Overall Series Roster Stats, with Commentary

[ImperatrixSindel]

Hello friends!

So using some code borrowed from the Street Fighter wikia, I slapped together a chart showing playable kharacter appearances across the entire series. I thought this might be of interest as we contemplate the roster for MK11.

My chart is HERE. (Please excuse the boring default wikia appearance.)

Some notes:

• 'MK3' here includes MK3, UMK3, and MK Trilogy, which I see in contemporary parlance as basically successive patches or DLC seasons of the same game. 'MK4' similarly includes both MK4 and MK Gold. This is in keeping with NRS's internal numbering system, which places MKX as the tenth installment rather than the thirteenth.

• This chart counts only arcade and console releases. Handheld updates are not included. This primarily hurts three kharacters: Jax and Kitana, who would otherwise have perfect scores starting from their debut (9 out of 9) if not for their absence from Deception (they pop up in the mobile update Unchained, using Deadly Alliance assets); and Sareena, who by this standard does not debut until Armageddon (rather than in the mobile Tournament Edition version of Deadly Alliance).

• I count Sub-Zero as having appeared in MK1, even though this kharacter is technically Noob Saibot. That's a lore concern rather than a gameplay concern -- to the layman player, Sub-Zero debuts in MK1 and the difference between Bi-Han and Kuai Liang is inconsequential.

• Human Smoke and Cyborg Smoke are counted as the same kharacter, since he changes around so much and apart from UMK3/Trilogy he is only ever seen in one form at a time. I counted Cyber Sub-Zero separately because there's no game in which he appears where the regular Sub-Zero doesn't also appear, so it felt like a reasonable thing to note as a bonus of sorts.

• I have counted 'Noob-Smoke' in Deception as an appearance of both Noob Saibot and Smoke individually, rather than as a new kharacter. Similarly, I have counted Triborg in MKX as an appearance of Cyrax, Sektor, Smoke, and Cyber Sub-Zero individually, rather than as a new kharacter. Like Sub-Zero in MK1, the nature of 'Triborg' is a lore concern rather than a gameplay concern. For all intents and purposes, from a gameplay perspective, it brought in all four of those pre-existing kharacters.

Some general takeaways:

• The only kharacters to have appeared in every game to date are Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Raiden.

• Historically, it's been foolish to bet against the MK1 kast. Liu Kang has missed only one game, and Sonya and Cage have missed only two. Kano has missed three, but in one of those cases (MK4) he was basically just reskinned as Jarek.

• Apart from Shang Tsung, who has missed three games since his playable debut, the MK2 debut kast is generally also a pretty safe bet. Jax and Kitana have missed only Deception, and the rest of the MK2 debuts have missed only two installments apiece. (Baraka, of course, is probably off the table for now after his death in MKX. Mileena's up for debate due to her unique nature.)

• The MK3 debut playable kast has dicier prospects. Cyrax is the most prominent of the bunch with six games under his belt, while Sektor, Smoke, Ermac, Noob Saibot, and Goro are each pretty well-represented with five appearances. Kabal, Nightwolf, Sindel, Jade, and Shao Kahn have each been playable in four installments (with Shao Kahn soon to jump up to five with MK11). Sheeva, Stryker, and Rain have only managed three games apiece.

• After MK3, the only new kharacters who have made at least three playable appearances are Quan Chi (five), Kenshi (five), Tanya (four), Bo' Rai Cho (four), Shinnok (three), and Li Mei (three).

• Excepting MK vs. DC Universe, with its limited roster, Kenshi has not missed a single game since his debut in Deadly Alliance.

