Mortal Kombat's 'Toasty!' Voice Actor Leaves NetherRealm

Few games have delivered as many legendary catchphrases as NetherRealm's fighting series, Mortal Kombat. This week, however, we learned the voice behind one of its most famous quips—"Toasty!"—is departing the studio.

Audio director Dan Forden had been with Midway and its successor NetherRealm Studios since 1989, most notably contributing to the Mortal Kombat franchise. It's his falsetto exclamation "Toasty!" that players hear after landing a satisfying uppercut. First featured in 1993's Mortal Kombat II, "Toasty" has since become one of the most recognizable lines in video game history.

Forden has now announced his departure from NetherRealm, sharing a heartfelt message on social media where he expressed pride in the studio's achievements.

"Wednesday marked my final day at NetherRealm. Over the years, we created so much fun content. I'm incredibly proud of what we accomplished and the great times we had while making it," Forden wrote on Instagram. "The studio is full of brilliant, talented individuals—expect more amazing work in the coming years. I especially appreciate small touches left around the office, like this little Toasty tribute on the bathroom mirror.

"I couldn’t have stayed in the industry for 37 years without the fans who play our games. Thank you all for your support over the years. Live long and… Toasty!"

When asked in the comments about his reason for leaving now, Forden clarified: "I felt I’ve been at it long enough. I want to dedicate more time to my personal interests."

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

In August, development lead Ed Boon revealed Mortal Kombat 1 had surpassed 6.2 million copies sold. By comparison, its predecessor Mortal Kombat 11 became the series' best-selling title, overtaking Mortal Kombat X's nearly 11 million units soon after launch. By 2022, Mortal Kombat 11 had exceeded 15 million copies globally. Clearly, Mortal Kombat 1 has not matched the commercial success of earlier entries.

NetherRealm stated it has shifted its "focus to the next project to ensure it’s as outstanding as possible," though specifics remain undisclosed. Current rumors suggest Injustice 3, the next installment in NetherRealm's DC fighting game series.

Elsewhere in the Mortal Kombat universe, the Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection—developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Atari—launches late October. Meanwhile, the film sequel Mortal Kombat II has been pushed from October 24, 2025, to May 15, 2026. Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema reportedly believe the summer release will boost box office performance, given the enthusiastic 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.