• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

Mortal Kombat is now the best selling fighting franchise of all time according to Wikipedia.

People were freaking out about this on twitter so I checked the best franchises list which is usually badly sourced, but this time it seems to be legit, I did the math and looked at the sources and everything adds up.



This was two days ago, I didn't even know this happened. Anyway it was added so here's the list from Wikipedia


Mortal Kombat 60 Million

Super Smash 59.76 million

Tekken 50 million

Street Fighter 45 million

Sould Calibur 15 million

Sure Smash and MK11 will keep selling and will likely have versions for next generation consoles and Switch 2 if that's a thing, so I guess the war is on between MK and Smash.
 

StreetsofBeige

Gold Member
How weird that SF is that far behind.
It like murder dropkicks all that's in front of it on that list.
Ya. I thought SF would be first. Even Tekken is ahead of SF!?!

Considering what a historic franchise that is and the gazillion versions that came out, you'd think they'd be #1 by a mile.
 

MiguelItUp

Gold Member
I believe it. I still wish MK X and 11 played more like 9. I loved everything about 9's gameplay a LOT more. But, I'll still always love and support MK.

I'm shocked Street Fighter and Soul Calibur have such low numbers. Especially SF.
 
Last edited:
Much as I like MK that's kinda sad. lol

Although, unlike many other series MK has been very consistent in loading their games with content. Heck I wouldn't have even bothered with DA-Armageddon games if they weren't stuffed with modes and shit to unlock. =P
 
Last edited:
It’s not that shocking. Beyond SFII, which was revolutionary, the franchise isn’t that popular and fighting games in general aren’t big.

Gotta remember most of SFII’s fame came from the arcade which doesn’t really track sold units, rather, they track the number of cabinets and revenues and SFII made billions in gross revenues.

How many non-gamers know of Alpha II or 3rd Strike?
 

MiguelItUp

Gold Member
Street Fighter regressed into Alpha after Street Fighter III. The parry mechanics were an amazing innovation, but Capcom went and toned them down in IV for no good reason.
True. Sometimes it's just shocking to me because IV was still received pretty well for awhile, at least it felt like it at the time. I know V has definitely been a mixed bag.
 
Mortal Kombat has always gave me enjoyment over the decadess, 2 is my favorite, psp collection is lush, discovring secrets and shit was insane, dlc and moolah spoiled it lately.
 

Krappadizzle

Gold Member
Love this thread and the cry-hard fighting fans.


giphy.gif
 

Vaelka

Member
How weird that SF is that far behind.
It like murder dropkicks all that's in front of it on that list.

It's not really strange, Mortal Kombat is a pop culture thing and it's also way more casual friendly with lots of singleplayer content and the extreme violence is a huge marketing tool.
Most people who play fighting games on any serious level and as their main genre don't hold MK in very high regard beyond just nostalgia or for a bit of fun, it's not a very deep fighting game really and doesn't play very well imo.
It's a game made for casuals and a mainstream audience and it shows, but it also sells.

Same reason why casual FPS games sell way more than more hardcore FPS games or simulators.

MK11 has sold 8 million copies? 😳
My faith in humanity is lost.

Just throw lots of gore on the screen = $$$

Remember the marketing of MK11? Because I do.
It was very little about the actual gameplay and all about '' OMG LOOK HE ATE HIS BRAIN! ''.
Which makes the whole '' MK is/ has grown up '' all the more bizarre lol.
 
Last edited:

teezzy

Banned
Makes sense honestly. Even as a kid, my friends complained about Tekken and SF not having gore like MK did. MK has become more of a household name in the States overall. More people know Sub Zero or Scorpion than Ryu or Ken. On top of that you have alall the gimmicky DLC characters.

I havent played anything after Mortal Kombat XL back when I still had a PS4 and managed a GameStop. Shit was tight. Not my favorite, but I'm not hating either.
 

theHFIC

Member
I knew it from the moment I laid eyes on Mortal Kombat 2 vs crusty super turbo hyper fighting edition at the back of my local Drug Fair as a child.

Then again, I also liked Time Killers more than any Street Fighter.
 

lock2k

Banned
I really like MK but I'm a fighting game nut who will literally play any fighting game in existence, I just love the genre. It's cool to know that and I think they deserve the success. However, I wish they would drop the whole movie soundtrack and superhero feel of the newer entries. I love 9 but 10 and 11 made me lost interest quick because they are more like Injustice than MK to me. I loved when Dan Forden was the main composer and the score didn't have the orchestra feel and I also hate the kombat kids with a passion. And Kronika can choke on a dick lol.

congrats nonetheless
 
Last edited:
S

SLoWMoTIoN

Unconfirmed Member
I really like MK but I'm a fighting game nut who will literally play any fighting game in existence, I just love the genre. It's cool to know that and I think they deserve the success. However, I wish they would drop the whole movie soundtrack and superhero feel of the newer entries. I love 9 but 10 and 11 made me lost interest quick because they are more like Injustice than MK to me. I loved when Dan Forden was the main composer and the score didn't have the orchestra feel and I also hate the kombat kids with a passion. And Kronika can choke on a dick lol.

congrats nonetheless
I actually liked Deception more than any of the new MK games.


lol
 

lock2k

Banned
I actually liked Deception more than any of the new MK games.


lol
I did too. I actually really like that era because it took chances and it was interesting and the soundtrack is top notch. Konquest was a great game on it's own and I also loved the whole Hotaru/Havik rivalry. I hated that they dropped the storyline for time travel shenanigans.
 
S

SLoWMoTIoN

Unconfirmed Member
I did too. I actually really like that era because it took chances and it was interesting and the soundtrack is top notch. Konquest was a great game on it's own and I also loved the whole Hotaru/Havik rivalry. I hated that they dropped the storyline for time travel shenanigans.
Absolutely. Time travel is the shittiest thing in existence. (that does not exist)
SteinsGate_Opening_FullCast.jpg
 

lock2k

Banned
Absolutely. Time travel is the shittiest thing in existence. (that does not exist)
SteinsGate_Opening_FullCast.jpg
I may sound hypocrite-ish because I love Back to the Future and Planet of the Apes (original) and both have time travel but, in general, time travel is a lazy excuse to fix canon fuckups so I agree with you wholeheartedly.
 
Top Bottom