The raw numbers (not including MK11):

• 10 games (flawless victory): Raiden, Scorpion, Sub-Zero

• 9 games: Liu Kang

• 8 games: Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, Jax, Kitana

• 7 games: Kano, Baraka, Kung Lao, Mileena, Reptile

• 6 games: Shang Tsung, Cyrax

• 5 games: Sektor, Smoke, Ermac, Noob Saibot, Goro, Quan Chi, Kenshi

• 4 games: Kabal, Nightwolf, Sindel, Jade, Shao Kahn, Tanya, Bo' Rai Cho

• 3 games: Sheeva, Stryker, Rain, Shinnok, Li Mei

• 2 games: Chameleon, Khameleon, Kintaro, Motaro, Fujin, Jarek, Kai, Meat, Reiko, Blaze, Drahmin, Frost, Hsu Hao, Mavado, Mokap, Nitara, Ashrah, Dairou, Darrius, Havik, Hotaru, Kira, Kobra, Shujinko, Cyber Sub-Zero

• 1 game: Daegon, Moloch, Sareena, Taven, Skarlet, and by default all the MKX debuts

How does this help us predict the MK11 roster, if at all?

• History would show us that almost every MK game features the majority of the komplete kast from MK1 and MK2. The story moving forward seems to put Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, Kano, Baraka, Jax, and Mileena up in the air, but would NRS really cut them all, or even most of them? We'll have to see, but my gut is telling me they won't. (My bet: watch for the timeline shenanigans suggested in the Announce Trailer to allow for as much of the MK1/MK2 kast to show up as possible.)

• The MK3 kast, by contrast, seems to be viewed as more disposable with the exception of the ever-popular ninjas and cyborg ninjas. That said, some of the other MK3 kharacters tend to pop up every few games as a nostalgia boost -- in particular, I would not be surprised to see Kabal, Nightwolf, or Sindel (the three non-ninja MK3 kharacters brought back for Deception) show up in this game for exactly that reason.

• Of the post-MK3 kast, only Quan Chi, Tanya, Shinnok, Bo' Rai Cho, Kenshi, and Li Mei are especially notable. Quan Chi and Shinnok are probably off the table after MKX, but I wouldn't be shocked if Tanya and Bo' Rai Cho both made the jump from DLC to main roster for MK11. Li Mei feels like she's due for a return, especially after her cameo in MKX. (And while the numbers don't suggest this, I think we can assume Fujin will finally achieve his third playable appearance.)

• Kenshi is not going anywhere, no matter how many children he sires.

 

[Kenshi_mk]

• Excepting MK vs. DC Universe, with its limited roster, Kenshi has not missed a single game since his debut in Deadly Alliance.

I was looking at some roster stuff recently too, and I realized that as well.

Great write-up, as always!

 

[Eddy Wang]

I choose to have this as a reference for the roster rather than trust leaks saying "Fuck those other leaks, this one is real".

With this one we can even see the roster shaping based on who has the most appearances.

Of course it only sucks for characters that appeared only one (my dear Skarlet T_T)

 

[hatyr]

Once again, ImperatrixSindel is MVP in this pre-release, pre-community reveal bubble we're all anxious to get out of. Sound as always, great work.

 

[ImperatrixSindel]

I choose to have this as a reference for the roster rather than trust leaks saying "Fuck those other leaks, this one is real".

With this one we can even see the roster shaping based on who has the most appearances.

Of course it only sucks for characters that appeared only one (my dear Skarlet T_T)

I think there are limited cases where having very few appearances is actually a strength going into this new game, but only for kharacters with an outsize fanbase considering their meager appearance count -- this mostly comes down to Fujin and Sareena, who have maintained an enduring popularity despite being very minor kharacters. Their presence in the MKX story mode has only boosted their profiles, too.

Otherwise, yeah, I think -- apart from the MKX newbies -- anyone with two or fewer appearances is probably not coming back anytime soon. Maybe Kira? She got that stage cameo in MK9, so clearly they remember she exists, but I still wouldn't bet on it. Havik and Reiko got big fanbase boosts from the MKX komic, so they're also plausible additions, but nevertheless I'd be pretty surprised by either one. (Especially Reiko, since a) he died in the komic and b) the actual Shao Kahn is playable in MK11, so why bother with the pretender?)

 

[MKF30]

I look forward to game's roster overall but I will be really happy if Fujin and Ermac make the cut. I doubt Sektor will, but if Ermac don't make it this time I hope Fujin or Kenshi have some of his TK options, moves etc to make up for it.

