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While Killer Instinct isn't even a blip on streaming services most days, sometimes it enjoys a renaissance where Killer Instinct fans come together for special events. The Ultra Arcade runs the semi-official Killer Instinct World Cup with Microsoft's blessing, which brings the game into focus on streaming service for brief windows, against much, much bigger games. It showcases the passion of the small, but dedicated fanbase.

Gaming influencers like Maximillian have also been calling for a revival of the franchise, with a hashtag campaign #BringBackKI that Microsoft certainly noticed, judging from conversations I've had with Xbox staff over the years.

Rumors of a Killer Instinct reboot abound​

In December, it was revealed that Microsoft had hired Mortal Kombat veteran Erin Piepergerdes to be an executive producer for Xbox Game Studios. Piepergerdes has worked on Mortal Kombat all the way back to the Midway Games days, and later Netherrealm at Warner Bros. It stands to reason that, if you were interested in building a fighting game franchise, that you might hire someone like Piepergerdes to oversee it.


I have also heard the vaguest of unsubstantiated rumors that one of Bandai Namco's fighting game development teams may be involved, although I haven't been able to independently verify that yet myself.

What's the deal with Killer Instinct?

Microsoft's painfully underrated fighting game has slipped into the shadows ... for now.

www.windowscentral.com

 

[ParaSeoul]

If it comes back I hope they keep it the way it was and not make it an MK clone.

 

[nush]

That franchise was too dormant for many years and when it did make a return it was on Xbox One.

Top tier Fighting game franchise is just a checkbox for Microsoft. Not going to happen.

 

[anthony2690]

I am so confused as why Jez, Jeff & co go out their way to leak/spoil potential Xbox reveals. (Assuming this is real)

But I think back to Horizon 5, imagine how much off a big surprise that could've been?

I pretty much just expected it at the e3 show, that being said, I loved the showing for the game & the end product.

But I do feel like Xbox's surprise factor is taken away.

Edit: I hope a new KI is real though, I loved the ki reboot.

 

[Skyfox]

KI was the reason I bought an Xbox. I wonder if it will work on my Steam Deck...

 

[DevilMayFlyForAWhiteGuy]

KI was the reason I bought an Xbox. I wonder if it will work on my Steam Deck...

Me too. Favorite Fighting game of last gen hands down. A KI2 on Series X would be fantastic.

 

[StreetsofBeige]

Good looking gritty fighter. But too tough for my skills. I tried it and guess I just suck at stringing together 10+ hit combos like the tutorials show should be easy. So I bailed fast.

I dont play fighting games like the 90s anyway, but at least for other fighters you can get by doing more traditional fighting moves and limited combos.

 

[Ozzy Onya A2Z]

Such a good game with great add on content for the Xbone. Netcode was fucking solid too.

 

[DevilMayFlyForAWhiteGuy]

Good looking gritty fighter. But too tough for my skills. I tried it and guess I just suck at stringing together 10+ hit combos like the tutorials show should be easy. So I bailed fast.

I dont play fighting games like the 90s anyway, but at least for other fighters you can get by doing more traditional fighting moves and limited combos.

The thing is you don’t necessarily have to do super long combos if you don’t want to, and if an opponent is good at reading you and using combo breakers, it’s arguably better to do smaller combos. The longer the combo, the more chances the opponent gets to break it.

The tools characters in the game have are pretty great for resets/mixups/setups, so you can totally play a shorter combo/setup game instead of going for the longest combo possible. It’s a really flexible game in terms of mechanics and the mind games from the combo/counter breaker system keep it fresh even if you’ve played it a million times like I have.

 

[Nikana]

KI on xbone started out real strong for me but by Season 3 I kinda started falling outta love with it. It was still good but the larger the roster got the harder it was to maintain the spirit. Some of the characters just broke the meta. BY that point it was impossible to get into as well. THe systems can be kinda hard to grasp at first. Theres a period for new players where they understand the systems but it doesn't "click" for them. Once it clicks people get it and understand the addiction.

