Actually they can
a casual fan will NOT know the difference, nor will they care. They just want an MK game.
I'm surprised more places don't develop FOR the tournament scene....... as that is where the true longevity and passion lies. They're going to sell the game on name and "fun factor" alone. Why not develop the game geared towards the people who are going to break it down the most?
No need to try and explain this logic to naive members, lol.
You are 100% accurate.
MK outsells it's competitors solely on IMAGE and NOTORIETY, not on the way it's "played". Trust me, when I first picked up MK9 (before discovering the competitive scene and TYM) I was surrounded by casual gamers who couldn't care less about frame data, set ups, mix ups, or anything that had to do with the input of moves or balance. CASUALS DO NOT CARE.
The casual gamer that contributed to MK's global success was due to their liking of violence, blood, gore, and the ability to do a "cool ass fatality at the end of the fight, bro!!!".
NRS could literally make MKX have 1 frame links and a handful of charge characters and they will still outsell their competitors. They absolutely should start designing their games for the competitive FGC because they already know that their brand is a MASSIVE commercial success.
Not one casual gamer will be deterred from purchasing a future MK game because it is designed for the technical, hardcore competitors. Can you imagine a casual MK fan looking at footage of a "harder to play" MK and saying, "nah bro, it looks super dark and bad ass, but nah, it sounds too complicated to play!"??? No.