 

[ImperatrixSindel]

I look forward to game's roster overall but I will be really happy if Fujin and Ermac make the cut. I doubt Sektor will, but if Ermac don't make it this time I hope Fujin or Kenshi have some of his TK options, moves etc to make up for it.

I strongly suspect Ermac's MKX ladder ending will be canon to make room for the return of Shang Tsung, which would mean Ermac sitting this one out. I wouldn't be surprised if they gave some of his stuff to Kenshi to compensate.

 

[MKF30]

I strongly suspect Ermac's MKX ladder ending will be canon to make room for the return of Shang Tsung, which would mean Ermac sitting this one out. I wouldn't be surprised if they gave some of his stuff to Kenshi to compensate.

Yeah, I suspect his ending will be canon as well for Shang to return. I just hope they don't kill Ermac off completely

 

[ImperatrixSindel]

Yeah, I suspect his ending will be canon as well for Shang to return. I just hope they don't kill Ermac off completely

Luckily since he's not really 'alive' per se it'd be pretty easy to bring him back. He's like Mileena; there's always a way to handwave it.

 

[MKF30]

Luckily since he's not really 'alive' per se it'd be pretty easy to bring him back. He's like Mileena; there's always a way to handwave it.

Yeah I mean technically he's/they're dead spirits but yeah I don't think they'd off the character for good, he's way too popular.

 

[ImperatrixSindel]

Yeah I mean technically he's/they're dead spirits but yeah I don't think they'd off the character for good, he's way too popular.

Generally I'd agree, but I'm still pretty surprised they offed Baraka so unceremoniously. Not even a revenant or anything, just gone.

 

[BecomingDeath13]

Generally I'd agree, but I'm still pretty surprised they offed Baraka so unceremoniously. Not even a revenant or anything, just gone.

I always loved Baraka. He's one of few monster like characters they actually have playable. Just dropping his ass out of nowhere was jarring. If by some means he makes it in the base roster or dlc I hope they do him justice. The mk9 Baraka left a lot to be desired.

 

[MKF30]

Generally I'd agree, but I'm still pretty surprised they offed Baraka so unceremoniously. Not even a revenant or anything, just gone.

haha that's true, have a friend who is a huge Baraka fan he was upset lol. Though I would bet my pinky that Ermac is more popular than Baraka. I don't know for 100% sure but I would say Ermac would probably be received as the cooler character of the two. I'm sure Baraka can come back some how, it's MK remember to quote John Vogel(one of the writers for MK since MK 1-present) "in MK nobody ever truly stays dead"

 

[ImperatrixSindel]

haha that's true, have a friend who is a huge Baraka fan he was upset lol. Though I would bet my pinky that Ermac is more popular than Baraka. I don't know for 100% sure but I would say Ermac would probably be received as the cooler character of the two. I'm sure Baraka can come back some how, it's MK remember to quote John Vogel(one of the writers for MK since MK 1-present) "in MK nobody ever truly stays dead"

The 'ninjas' are always wildly popular but Baraka is a pretty iconic character. It's hard to say.

Either way, yeah, anybody can come back at any time. Hell, Mileena died in MK2 and came back in UMK3. Cage died in MK3 and came back for Trilogy.

It's not something they've ever cared that much about, but I think since MK9 they have been trying to have higher story stakes where possible -- so if someone dies I think we should expect them to sit out for at least one game (except for Mileena, maybe).

 

[MKF30]

The 'ninjas' are always wildly popular but Baraka is a pretty iconic character. It's hard to say.

Either way, yeah, anybody can come back at any time. Hell, Mileena died in MK2 and came back in UMK3. Cage died in MK3 and came back for Trilogy.

It's not something they've ever cared that much about, but I think since MK9 they have been trying to have higher story stakes where possible -- so if someone dies I think we should expect them to sit out for at least one game (except for Mileena, maybe).

