Fighting games in general often tend to go overboard in the costume department. If it’s not a characters draped in ridiculous clothing, it’s often the exact opposite. Overtly sexual, revealing costumes accompany wildly unrealistic body proportions in most titles, which serve to attract a certain demographic by sacrificing any inch of realism. Mortal Kombat has been guilty of this in the past, but that’s changing in their upcoming sequel.
During the live Twitch stream that revealed the three combat variations for both Reptile and Kitana, Mortal Kombat X production manager Spiro Anagnostakos explained NetherRealm’s approach to realistic female character design.
“The mantra for this game has always been realism; heading towards a more realistic look. So the same thing applies to the proportions where we try to bring things back in per se to where they should be.”
When another developer chimed in to ask whether this means female characters will look “more like women do”, Anagnostakos exclaimed “exactly!”
That doesn’t mean Mortal Kombat X is suddenly going to have female characters wrapped up as if they were trapped in a blizzard. Kitana’s design, as an example, still features a somewhat toned down, revealing costume, but one that looks a lot more like something a martial arts fighter would wear – although I can’t really say the same for her alternate costume.
Her features are also far more realistic, and not as exaggerated as past designs. Take a look at some of the designs from Mortal Kombat 9 as a comparison.
I like this approach from NeatherRealm, which balances stylised sexual design with far more believable character features. Yes, the female costumes are still revealing, but now it doesn’t feel that different to a shirtless Lui Kang or Quan Chi. The design looks just right, and NetherRealm can be proud of that.
Last Updated: February 13, 2015
oVg
February 13, 2015 at 12:06
Look 🙂 I made it CINEMATIC
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 12:08
lol
oVg
February 13, 2015 at 12:09
This industry never ceases to amaze me.
vicky john
February 14, 2015 at 12:59
Mortal kombat x sharing female designs to attract male gamers and you were posting some cinematic pic(but not actually look alike ) to boost your votes.. lol..
RinceThis
February 13, 2015 at 12:10
BWAHAHAHAH!
Tosh "Did he just say that?"
February 13, 2015 at 12:13
It’s really sad that it does feel cinematic.
RinceThis
February 13, 2015 at 12:13
Bastard, just spat food on my laptop with this!
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 12:15
I’d give OVG comment of the week
RinceThis
February 13, 2015 at 12:16
Damn straight man. Not up to me, it’s that pikey Asian usually.
Exalted Overlord Geoffrey Tim
February 13, 2015 at 12:20
It bloody well isn’t.
oVg
February 13, 2015 at 12:26
It bloody well is.
http://www.reactiongifs.com/r/sss.gif
Tosh "Did he just say that?"
February 13, 2015 at 12:29
http://images.sodahead.com/polls/001619105/5935211801_thesearenot128610392951151812_answer_3_xlarge.jpeg
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 13, 2015 at 13:13
I can’t stop looking at that. You can practically see him thinking, “how did I end up like this? I should be a bigger star than Lorenzo Lamas.”
RinceThis
February 13, 2015 at 13:59
BWAHAHAHAHAHAH!
RinceThis
February 13, 2015 at 14:00
*What are my lines, what are my lines, FUCK*
RinceThis
February 13, 2015 at 13:58
It should be!
Umar
February 13, 2015 at 12:29
HAHAHA!!! Nailed it!
Raptor Rants A Lot:Original #7
February 13, 2015 at 12:43
loooooooooooool
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 12:10
Oversexualised females in games are bad, that leaves men…
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CCkQtwIwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D3F6Xb2F0Nos&ei=dM3dVKtagf5Q9YmB4As&usg=AFQjCNFb7zd7JDaHwUeoGyrY_oHYomdcUA&sig2=n53ul3tkzJIgB5hN7_Bgog&bvm=bv.85970519,d.d24
oVg
February 13, 2015 at 12:11
and then FAT PRINCESS was BOMBED for discriminating obese people.
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 12:13
I hate most humans
oVg
February 13, 2015 at 12:29
http://media.giphy.com/media/w27DjWkJmBp8k/giphy.gif
RinceThis
February 13, 2015 at 13:59
What a show!
RinceThis
February 13, 2015 at 12:15
Avo, is that you ?!
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 12:23
Rofl, I think he’d appreciate this video
Gareth L (That eXCheez Guy)
February 13, 2015 at 12:17
All I ask is that they make their female characters’ faces *not* look like men this time around. =/
Dutch Matrix
February 13, 2015 at 12:23
I am sorry. In an effort to make games more realistic, all female characters are now going to look like Helen Zille, Adele and that McCarthy woman that starred alongside Sandra Bullock in that other cop movie.
