NetherRealm’s upcoming fighting game Mortal Kombat 1 will feature audio narration for in-game Fatalities.
The gory finishers are a core part of the franchise’s identity, and the narration will be particularly helpful for visually impaired players. The feature was revealed during the game’s recent online beta, with a series of videos (such as this one) showing how descriptive the narration can get.
As noted by accessibility consultant Steve Saylor, Mortal Kombat 1 is the first fighting game to contain audio descriptions for onscreen gameplay. At time of writing, it’s unclear if this narration is specific to just the Fatalities (which only happen at the end of a match) or the entire game.
Accessibility hits both ways
Over the years, different games have implemented various tools to offer more accessible options to players. In the case of fighting games like the recent Street Fighter 6, this commonly relates to controls and making it easier for players to pull off character combos.
For the entire fighting genre, the word “accessibility” is loaded with two different meanings. It’s seen as just as important to accommodate players with disabilities as it is those who may be playing a fighting game for the very first time.
On the latter front, titles such as the aforementioned Street Fighter 6 and older games like Mortal Kombat 11 have training and story modes that help acclimate newcomers to the whole genre.
The full range of accessibility options for Mortal Kombat 1 haven’t been revealed at time of writing. But its narration does highlight areas where fighting games can continue to make themselves available to players from all walks of life.