Yeah I mean Ermac is iconic too, especially how he was created and all. I'm sure at some point though we'll see both Ermac and Baraka again if not in this game at some point. Yeah I see MK as like comics, anyone can die and anyone can come back if plot requires it.

 

[Gamer68]

I feel like every time I kinda figured out the direction they will be going, I'm wrong. Like I thought the parent characters would be out, but considering the statistics, the timeline stuff, things voice actors have said, and certain leaks, it really seem that at least Johnny and Sonya will be back. But at that point, why not include Jax along with Kenshi -- both of which have great track records.

I doubt the kombat kids and Kotal Kahn will get cut, it would make no sense to introduce these characters and push them the way they did in MKX just to get rid of them the next game. Same can be said about D'Vorah. Erron Black and Ferra/Torr are kinda up in the air. Though, since Erron Black seems to be aging slowly that means he is actually from a long time ago (his ending, which to be fair is non-canon, says he is over 150 years old) so he could still show up as a younger version if they do go back in time or something. I think he will be in, and Ferra/Torr will be out.

Characters like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Liu Kang and Kitana have to be in, and it seems that based off of recent voice actor stuff Reptile and Kung Lao are in. Like you said, I have a feeling Shang Tsung will be back and Tanya, and Bo' Rai Cho both have good chances to be in the main roster this time.

So far this is what the roster would look like, hypothetically of course:

1. Scorpion
2. Sub-Zero
3. Raiden
4. Liu Kang
5. Johnny Cage
6. Sonya Blade
7. Shang Tsung
   
8. Kitana
9. Kung Lao
10. Jax
    
11. Reptile
12. Tanya
13. Bo' Rai Cho
14. Kenshi
15. Cassie Cage
16. Jacqui Briggs
17. Takeda
18. Kung Jin
19. Kotal Kahn
20. D'Vorah
21. Erron Black
22. Who ever to new character is (Kronika?)
    
23. Shao Kahn (Pre-order/DLC)

That's 23 characters and with the exception of Shao Kahn, Shang Tsung, and the new character, ALL of those characters were in MKX (base game or DLC). Chances are we are getting around 4 new characters -- give or take -- so that would be like 27 characters. If they do a 24 character roster again then this list is impossible, which is weird because based off of what we know it doesn't seem very unlikely. If they do 28 characters like Injustice 2, then we will only be getting 1-2 more characters (depending on if Shao Kahn ends up being a 29th bonus like Darksied)... yet so much seems missing. Again, with the exception of Shao Kahn and Shang Tsung, all of the returning MK characters were in the previous game. I doubt NRS would want to do a repeat, so I wonder how they are going to handle this?

The list above doesn't even include characters like Kano and Mileena which I think have decent chances. It also doesn't include any characters that was highly requested during MKX/Make since to be in the game: Fujin, Sindel, Jade, Rain, Kabal, Noob Saibot, Sareena, Li Mei and Frost. Sure, I wouldn't be surprised if they keep some of these as DLC, but this many? And no cyborgs? Last time they felt missing and they ended up doing Triborg, would they really leave them out again -- especially since they don't repeat DLC which means they will never be able to bring them back during the game's entire lifespan?

I don't know what direction they are going to take, but whatever they do I hope it doesn't end up feeling like Mortal Kombat X part 2 with a mostly same roster.

 

[ImperatrixSindel]

If I had to guess right now, based on these stats, my gut, and the big fan pushes on social media during MKX, here's what I'd say, assuming a base roster of 30 (they tend to keep going bigger and bigger) plus Shao Kahn as 31:

1. Scorpion
2. Sub-Zero
3. Raiden
4. Liu Kang
5. Johnny Cage
6. Kitana
7. Jax
8. Kung Lao
9. Reptile
10. Shang Tsung
11. Cyrax
12. [ Sindel, Li Mei, Frost, or Sareena ]
13. [ Sindel, Li Mei, Frost, or Sareena ]
    
14. Jade
15. Rain
16. Tanya
17. Fujin
18. Kenshi
19. Bo' Rai Cho
20. Cassie Cage
21. Jacqui Briggs
22. Kung Jin
23. Takeda
24. Kotal Kahn
25. D'Vorah
26. Erron Black
27. [ Hourglass Woman ]
28. [ Kano's Son ]
29. NEW
30. NEW
31. Shao Kahn

Sonya and Kano sit out, like in MK2. (This assumes the Ronda Rousey email leak turns out to be a well-crafted fake.)

