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Thread for informed speculation of MKX roster

There are bits and pieces of speculation about who will and won't make the transition from the MK9 roster to MKX. I figured it'd be useful to consolidate all that into a thread based on evidence and informed speculation. Below I've listed the MK9 roster, as well as a ranking system for likelihood of being in the game. The ranking system is as follows:

X = Confirmed in
5 = All but confirmed in
4 = High likelihood of being in
3 = Equal chance of being in or not
2 = Probably not in
1 = Almost definitely not in
0 = Confirmed out
? = No evidence for being in or out

I've also included brief descriptions where applicable.

X Tier:
Scorpion: X

Sub-Zero: X (Identity Unknown. Probably a new character.)

5 Tier:
Quan Chi: 5 (Both the end of MK9 and the rumored plot of MKX suggest he is very likely to be in.)

Raiden: 5 (Basically the protagonist of the series. End of MK9 suggests he's in, and Boon has mentioned him multiple times when talking about MKX.)

Shinnok: 5 (Not in MK9 but, given the plot and ending of that game, almost definitely a major player in MKX's plot.)

4 Tier:
Ermac 4 (He's not technically mortal, and there's some suspicious concept art floating around.)

3 Tier:
Cyber Sub-Zero: 3 (Dead, but theoretically important to the rumored plot.)

Cyrax: 3 (Not dead. Doesn't age. But the Lin Kuei do feature in the new story.)

Johnny Cage: 3 (Pros: One of the few surviving Earthrealm heroes. Cons: Might be redundant with Cassie. Tentative speculation that he or Sonya might be in b/c of Boon's comments about family members fatality-ing each other.)

Kitana: 3 (Dead. Very well-known character, and liked by the devs. No solid evidence either way.)

Kung Lao: 3 (Dead, but a prominent character who could be resurrected for story purposes.)

Liu Kang: 3 (Dead. Very well-known character, and generally plot-important. No solid evidence either way.)

Nightwolf: 3 (Dead, but might be resurrectable given his mystical connections. Maybe in werewolf form?)

Noob Saibot: 3 (No indication, but he seems relevant to the rumored storyline of Scorpion teaming with SZ after learning of Quan Chi's treachery.)

Sektor: 3 (Not dead. Doesn't age. But the Lin Kuei do feature in the new story.)

Shang Tsung: 3 (Apparently dead, but certainly able to defy death.)

Smoke: 3 (Dead at the end of MK9, but seems to be in some of the Variant Select animations. Curious.)

Sonya Blade: 3 (Pros: One of the few surviving Earthrealm heroes. Cons: Might be redundant with Cassie. Tentative speculation that she or Cage might be in b/c of Boon's comments about family members fatality-ing each other..)

2 Tier:
Goro: 2 (Not dead, but unlikely since there's an opportunity for new sub-bosses.)

Jax: 2 (Dead, but semi-important.)

Kabal: 2 (Dead, but semi-important.).

Kintaro: 2 (Not dead, but unlikely since there's an opportunity for new sub-bosses.)

Sindel: 2 (Dead. Again. But theoretically resurrectable for story due to role she played last time.)

1 Tier:
Jade: 1 (Dead. Not terribly important.)

Shao Kahn: 1 (Dead. Would be redundant as hell to bring him back.)

Stryker: 1 (Dead and, being human, unlikely to be reanimated.)

0 Tier:
Freddy Krueger: 0

Kratos: 0

? Tier:
Baraka: ?

Kano: ?

Kenshi: ?

Mileena: ?

Rain: ?

Reptile: ?

Sheeva: ?

Skarlet: ?

Aaand... that's all I'm willing to speculate on at this moment. Comments or additions are welcome!
 
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Johnny San

Shazzy's Biggest Fan
Someone's "leaked" some info concerning the roster on MKO. Apparently, 8 kombatants are coming back from MK9 and all the gaesm after MK9. So that's 16 old characters.

