John Tobias co-created the original Mortal Kombat game with programmer Ed Boon and designed many of its characters and story elements. His work helped establish the series’ visual identities, rivalries, mythology, and dramatic character biographies.
Tobias was a comic-book artist and game designer at Midway. For Mortal Kombat, he contributed character concepts, artwork, narrative ideas, and the visual planning behind fighters such as Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Liu Kang. Ed Boon handled much of the programming and technical implementation, making their partnership central to the first games.
Tobias left Midway in 1999. The series continued under other creative leadership, eventually moving to NetherRealm Studios. Because Boon remained a highly visible public figure associated with Mortal Kombat, Tobias is sometimes overlooked, even though he was one of the franchise’s principal original creators.