Mobile Kombat: Onslaught is being torched by NetherRealm after one year

NetherRealm is shutting down mobile title Mortal Kombat: Onslaught and removing it from storefronts.

The collectible-RPG was pitched as a mobile exclusive featuring a brand new Mortal Kombat story. It only launched in October 2023 so will have survived for just over a year.

The game will officially shut down on October 21, 2024. It will be removed from the App Store and Google Play on October 7, with in-game purchases being disabled on October 8. "Players can enjoy the game until 10/21/24. It has been an honor creating this game for our Kommunity," concludes a brief statement on X.

The news is patricianly notable because it follows reports that NetherRealm and parent company Warner Bros. Games have laid off a number of mobile developers.

Last week, multiple former NetherRealm employees claimed the studio's entire mobile team had been axed and that a "ton of very talented people" were now out of work.

One person said developers tasked with supporting live titles including Mortal Kombat: Onslaught had been impacted by the cuts.

Although today's announcement doesn't overtly connect those dots, the timing is rather conspicuous. "We had live services on multiple titles such as Mortal Kombat Mobile, Injustice 2, and Mortal Kombat: Onslaught. I was also affected. Every single person I've worked with on that team is an amazing collaborator, passionate, and very creative," stated one person impacted by the cuts, writing on Linkedin.

With those rumblings gaining traction, NetherRealm issued a statement reaffirming its commitment to supporting Mortal Kombat Mobile. "NetherRealm Studios would like to assure all players and fans of our ongoing commitment to Mortal Kombat Mobile. The game will continue operations and have full support," it wrote on X. It posted a similar statement on the X account for Injustice 2 Mobile.

Game Developer reached out to Warner Bros. for comment on those layoffs reports. We have yet to hear back.