Series co-creator and Mortal Kombat 1 director Ed Boon has teased fans about seeing more of the series' staple ninja characters making an appearance in the upcoming fighting game. Taking place after the events of Mortal Kombat 11, Mortal Kombat 1 is another reboot of the long-running franchise, incorporating brand-new origin stories for classic Mortal Kombat characters. This was further detailed with the gameplay showcases and trailers revolving around the game, showing how these characters have changed.The latest trailer for Mortal Kombat 1 focused on the Lin Kuei, showing off some more of the playable characters. The Lin Kuei consists of deadly ninja assassins who play a major role in the series. Some names associated with this faction include Sub-Zero, Cyrax, Sektor, Smoke, and Frost, who are all confirmed to be a part of Mortal Kombat 1's roster as a fighter or a Kameo Assist character. With so many of these classic ninja characters present, some fans are hoping that this game can feature all of them at once. Ed Boon replied to tweet where the original user posted about how excited they were about the Lin Kuei-focused trailer. They stated that the prospect of seeing all the ninjas in Mortal Kombat 1 was a real possibility thanks to the aforementioned trailer. The ninjas in question were in an image attached to the original tweet, which included Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Smoke, and Rain. The aforementioned four ninjas are already confirmed to be in the game, though Reptile and Ermac, who were also included in the image, are currently not confirmed to be in Mortal Kombat 1 yet. Boon however responded to the tweet stating that it "could very well be the case."
While this isn't hard confirmation that the extensive and colorful lineup of ninjas will be making their appearance in Mortal Kombat 1, fans were hoping that this could be the case. Fans replied to Boon's tweet asking for classics like the aforementioned Reptile and Ermac, alongside Noob Saibot as a potential returning ninja for Mortal Kombat 1. Some replies also asked if the female ninjas can be added to the game as well.
The Lin Kuei trailer in particular emphasized how the solidarity of these ninjas would be put to the test, with Sub-Zero and Scorpion embarking on a quest and working with the fan favorite Smoke to battle against Rain. There are rumors that Reptile and Ermac will be making it to the roster, but fans will need to wait and see what Boon's claim really means.
Mortal Kombat 1 launches September 19, 2023, for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.