KI is a very unique game with its art, themes and systems. It offers the mind game to more of a degree than any other fighter for me. A good 20 person roster for KI is more than enough and could offer lots of different play styles that still fit the mold that are the systems.

I def think Microsoft will try again but without the seasons format.

 

[ParaSeoul]

I am so confused as why Jez, Jeff & co go out their way to leak/spoil potential Xbox reveals. (Assuming this is real)

But I think back to Horizon 5, imagine how much off a big surprise that could've been?

I pretty much just expected it at the e3 show, that being said, I loved the showing for the game & the end product.

But I do feel like Xbox's surprise factor is taken away.

Edit: I hope a new KI is real though, I loved the ki reboot.

They know enough to make educated guesses,slightly better than most "insiders" who throw everything at the wall.

 

[oldergamer]

This was a massive fuck up by MS before they started making studio purchases. They should have purchased Iron Galaxy. They also should have purchased insomniac, but let them get bought.

 

[sinnergy]

Erin would certainly not be working on a racing game but this E3 a new KI would be cutting it close .. unless Erin is brought in to fix things and they have a game that is further along .

 

[TagZ]

I thought Phil said himself that it's not dead but they have or had no one to develop it.

 

[tpieman2029]

This was a massive fuck up by MS before they started making studio purchases. They should have purchased Iron Galaxy. They also should have purchased insomniac, but let them get bought.

They were never gonna get insomniac lol but there were a lot of studios that if xbox was run compently should have been brought into the fold. Remedy, Iron Galaxy, asobo etc. Studio mdhr and moon I don't think ever were gonna happen even with a different strategy because those guys love their independence too much.

 

[vj27]

Good looking gritty fighter. But too tough for my skills. I tried it and guess I just suck at stringing together 10+ hit combos like the tutorials show should be easy. So I bailed fast.

I dont play fighting games like the 90s anyway, but at least for other fighters you can get by doing more traditional fighting moves and limited combos.

KI has to be one of the most easiest yet complicated fighting game ever. My button mashing friends every once in a while put up a good fight or even win, that’s what I like about KI whenever I play with someone new I’ll just say mash all the buttons and keep swinging the joystick alongside that.

90% of the moves are just down, curved-up, x/y/rb or a/b/rt for the same results in kicks, boom now your doing 10+ combos. Sure it’s different but it’s waaaay more easy to juggle someone in KI than in street fighter/etc just because KI is literally designed for you to be juggled, break juggles, and return with your own juggles lol.

 

[Shut0wen]

Honestly think development change is what seriously killed KI for me, season 2 characters were seriously OP and the new dev in charge didnt rrally have a clue what they were doing but id gove them credit for bringing out better characters then the first devs, i think MS needs to find someone else cable of doing it, someone like the sponge bob smash bros devs and throw in afew fighting game veterans

 

[vj27]

The thing is you don’t necessarily have to do super long combos if you don’t want to, and if an opponent is good at reading you and using combo breakers, it’s arguably better to do smaller combos. The longer the combo, the more chances the opponent gets to break it.

The tools characters in the game have are pretty great for resets/mixups/setups, so you can totally play a shorter combo/setup game instead of going for the longest combo possible. It’s a really flexible game in terms of mechanics and the mind games from the combo/counter breaker system keep it fresh even if you’ve played it a million times like I have.

Lmao I just annoy the hell out of everyone with the arbiter and his infinite reach. An plasma Grenades ofc, had some people going to win by the skin of their teeth and boom one high velocity yeeted plasma Grenade or carbine rifle shot and it’s over and their raging lol.

 

[Life]

With many more people playing fighting games on PC now, a new KI might actually catch some wind

 

[BusierDonkey]

Killer Instinct was probably my favorite fighting game when it released and after the changes it went through it ended up even better.

It would be a shame to see it get changed again, certainly if it becomes more like Mortal Kombat, which i've never been able to bring myself to enjoy.

