A Mortal Kombat Legend Is Leaving NetherRealm Studios

Dan Forden, the audio director for Midway and NetherRealm Studios, has announced his departure from the company after 36 years. Forden, known for his iconic "Toasty!" catchphrase in Mortal Kombat II, shared the news on his Instagram account, expressing his pride in the accomplishments and the fun they had making the games. He cited wanting to reclaim his time for his own interests as the reason for his departure. Forden's early games with the Mortal Kombat franchise will be collected in the upcoming Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection, which will include two spin-offs that haven't been readily available since the PS1 era. Earlier this year, NetherRealm Studios confirmed that there will be no more DLC for Mortal Kombat 1, and the studio has yet to announce its next title. An art-book retrospective called "Mortal Kombat: Flawless Victory" will be released on October 21, originally planned to debut near the release date of Mortal Kombat 2, which has been pushed back to May 15, 2026.