 @ 11:40
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Capcom have to buy it. Think of the opportunities there.
Razorus
02/03/09 @ 11:45
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Mortal Kombat is dead. Get over it.
Midway released a few good games over the years but they weren't consistent. I'm sure the programmers will find employment elsewhere with other developers but Midway themselves is overdue for retirement.
jade2001
02/03/09 @ 11:53
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MK isn't dead at all. MK Vs DC sold really well and another developer will be able to come up with fresh ideas on how to evolve the game.
asphaltcowboy
02/03/09 @ 11:56
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Nearly $4m for bonuses instead of going to unpaid staff? Good work! :/
ObiChrisKenobi
02/03/09 @ 12:05
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They've been going bust for the last 3 years.
Machetazo
02/03/09 @ 12:14
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Thrown in the towel: Achievement unlocked!
MK going in a more traditional direction (or altogether far-flung - as long as it remains a beat em up), under new management is not something you'll find me arguing with. Is Ed Boon likely to be part of any deal, too?
Sunyavadin
02/03/09 @ 12:16
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It died for me with 3.
Quint2020
02/03/09 @ 12:24
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MK vs DC was a damn good game imo, I'd love it if Capcom picked up the franchise, MK vs. Capcom on the SF IV engine has to be done.

It really does seem like a last ditch effort by Midway I mean what do they have left other than Mortal Kombat??
Santino
02/03/09 @ 12:30
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i hope somebody buys it and buries it in the depths of a massive pile of steaming shite where it belongs
Machetazo
02/03/09 @ 12:31
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Sunyavadin, I can understand that opinion, but I don't entirely agree with it. MK4 was an attempt at 3d that was so clunky and horrible. The game suffered for their sole aspiration. I really enjoyed Deadly Alliance, however. I thought that there was a lot done right, there, in terms of the fighting game and they were able to include new characters without losing structure. Downhill from that, though. They recycled, and kept adding more and more unnecessary baggage to the formula, until it had all but keeled over. I don't remember Armageddon too well, except that I mostly got it for legacy play, more than anything else.
chessboxer
02/03/09 @ 13:16
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I remember everyone was going mental for Mortal Monday years ago. The game then came out and I went back to playing SF2 because it was a superior game. I wouldn't be surprised if SFIV has already outsold MK vs DC.
insincere_dave
02/03/09 @ 13:19
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About time. Goodbye you worthless piece of shit, Midway.
Britesparc
02/03/09 @ 14:29
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MK vs DC sold alright, didn't it? If so, I'd have thought Warner Bros would snap up the licence so they could crank out a franchise.
Crofto
02/03/09 @ 15:04
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Man, no matter how you feel about Mortal Kombat, you can't help but feel bad for the developers. They've been working on and releasing Mortal Kombats since I was a nipper... it must feel like selling one of their own children.

I think, out of all the fighting games I've played, Mortal Kombat has the most interesting storyline. Sure, it's over-the-top and often stupid, but compared to something like Dead or Alive or Tekken, it's much more engrossing to be sure.

Hopefully a solid developer can grab the license and keep the series alive.
Edited 2 times, most recently on 02/03/09 @ 15:04
Kyle
02/03/09 @ 15:25
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MK is all that company has going for them. If Midway sell MK then they're as good as dead anyway.

Damned if they do, damned if they don't...

@Crofto
The MK mythos certainly has a lot of potential, I think, but I'd imagine at this point that it's become a little contrived and confusing. Perhaps if the series goes to another publisher/developer a series reboot might be in order?
Edited 1 times, most recently on 02/03/09 @ 15:29
Freek
02/03/09 @ 15:52
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Selling off the one IP that's making you money? Might save you today, but it just means you go bankrupt next year.
schnide
02/03/09 @ 17:31
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Perhaps if Midway hadn't been putting out shit games for as long as I can remember, then maybe they wouldn't be going under. I can't help but see a direct correlation between bankruptcy and the publishers of such gems as Area 51.
niteninja
02/03/09 @ 18:27
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namco should buy it mortal kombat on the tekken or soul calibur engine sounds great dont it?
Give the franchise to a developer who has talent and see what they can do.
Edited 1 times, most recently on 02/03/09 @ 18:30
the_mtfr
02/03/09 @ 18:31
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Bitches in suits!!!!
Eraysor
02/03/09 @ 18:55
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I really wish the Unreal license would get as far away from Midway as possible.
Machetazo
02/03/09 @ 20:02
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@freek: You never know, they could always pull a Majesco? Urgh...Sorry, for that thought.
AusFreelancer
03/03/09 @ 09:09
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Welcome to NBA JAAAAAAM!!!

Comments: 1-22 of 22 in total

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