Ed Boon: Next Mortal Kombat aims for M-rating

Last year's Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe represented a huge departure for the Midway fighting franchise. Not only did it devote half of the game's roster to the comic book maker's star heroes and villains, but it also toned down the series' violence level in order to get a T for Teen rating.

No more. In a series of posts on his Twitter page, Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon confirmed that the next installment of the series (referred to as Mortal Kombat 9 for the time being), will go for the jugular.

"People want an M-rated MK," Boon said. "Dammit, we will give them an M-rated MK."

The post came shortly after Boon discussed a motion-capture session being done for the game's special moves and fatalities. It appears the designer is pushing his own comfort zone with the new fatalities, as he referred to them as "sick," before musing, "I hope we aren't taking these too far."

An M-rating would certainly preclude the game from being a sequel to Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, and Boon confirmed that Mortal Kombat 9 would not feature any superheroes. When asked by another Twitter user if the motion-capture session was for a new game or rumored downloadable characters for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, Boon joked they were actually "for the next MK9: Attack of the Nuns: Get in the Habbit!" (sic)

Whatever shape the next Mortal Kombat takes, it might be some time before gamers get to see it. Earlier this month, Boon posted that the game is "over a year away." Similarly unknown is who the game's publisher will be. Midway recently declared bankruptcy, and while Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has put in a $33 million bid for most of the company--including the Mortal Kombat license--other bids can be submitted until later this month.