NetherRealm Loses Mortal Kombat's Iconic 'Toasty!' Voice

Few gaming franchises have produced as many memorable one-liners as NetherRealm's Mortal Kombat. This week, we learned that the voice behind one of its most iconic phrases—"Toasty!"—is departing the studio.

Audio director Dan Forden worked at Midway and later NetherRealm Studios since 1989, most notably on the Mortal Kombat series. It's his distinctive falsetto cry of "Toasty!" that players hear after landing a spectacular uppercut. First introduced in 1993's Mortal Kombat II, the line became one of the most recognizable in all of video gaming.

Forden has now announced his departure from NetherRealm, sharing a heartfelt message on social media expressing pride in "what [the studio] accomplished."

"Wednesday marked my last day at NetherRealm. Over the years, we created a lot of fantastic content. I'm incredibly proud of our achievements and the fun we had making it all," Forden wrote on Instagram. "The studio is full of brilliant, talented people—expect more great things from them in the coming years. I love the personal touches left around the office, like this small 'Toasty' tribute on a bathroom mirror.

"I wouldn't have lasted 37 years in this industry without the fans playing our games. Thank you all for your support. Live long and… Toasty!"

When asked in the comments about his reason for leaving now, Forden explained, "I felt I'd been there long enough. It's time to reclaim that time for my own interests."

Forden's exit comes during a period of uncertainty for Warner Bros.-owned NetherRealm. In May, the studio confirmed what Mortal Kombat 1 fans suspected after the Definitive Edition launch: no additional DLC characters or story chapters would be released for the game.

In August, development head Ed Boon reported that Mortal Kombat 1 had sold over 6.2 million copies. Its predecessor, Mortal Kombat 11, became the series' best-selling title shortly after launch, surpassing Mortal Kombat X's nearly 11 million units. By 2022, Mortal Kombat 11 had sold over 15 million copies worldwide. Clearly, Mortal Kombat 1's sales have not matched the performance of earlier entries.

NetherRealm stated it has shifted its "focus to the next project to ensure it's as outstanding as possible," though it hasn't revealed details. Current speculation suggests it may be Injustice 3, continuing NetherRealm's DC fighting game series.

Meanwhile, in the broader Mortal Kombat universe, the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection—developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Atari—launches in late October. The film sequel, Mortal Kombat II, has been postponed from October 24, 2025, to May 15, 2026. Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema reportedly believe the summer release will lead to stronger box office performance, given the highly positive fan reaction to the trailer. The film stars Karl Urban alongside Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, and others.