Gareth L (That eXCheez Guy)
February 13, 2015 at 12:33
Adela has nice face, I’d be happy if they used her face in stead of Sonya Blade’s off-putting “tranny” face. 😛
Dutch Matrix
February 13, 2015 at 12:21
I suppose Mileena’s going to be made pretty too… To fit the “realistic” demographic.
http://i.ytimg.com/vi/A-TwfTRtAdU/maxresdefault.jpg
Tosh "Did he just say that?"
February 13, 2015 at 12:21
I’d hit that.
Dutch Matrix
February 13, 2015 at 12:24
I’d stay away from any oral “relations” if I were you…
Tosh "Did he just say that?"
February 13, 2015 at 12:25
http://weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/theres-something-on-your-face-batman.jpg
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 12:28
Maybe she uses dentures?
Thurnis'b OndaBeat
February 17, 2015 at 18:21
Nope. Unrealistic. Change it.
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 12:22
She’s already pretty. I’d love to take her out for a 1Kg steak.
Tosh "Did he just say that?"
February 13, 2015 at 12:23
Do you live in Boksburg by any chance?
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 12:23
No, Western Cape
Tosh "Did he just say that?"
February 13, 2015 at 12:24
North then?
Hammersteyn
February 13, 2015 at 12:28
wat?
loftie
February 13, 2015 at 12:42
LOL
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 13, 2015 at 12:59
There’s nothing North of the Western Cape. Oh, wait… I see what you mean. 😉
RinceThis
February 13, 2015 at 13:14
Man what a kisser.
Ghost In The Rift
February 13, 2015 at 12:35
The answer is alternate costumes, let the player decide how “revealing” hisher character should be, simple, and of course they can charge money for it because why the f*&$k not, Thank you Evolve!!
Raptor Rants A Lot:Original #7
February 13, 2015 at 12:42
Let’s make a game that’s all about fatalities and severe joint destruction but worry about how our characters are clothed.
Yep. Makes 100% perfect sense
Tosh "Did he just say that?"
February 13, 2015 at 12:46
It’s for Anita.
Raptor Rants A Lot:Original #7
February 13, 2015 at 12:50
Yeah, you see that makes me edgy. Doing it because you have some vocal people? Really Mortal Kombat is everything BUT realistic. Break a person’s kneecaps and they can still stand and fight you? Yeah… Sure… Let’s do it all realistic. Please man
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 13, 2015 at 13:08
Cue 100’s complaining that the devs must put incredibly sexualised characters in their game because they’re not allowed to change anything because reasons and FREEDOM!
RinceThis
February 13, 2015 at 13:10
#GG Never forget. Never surr, no wait that’s something different…
Blood Emperor Trevor
February 13, 2015 at 13:59
Just remembered, MK 1-3 are on GOG now.
Dutch Matrix
February 13, 2015 at 14:23
In light of this “realism” thing, I want the following:
After Scorpion does a toasty fatality, or in anyway reveals that he has a bare skull for a head, any oponent he faces afterwards must just go “Aw fuck no I ain’t fightin’ no thing Satan is scared of.”
Any enememy Sub Zero freezes solidly into a statue, should die of hypothermia. Even if they miraculously thaw out. Or at least develop a horrible cold.
Reptile should be replaced by a Salamander. It can be an angry Salamander.
Macethy
February 13, 2015 at 17:03
The headline of this article makes me sad…
Asura Drago
February 13, 2015 at 22:18
By exaggerated designs are they just referring to her boobs? Because that’s the prominent complaint from people bitching about female portrayal in games. I don’t care how they look, as long as the characters have fun personalities and the game is good.
Also I’m kind of getting sick of realistic video games. We need more cartoony platformers (aside from mario) to come back.
jlenoconel
February 16, 2015 at 02:03
Succumbing to the demands of feminists, greaaat!
Pino Irsuti
February 17, 2015 at 12:20
Feminist idiocy at its best
Negatron99
February 18, 2015 at 10:38
If they really want to go for some sort of realism they need to have overly ‘ripped’ women to match the male characters in strength, so they’d have a “realistic” chance of fighting them. Not these stupidly weak-ass twigs that the testosterone veined men could crush with a single hand.
Looking how this effects the female body, not entirely sure this would go down too well with the real target audience though would it?
I mean, it’s supposedly about the “realism” after all? (cough)
Kevin Tipan
April 29, 2015 at 16:41
The thing I don’t understand about this is, pandering to women won’t sale more copies, it just won’t. Feminists have given the impression that the female demographic is MASSIVE and these companies pussy out and pretend to care about “realistic” impressions (in a fucking game about fighting, flying, 4 arm dudes etc) when in reality they’re being tricked into thinking that women are a profitable demographic – especially for this game, there isn’t a lot of women playing it, and honestly I don’t care about massive tits but If people want it, why change the whole game, childishly attack your hardcore and long time fans then cater to a bunch of pruds that one to change the world in their image – where women aren’t sexy just, meh.