 

[skneogaf]

 

[ChuckeRearmed]

Would be crazy if true. But imagine return of a western fighting game Killer Instinct on Xbox made by japanese studio Bamco.

 

[Spukc]

why is nobody mentioning how fucking crazy the sound design was in this game?
anyone watched baby driver? well this is the same level

 

[j0hnnix]

 

[JerryinSoCal]

KI plays nothing like Namco's games, it's much faster and more responsive, their games feel slow and clunky by comparison. Personally I'd like KI to be a little less chaotic but not to the point where it plays like Tekken or Soul Calibur.

 

[MAtgS]

Throwing it out there: what if its a Xbox Smash clone? Namco does have experience in that sort of thing.

 

[DevilMayFlyForAWhiteGuy]

Lmao I just annoy the hell out of everyone with the arbiter and his infinite reach. An plasma Grenades ofc, had some people going to win by the skin of their teeth and boom one high velocity yeeted plasma Grenade or carbine rifle shot and it’s over and their raging lol.

Dude Arby has some dirty shit. Check this setup out I end every combo with it.

 

[BusierDonkey]

Throwing it out there: what if its a Xbox Smash clone? Namco does have experience in that sort of thing.

Then it's not Killer Instinct, it's something else.

To be honest though I think Xbox could pull off a mascot fighting game really well if done properly. They have a pretty damned decent catalogue of characters to put in at this point.

 

[MAtgS]

Then it's not Killer Instinct, it's something else.

To be honest though I think Xbox could pull off a mascot fighting game really well if done properly. They have a pretty damned decent catalogue of characters to put in at this point.

Especially after Wednesday when they buy Sega.

 

[SSfox]

Hopefully this is real and it will be reveal soon.

 

[VolticArchangel]

Dude Arby has some dirty shit. Check this setup out I end every combo with it.

Wtf, that kind of zoning and rushdown hell is this? And the hitbox is the icing on the cake. Fulgore and Kan-Ra are well balanced, and when compared to them this is borderline broken lol

Imagine poking with him if he's in Street Fighter. The entire community would rage. Lmaooo

 

[Dr. Claus]

I am so confused as why Jez, Jeff & co go out their way to leak/spoil potential Xbox reveals. (Assuming this is real)

But I think back to Horizon 5, imagine how much off a big surprise that could've been?

I pretty much just expected it at the e3 show, that being said, I loved the showing for the game & the end product.

But I do feel like Xbox's surprise factor is taken away.

Edit: I hope a new KI is real though, I loved the ki reboot.

Attention. They are almost always wrong anyway. Not sure why they aren’t banned discussions on GAF.

 

[Ps5ProFoSho]

Only played this a few times as a kid. Is this the game where you could just keep opponent in the air and combo the F outta them(very easily)?

 

[DevilMayFlyForAWhiteGuy]

Wtf, that kind of zoning and rushdown hell is this? And the hitbox is the icing on the cake. Fulgore and Kan-Ra are well balanced, and when compared to them this is borderline broken lol

Imagine poking with him if he's in Street Fighter. The entire community would rage. Lmaooo

It’s not too bad. Arbiter only has 1-3 grenades at any time and they have to be recharged. To break it down you need to;

1) do a QCB Heavy Punch ender of at least level 3 so there’s enough height from the bounce.
2) tack on the grenade (with Left Bumber/LP+MP+HP) and then quickly hit his Light Kick, which is a little strict to time and requires some practice.
3) Then you need to grab them as they come out of the resulting flip out standing reset from the LK at a specific timing. If you don’t do that right the timing of the grenade will be off and won’t result in the set up for the combo.

I don’t think Arbiter has much for rushdown. He doesn’t have any lows that result in combos, just his down Medium Kick which lets you tack on a grenade. He’s more geared towards zoning and whiff punishing. His grenades give him some pressure for offense but the best thing he gets off of it is a full combo if he gets a grab, which makes him predictable.
His only other scary thing is the command grab but that’s hard to time with the grenade.
That set up can also just be countered by neutral jumping and doing a grab.