Mortal Kombat has been an institution since the early ’90s, led by many talented developers who are still at its current steward, NetherRealm Studios. Despite the acquisition from Warner Bros. several key staff members like Ed Boon (who directed the most recent series entry) have remained on. Now, one is departing after 37 years of working on Mortal Kombat.

Shared on his Instagram, iconic sound programmer, music composer, and audio lead Dan Forden is leaving the company. Forden was the creator of the “Toasty!” quote, which originated in Mortal Kombat II, and is now uttered by millions of fans online and in follow-up games. You may have even seen his name credited as Dan “Toasty” Forden.

Dan Forden Had a Huge Influence On Classic Mortal Kombat

His Sound Effects And Music Echo On

There are many reasons why Mortal Kombat rose to prominence in the fighting game genre and pop culture as a whole, but the audio played a significant part. From the squishy sound effects to the iconic music, Forden’s fingerprints were all over the series. As far as his memorable “Toasty” quote goes, it was featured in many different games, as well as Easter eggs in other gaming-related works.

In addition to Mortal Kombat, Forden also worked on the Injustice series with NetherRealm, as well as various sports games like Blitz: The League and MLB Slugfest. Here’s Forden’s full statement on leaving the company, directly from his Instagram post:

Anyone who has played a classic Mortal Kombat game can recite the “Toasty!” quote from memory, and it has often made its way into the common vernacular of fighting games, from professional commentary to good old-fashioned slugfests at home.

Forden teases us a bit with projects to come, noting that there will be “great things to emerge over the next several years.” Hopefully, that includes a new game that sets the world on fire a bit more than Mortal Kombat 1 did. We could also see another Injustice game at some point, with a heavy emphasis on James Gunn’s new DCU.

Mortal Kombat Is In An Interesting Spot

Hopefully, NetherRealm Can Keep The Magic Alive

For many fans, Mortal Kombat 1 hasn’t really set the world on fire, and with institutional talent exiting, I’m anxious to see what NetherRealm does next. MK1’s EVO turnout was low this year, and fans have been wanting NetherRealm to take bigger risks. The movie seems to be in potential rough waters too, following a massive delay into 2026. Hopefully, WB as a whole can get everything in order.

In any case, Mortal Kombat is going to get some play again from the Legacy Kollection, which is due out on October 30. Forden’s influence on the series will get another ride when everyone hears his classic “Toasty!” line once again.

Created by

Ed Boon, John Tobias

First Film

Mortal Kombat

Cast

Robin Shou, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Bridgette Wilson, Talisa Soto, Christopher Lambert, Linden Ashby, Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Joe Taslim, Hiroyuki Sanada

TV Show(s)

Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, Mortal Kombat: Conquest, Mortal Kombat: Legacy

Movie(s)

Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 2, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge, Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind, Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match

Character(s)

Liu Kang, Thunder God Raiden, Johnny Cage, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Kung Lao, Sonya Blade, Jackson “Jax” Briggs, Kitana, Kano, Mileena, Noob Saibot, Elder God Shinnok, Goro, Kabal

Mortal Kombat is a multimedia franchise conceived by Ed Boon and John Tobias and began with the release of the original Mortal Kombat fighting game in arcades in 1992. The story centers around the eternal battle between Earthrealm and Outworld. To determine the fate of the realms, a deadly tournament is held between the best warriors of each world, with Earthrealm fighting solely to protect their freedom. The series has expanded to include various films, television series, and a long list of mainline and spin-off games that all revolve around the core of the Mortal Kombat tournament premise.