Mortal Kombat 11's writer explains how he justifies working on a game all about killing

Mortal Kombat 11, much like every Mortal Kombat before it, is a bloody, violent, gruesome experience. While some might think that's all the series has to offer, those more familiar with the franchise know that there's some deep storytelling and lore going on. How on earth does a writer manage to squeeze a nuanced tale out of such a violent world? Mortal Kombat 11 writer Shawn Kittelsen explained in a Polygon feature.

How do I justify working on a game that’s all about killing? By telling personal stories about heroes who overcome anger, fear, selfishness, and dogmatic thinking, the all-too-human root causes of so many real-world conflicts. Our heroes are juxtaposed with villains who willfully embrace such destructive tendencies. The contrast between heroes and villains happens to express a core value of my pacifism: Villains provoke conflict; heroes resolve it.