The Kombat Pack features three guests, Noob Saibot, Kabal, and another one of [ Sindel, Li Mei, Frost, or Sareena ].

(Those four female characters feel like they're in direct competition with one another, due to limited space on NRS rosters for female characters. I cannot imagine seeing more than 9 or 10 female characters in a base roster in an NRS game -- MK9, MKX, and Injustice 2 all had only 6 (seven in MKX if you count Ferra), while Injustice 2 had only 7.)

Wild cards: Mileena, Nightwolf, Smoke.

I think Mileena may sit out and show up in Kombat Pack 2 -- which they'd play off as 'due to overwhelming fan demand', to drum up excitement, like Triborg in MKX. (Note that Triborg was clearly planned from the get-go, since they surely didn't get all the voice actors back in for another expensive session to make specific comments on Triborg for intros.)

But it's also very possible Mileena gets a roster slot regardless of her death in MKX, in which case she most likely takes one of the female roster slots above, probably knocking out either Tanya or one of the [ Sindel, Li Mei, Frost, or Sareena ] characters.

I don't know what direction they are going to take, but whatever they do I hope it doesn't end up feeling like Mortal Kombat X part 2 with a mostly same roster.

If you look at the stats historically? It probably will. They don't usually take big risks with the roster -- Deception is the only really out-there one.

 

[Lord Greyjoy]

funny, I did something like this in the lead up to the last game - https://i.imgur.com/jHhEABj.png

your analysis is spot on. it irritates me that the MK1/MK2 cast is so pervasive, however. having roughly 1/3 (even up to 1/2 in MKX at launch) of the roster taken up by these same characters time and time again is tiresome. it's also going to be somewhat backwards in MK11 because I feel like the torch has been passed to the newer characters; the kombat kids should at least get one opportunity to escape the shadow of their more popular forebears, if only to see how they'd develop under those circumstances both as characters and to see how the MK community's perception of them evolves. I hate to be one of those people complaining about character slots in a fighting game, but I guess I'm impassioned by this series. /random rant

 

[ImperatrixSindel]

funny, I did something like this in the lead up to the last game - https://i.imgur.com/jHhEABj.png

your analysis is spot on. it irritates me that the MK1/MK2 cast is so pervasive, however. having roughly 1/3 (even up to 1/2 in MKX at launch) of the roster taken up by these same characters time and time again is tiresome. it's also going to be somewhat backwards in MK11 because I feel like the torch has been passed to the newer characters; the kombat kids should at least get one opportunity to escape the shadow of their more popular forebears, if only to see how they'd develop under those circumstances both as characters and to see how the MK community's perception of them evolves. I hate to be one of those people complaining about character slots in a fighting game, but I guess I'm impassioned by this series. /random rant

Great minds!

It makes sense that the MK1 and MK2 roster comes back again and again, honestly; those are the characters with the most extensive and consistent fandom over decades of the franchise. But I agree that bringing any of the parents back in MK11 is a weird story choice given the torch-passing storyline in MKX.

The fact is, though, that fighting games which largely discard the iconic cast in sequels tend to get huge blowback -- look at Street Fighter 3's initial reception, or the lukewarm response to Soul Calibur V. Both those franchises have gone back to heavily nostalgic casts starting with SFIV and SC6.

I would be surprised if NRS was bold enough in the current moment to actually do away with all four of Sonya, Johnny, Jax, and Kano. And I can't see Kenshi going anywhere -- he's the only PS2 era character who's ever approached the fanbase level of the Trilogy kast.

