Mortal Kombat 1 Tops Current-Gen Fighting Game Sales Charts Despite Content Support Ending

Mortal Kombat 1 has officially claimed the title of the best-selling fighting game of the current console generation, despite the fact that NetherRealm Studios has already stopped releasing new content for the title. Studio co-founder Ed Boon recently confirmed that MK1 has moved more than 6.2 million copies since its release in 2023.

The game was positioned as a full reboot for the iconic franchise and earned an 84 average score on OpenCritic, with critics generally praising its visuals and combat mechanics. However, portions of the fanbase expressed disappointment, citing a lighter content offering compared to previous entries and various online play issues.

Even with its mixed reception, MK1’s sales put it ahead of heavy hitters like Street Fighter 6 (around 5 million sold) and Tekken 8 (around 3 million sold). The only title that could potentially surpass it is Dragon Ball: Sparking! Zero, which reached 5 million sales within three months of launch, though no updated figures have been released for half a year.

The sales announcement comes just months after NetherRealm revealed that no further DLC characters or expansions are planned for Mortal Kombat 1. Support will continue in the form of balance tweaks and bug fixes, but the studio’s focus is shifting toward its next project. During its active period, MK1 saw two character packs and the Khaos Reigns expansion added to the game, along with the surprise drop of Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition.

Whether MK1 can hold onto its sales crown for the rest of this generation remains to be seen, but its strong performance shows that Mortal Kombat still has a dominant presence in the fighting game scene. Fans will now be watching closely to see where NetherRealm takes the series next.