NetherRealm Studios recently released a new skin for Mileena in Mortal Kombat 1, inspired by her appearance in the 2004 title Mortal Kombat: Deception.
While some fans embraced the return of the design, others, the more experienced players, have complained and questioned it. Such a mixed response reflects the ever-squaring challenge of paying homage to a character while catering to an audience that becomes less familiar.
As one Twitter user put it, “Should stop changing the skins/ outfit from the original… Give us the real deal.” [@BloodySkarletMK] This sentiment is echoed across forums, where players argue that the new skin doesn’t fully capture the essence of Mileena’s original look in Mortal Kombat: Deception. Many have criticised the skin, arguing that it lacks the cogency of the character’s earlier fierce look.
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Nostalgia meets modern expectations
The release of the Mileena skin has sparked stirring reactions, which are positive and negative in equal measure. That familiar face is still instantly recognisable, at the very least, and many players remember Deception as one of the most influential games in daily fashion and cosmetics.
Many players are quick to feel shortchanged by the altered design of Mileena’s skin. The greatest concern lies with changes made in the contrast between the basic and altered appearance, minor modifications that can be a sin for some icons of comics. “It looks like simply a modification of the first one,” wrote one of the Redditors; “But I wished to have the RSS (Red Skin Syndrome) skin that we had back then.”
Other fans have praised the skin as an excellent addition. Theombat 1 is with the studio making efforts to pay homage to the previous titles and avoid updating the game in 2024.
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Real-life updates again stimulate extended discourse
Contributing to the discussion, NetherRealm published a new update in October 2024, adding points for Invasions to the game’s mode and correcting the gameplay, including platforms PC and Switch.
The timing of these updates has raised questions about the game’s direction, especially with the release of Mileena’s Deception Skin. To some people, this is well balanced by discontent with cosmetics such as character skins that are now ingrained in fighting game culture.
This tension will only grow as Mortal Kombat 1 continues its cycle of periodic updates based on the input of fans of the game franchise, which we will discuss further below. This Mileena skin controversy shows that developers will forever be caught between the wishes of old-school gamers and those who are new to gaming.