 

[Sablicious]

10 games (flawless victory): Raiden, Scorpion, Sub-Zero

More like, Flawless Monotony! (*don't forget all the cameo appearances and crossover games)

 

[Gamer68]

If I had to guess right now, based on these stats, my gut, and the big fan pushes on social media during MKX, here's what I'd say, assuming a base roster of 30 (they tend to keep going bigger and bigger) plus Shao Kahn as 31:

1. Scorpion
2. Sub-Zero
3. Raiden
4. Liu Kang
5. Johnny Cage
6. Kitana
7. Jax
8. Kung Lao
9. Reptile
10. Shang Tsung
11. Cyrax
12. [ Sindel, Li Mei, Frost, or Sareena ]
13. [ Sindel, Li Mei, Frost, or Sareena ]
    
14. Jade
15. Rain
16. Tanya
17. Fujin
18. Kenshi
19. Bo' Rai Cho
20. Cassie Cage
21. Jacqui Briggs
22. Kung Jin
23. Takeda
24. Kotal Kahn
25. D'Vorah
26. Erron Black
27. [ Hourglass Woman ]
28. [ Kano's Son ]
29. NEW
30. NEW
31. Shao Kahn

Sonya and Kano sit out, like in MK2. (This assumes the Ronda Rousey email leak turns out to be a well-crafted fake.)

The Kombat Pack features three guests, Noob Saibot, Kabal, and another one of [ Sindel, Li Mei, Frost, or Sareena ].

(Those four female characters feel like they're in direct competition with one another, due to limited space on NRS rosters for female characters. I cannot imagine seeing more than 9 or 10 female characters in a base roster in an NRS game -- MK9, MKX, and Injustice 2 all had only 6 (seven in MKX if you count Ferra), while Injustice 2 had only 7.)

Wild cards: Mileena, Nightwolf, Smoke.

I think Mileena may sit out and show up in Kombat Pack 2 -- which they'd play off as 'due to overwhelming fan demand', to drum up excitement, like Triborg in MKX. (Note that Triborg was clearly planned from the get-go, since they surely didn't get all the voice actors back in for another expensive session to make specific comments on Triborg for intros.)

But it's also very possible Mileena gets a roster slot regardless of her death in MKX, in which case she most likely takes one of the female roster slots above, probably knocking out either Tanya or one of the [ Sindel, Li Mei, Frost, or Sareena ] characters.


If you look at the stats historically? It probably will. They don't usually take big risks with the roster -- Deception is the only really out-there one.

What I meant about "Mortal Kombat X part 2" was that I am hoping that there will be more than, I don't know, 6 characters that wasn't in the previous game. Your list has 10-11 depending on if you include Shao Kahn, which is pretty good.

Piggy backing off of it, here is what I feel it could end up being:

1. Scorpion
2. Sub-Zero
3. Raiden
4. Liu Kang
5. Johnny Cage
6. Kitana
7. Jax
8. Kung Lao
9. Reptile
10. Shang Tsung
11. Cyrax
12. Sindel
13. Li Mei
    
14. Jade
15. Rain
16. Tanya
17. Fujin
18. Kenshi
19. Bo' Rai Cho
20. Cassie Cage
21. Jacqui Briggs
22. Kung Jin
23. Takeda
24. Kotal Kahn
25. D'Vorah
26. Erron Black
27. [ Hourglass Woman ]
28. [ Kano's Son ]
29. [ New ]
    
30. [ New ]
    
31. Shao Kahn (Pre-order/DLC)
32. Noob Saibot (DLC)
33. Kabal (DLC)
34. Sareena (DLC)
35. Doomguy (DLC)
36. Pennywise (DLC)
37. Spawn (DLC)

I think Sindel would make basegame because they have a bunch of new Black Canary tech that they could easily port over into this game and make Sindel, plus she had a lot of requests by the time Kombat Pack 2 was out for MKX. With the whole timeline thingy, I take that as being a way for them to include characters that otherwise wouldn't really be possible, so I could see Sindel being one of those.