Probably false.
 

xenogorgeous

.... they mostly come at night. Mostly.
IMO, the game will have more or less this combination in the roster , if really starts with 24 selectable characters :

  • 1st scenario: 8 totally new characters, 8 characters from MK9 , 8 characters from the 3D era games (MK4, MK Armageddon, MK Deadly Alliance etc)
  • 2nd scenario: or 12 totally new characters, and 12 old school charactes (mixing MK9+3D era chars)
  • 3rd scenario: or, in the worst scenario, 14 new chars (wow!) and only 10 old MK series/franchise chars
Shinnok, Quan Chi are 99.9% guaranteed due the MK9 end story. Ed Boon stated that he will follow some logical story continuity with MKX.
my guess is in the first scenario above, if in fact, NRS keeps only 8 new chars, we have to see already , 4 new chars to be revealed, so :

  • 8 spots for new characters , with 4 already revealed (Kotal Kahn, Cassie Cage, Ferra/Torr, D'vorah), so, we have 4 spots left for 4 new characters
  • 2 spots, for Quan Chi and Shinnok
  • 2 spots already for Scorpion and Sub-Zero
We end with 12 spots for speculation here , for old school MK chars

Since Ed confirmed that MK4 chars will come back , let's speculate that :

- Tanya, Fujin and Reiko come back

This way, we have 9 spots left for MK9 and MK 3D chars .....

** Reptile was in MK4 and MK9, and can be relevant for MKX, so let's consider he is in

My guess and bet for the 8 left , could be :
- Mileena, Ermac, Skarlet, Raiden from MK9
- Havik, Li Mei, Sareena, Khameleon, from 3D games

But for the 3D and MK9 chars, I can see as alternative option , maybe final decision of NRS and Ed Boon, Kenshi as option in the place of Sareena, Khameleon or Li Mei

In the end all depends what MKX story plot they will follow, and what marketing strategy NRS and Ed Boon will take, based in chars popularity and fan base
 
I would move Kitana and Liu from tier 2 since they are too popular to be considered "probably not in". Popularity of characters is more important than story relevance.
 
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EMPRESS_SunFire

Regina George of discord
I think Sonya and Cage have 98% of probabilities. But hey i don't think they will be old. Boon said there will be a part of the story when they will be only 5 years after MK9's ending. I bet Sonya and Cage will appear there and they won't be old, so the playable characters will have the same age almost.
 
I think Sonya and Cage have 98% of probabilities. But hey i don't think they will be old. Boon said there will be a part of the story when they will be only 5 years after MK9's ending. I bet Sonya and Cage will appear there and they won't be old, so the playable characters will have the same age almost.
9
This. Boon's comments on "I don't know what we're gonna do with relatives doing fatalities on each other" can only mean at least one of them is in. The whole Kitana/Sindel thing is irrelevant because Sindel is (falsely) evil and Kitana (falsely) an asassin. Two earthrealm human heroes killing their daughter is certainly more shocking. Besides when someone confused Sonya with Cassie and asked "Will Sonya's X-ray return?" Boon said she hadn't been announced. Announced, not confirmed. They´re small things of course, but I wouldn't put them in the "most likely not coming back list".

I believe both of them will be back as earth's only survivors. Along with Raiden, Mileena, Reptile and.... evil Liu Kang? I can't imagine the game without Liu Kang.
 

Eddy Wang

Skarlet scientist
Here hoping kia and Jataaka finally debut as new characters :) i've been waiting for this since mk4.

Pretty good list everyone.
 

Eddy Wang

Skarlet scientist
IMO, the game will have more or less this combination in the roster , if really starts with 24 selectable characters :

  • 1st scenario: 8 totally new characters, 8 characters from MK9 , 8 characters from the 3D era games (MK4, MK Armageddon, MK Deadly Alliance etc)
  • 2nd scenario: or 12 totally new characters, and 12 old school charactes (mixing MK9+3D era chars)
  • 3rd scenario: or, in the worst scenario, 14 new chars (wow!) and only 10 old MK series/franchise chars
Shinnok, Quan Chi are 99.9% guaranteed due the MK9 end story. Ed Boon stated that he will follow some logical story continuity with MKX.
my guess is in the first scenario above, if in fact, NRS keeps only 8 new chars, we have to see already , 4 new chars to be revealed, so :

  • 8 spots for new characters , with 4 already revealed (Kotal Kahn, Cassie Cage, Ferra/Torr, D'vorah), so, we have 4 spots left for 4 new characters
  • 2 spots, for Quan Chi and Shinnok
  • 2 spots already for Scorpion and Sub-Zero
We end with 12 spots for speculation here , for old school MK chars

Since Ed confirmed that MK4 chars will come back , let's speculate that :

- Tanya, Fujin and Reiko come back

This way, we have 9 spots left for MK9 and MK 3D chars .....

