Mortal Kombat debuted in arcades in 1992 from Midway and quickly stood out for its digitised fighters and violent finishing moves called Fatalities. The announcer's call became one of the series' most recognisable audio cues, carried through sequels, home ports, films and tournaments. Clips of the word spread online with fighting game highlights and meme edits, where a single dominant win needed a definitive ending. It remains popular because almost any gamer recognises it instantly, even decades after the original arcade release.