I think Li Mei seems more likely than Frost and Sareena mainly because those characters seem to be the type they would introduce as DLC. Don't know why, but it's just a feeling I have.

Personally, I think Sonya Blade will be in. I don't know if she would replace one of these or be a surprise 32nd character, but I think she would make it in. Mainly because if they are doing the rest of the parent characters it would be weird to exclude her, and I don't think she is really a DLC-worthy character so that means she would be out during the game's whole lifespan.

If all those characters make it in, then the only ones that would feel "missing" to me personally would be Smoke and Sektor. While I think Kano and Mileena have pretty good chances of being in, I don't think it would be a big deal if they skip a game and I wouldn't really care.

 

[ImperatrixSindel]

Personally, I think Sonya Blade will be in. I don't know if she would replace one of these or be a surprise 32nd character, but I think she would make it in. Mainly because if they are doing the rest of the parent characters it would be weird to exclude her, and I don't think she is really a DLC-worthy character so that means she would be out during the game's whole lifespan.

If all those characters make it in, then the only ones that would feel "missing" to me personally would be Smoke and Sektor. While I think Kano and Mileena have pretty good chances of being in, I don't think it would be a big deal if they skip a game and I wouldn't really care.

I think Mileena missing a game is honestly a way bigger deal than Sonya missing a game. Both of them have only missed two historically, but in terms of Mortal Kombat as a modern brand I think Kitana and Mileena come after only Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Raiden in terms of pop culture prominence.

 

[Gamer68]

I think Mileena missing a game is honestly a way bigger deal than Sonya missing a game. Both of them have only missed two historically, but in terms of Mortal Kombat as a modern brand I think Kitana and Mileena come after only Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Raiden in terms of pop culture prominence.

I'm sure she is more popular than Sonya, but is that really a big deal to NRS? They cut Lex Luthor and Shazam from Injustice and replaced them with characters like Gorilla Grodd, Firestorm, etc. The only reason why they cut them is because they were "dead" even though The Joker appears as an hallucination and one of the big modes in the game is the Multiverse which means that they could have put anyone in but just made them belong to another "Earth"

Since Mileena was killed off, maybe they want to keep her dead for a game. I know that her ending said she had clones or something, but we aren't sure if that's going to end up being canon.

I don't know, it can go either way but with Sonya being alive and other parent characters all potentially being in the game, I don't know about her sitting it out. It would just be very weird. With Mileena, at least they would have kind of an excuse for her not being in the game.

 

[ImperatrixSindel]

I'm sure she is more popular than Sonya, but is that really a big deal to NRS? They cut Lex Luthor and Shazam from Injustice and replaced them with characters like Gorilla Grodd, Firestorm, etc.

I think it is a bigger deal to NRS when it's their own brand, yes.

I don't think Sonya will be the only one to sit out -- I think Kano will, too, and also have 'parent' status in this game. Possibly Jax as well, as several MKX ladder endings implied his death, but he's so popular that I'm not sure I see it.

But honestly if all of them came back and the roster was almost all MKX returnees I wouldn't be shocked one bit.

 

[FoughtDragon01]

Allow me to put on my tinfoil hat for a second:

In MK9, in the scene where Kitana meets Mileena for the very first time, you can see what appears to be two successful Tarkatan-Edenian hybrids, the one on the table that we've come to know and hate love, and another that's still in her test tube. Now, i don't know how far ahead Neatherream's writers have planned things out, but what if the Mileena in that test tube is the one that can return in MK11?

Now, it's a hell of a stretch, and one that could be written off for a variety of reasons ('test tube Mileena expired over the 25 year time-span.' 'She wasn't actually a fully-functioning clone'. etc, etc), but looking at it from a visual story-telling standpoint, why show two? Why not have all the test tubes be filled with obviously failed experiments so that we as the viewer can clearly tell, 'Alright, this one Mileena is clearly the only successful experiment in here.'

It could be a red herring, it could just be an oversight, but I have a gut feeling that NRS was counting on most of us completely forgetting about that Mileena in the test tube so that they can surprise us with her appearance in the next game.