** Reptile was in MK4 and MK9, and can be relevant for MKX, so let's consider he is in

My guess and bet for the 8 left , could be :
- Mileena, Ermac, Skarlet, Raiden from MK9
- Havik, Li Mei, Sareena, Khameleon, from 3D games

But for the 3D and MK9 chars, I can see as alternative option , maybe final decision of NRS and Ed Boon, Kenshi as option in the place of Sareena, Khameleon or Li Mei

In the end all depends what MKX story plot they will follow, and what marketing strategy NRS and Ed Boon will take, based in chars popularity and fan base
I think he could swap li mei with ashrah, and kahmeleon with kenshi.
 

Barrogh

Meta saltmine
I can't imagine the game without Liu Kang.
Well, we did have a game without Raiden at one point, I'm not sure if that's comparable (especially considering I'm Raiden fanboy), but there's that.

Worth noting though that precedent of Liu Kang coming back was already set (was it Deadly Alliance?), what's with zombie Liu and all. Besides, Evil Liu from MK9 ladder was looking badass.

The whole Kitana/Sindel thing is irrelevant because Sindel is (falsely) evil and Kitana (falsely) an asassin. Two earthrealm human heroes killing their daughter is certainly more shocking.
I think it's not anything new to have such scenes in different works of fiction. It's actually very prominent, if only because shock and drama and to show how grave situation is when someone has to turn on closest person ever.

However I understand why Boon is concerned about such things. One thing is you having to kill your father because something terribly wrong has happened and stakes are higher than your lives. However, humiliating him by stuffing bubble gum into the wound would be so out of place I honestly don't even want to think about it, with all seriousness.

Also, I think that Sindel/Kitana thing can only be seen as irrelevant because their normal relationship was never shown and expanded upon in any meaningful way, besides we haven't even seen Sindel delivering finishing blow in MK9. I believe those factors contribute to how we see those characters. Therefore you either really have to abuse your imagination or you'll hardly feel anything about those two in that scene...
 

STB Sgt Reed

Online Warrior
IMO, the game will have more or less this combination in the roster , if really starts with 24 selectable characters :

  • 1st scenario: 8 totally new characters, 8 characters from MK9 , 8 characters from the 3D era games (MK4, MK Armageddon, MK Deadly Alliance etc)
  • 2nd scenario: or 12 totally new characters, and 12 old school charactes (mixing MK9+3D era chars)
  • 3rd scenario: or, in the worst scenario, 14 new chars (wow!) and only 10 old MK series/franchise chars
Shinnok, Quan Chi are 99.9% guaranteed due the MK9 end story. Ed Boon stated that he will follow some logical story continuity with MKX.
my guess is in the first scenario above, if in fact, NRS keeps only 8 new chars, we have to see already , 4 new chars to be revealed, so :

  • 8 spots for new characters , with 4 already revealed (Kotal Kahn, Cassie Cage, Ferra/Torr, D'vorah), so, we have 4 spots left for 4 new characters
  • 2 spots, for Quan Chi and Shinnok
  • 2 spots already for Scorpion and Sub-Zero
We end with 12 spots for speculation here , for old school MK chars

Since Ed confirmed that MK4 chars will come back , let's speculate that :

- Tanya, Fujin and Reiko come back

This way, we have 9 spots left for MK9 and MK 3D chars .....

** Reptile was in MK4 and MK9, and can be relevant for MKX, so let's consider he is in

My guess and bet for the 8 left , could be :
- Mileena, Ermac, Skarlet, Raiden from MK9
- Havik, Li Mei, Sareena, Khameleon, from 3D games

But for the 3D and MK9 chars, I can see as alternative option , maybe final decision of NRS and Ed Boon, Kenshi as option in the place of Sareena, Khameleon or Li Mei

In the end all depends what MKX story plot they will follow, and what marketing strategy NRS and Ed Boon will take, based in chars popularity and fan base

Boon pretty much said li mei had a very slim shot via twitter. Along with Drahmin. So they're out.
 

EndofGameBoss

That's about right.
I think Raiden is all, but confirmed. Boon has been dropping the Raiden name a lot lately. I believe Cage, Sonya, and Raiden will definitely make a return.