Mortal Kombat's “Bake!” The voice behind the sound behind the sound behind the sound behind the sound behind the Netherrealm

Few games bring us iconic singles, like the battle franchise of Netherrealm The deadly kombatbut this week we learned that the most famous voice is “Toast!” – leaving the studio.

Audio Director Dan Forden has worked at Midway and his successor to Netherlands Studios since 1989, most notably the Mortal Kombat series. It was his voice, and we heard the crying “Toast!” as we made an impressive ruler, in the fake. Toasty first appeared in 1993's Deadly Kombat II, becoming one of the most well-known conversations in any video game.

Now, however, Forden has left Netherrealm and wrote in a sincere message on social media that he is “very proud of what he has achieved.”

“Wednesday was my last day at Netherrealm. We have done a lot of fun over the years. I am proud of our achievements and how much fun we have created,” Forton wrote Instagram. “There are a lot of smart, talented people out there – looking for more great things over the next few years. I love the little touches people leave around the bathroom, like this little toast on the bathroom mirror.

“I wouldn't have been in the industry for 37 years if the fans weren't there to play the games we made. Thank you for supporting what we do. Longevity and… toast!”

Asked in the comments why he was leaving now, Fordon explained: “I think I’m long enough.

Forden's exit comes in an uncertain time in Warner Bros. owned by Netherrealm in May, the studio confirmed what Mortal Kombat 1 fans are worried about after the release: The game will not release new DLC characters or story chapters.

In August, development director Ed Boon said that Mortal Kombat 1 sold more than 6.2 million copies. Its predecessor, the Mortal Kombat 11, became the best-selling game on the team through nearly 11 million units sold worldwide through the Mortal Kombat X. By 2022, Mortal Kombat 11 has sold more than 15 million copies worldwide. Apparently, Mortal Kombat 1 has been underperforming compared to previous games in the series.

Netherrealm said it turned to “focusing on the next project to make it as great as possible” but has not said what it is. Current speculation points to the Injustice 3, a continuation of Netherrealm’s DC Fighting Game series.

As for what else in the deadly world? Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection, developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Atari, was released in late October. Movie sequel Deadly kombat II Postponed from October 24, 2025 to May 15, 2026. The idea for the movie is that Warner Bros. and the new series of cinemas believe the movie – Karl Urban will perform better in the Summer Box Office with Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan and others.

Image source: Atari / YouTube.

Vikki Blake is an IGN journalist, as well as a critic, columnist and consultant with over 15 years of experience working with some of the world's largest gaming websites and publications. She is also a guardian, a Spartan, a quiet Hilan, a legend and a permanent chaos. Find her Bruceky.