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Mortal Kombat 1 Lead Designer talks Kameo Fighters and the MK legacy

We spoke with MK1 Lead Designer Derek Kirtzic to ask about Kameo Fighters, mechanic changes from MK11, the timeline change, and some Injustice.

Ozzie Mejia

June 21, 2023 4:00 PM

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Earlier this month, Shacknews went to Summer Game Fest to try out a handful of upcoming titles. Among them was Mortal Kombat 1, the latest reset for the long-running fighting franchise. One of the more interesting new gimmicks involved the addition of Kameo Fighters, something we were eager to ask MK1 Lead Designer Derek Kirtzic more about.

Kirtzic talks about the introduction of Kameo Fighters, which are secondary characters that fight alongside a player's main fighter. He talks about the myriad of gameplay possibilities that a Kameo Fighter opens up, as well as how they'll help lead to more exciting battles going forward. We also made sure to ask about what led to Kameo Fighters ultimately replacing the variation system that had been in use since Mortal Kombat X, as well as what possibilities the Kameo Fighter system opens up, specifically in regard to seldom-seen MK characters and even potential Injustice cameos from the DC Universe.

We had ample time to try out Mortal Kombat 1. Those interested in learning more about can read up on our Summer Game Fest preview. For more videos like this one, be sure to check out Shacknews and Shacknews Interviews on YouTube.

Ozzie Mejia

Senior Editor

Ozzie has been playing video games since picking up his first NES controller at age 5. He has been into games ever since, only briefly stepping away during his college years. But he was pulled back in after spending years in QA circles for both THQ and Activision, mostly spending time helping to push forward the Guitar Hero series at its peak. Ozzie has become a big fan of platformers, puzzle games, shooters, and RPGs, just to name a few genres, but he’s also a huge sucker for anything with a good, compelling narrative behind it. Because what are video games if you can't enjoy a good story with a fresh Cherry Coke?