Over the past few weeks, rumors about Injustice 3 have been heating up in a big way – but if even those reports are true, the DC fighting game isn't the only thing in the works at NetherRealm. Studio boss Ed Boon says the team is already making plans for the next Mortal Kombat.

"I wish I could tease something," Boon tells Collider when asked about the next Mortal Kombat, moments before giving a tease anyway. "I think if I teased and gave it away, I would probably get in trouble. But we are actively pursuing – we're definitely pursuing another Mortal Kombat game, and we're definitely doing more as well. There's a lot of pots on the stove. Not just with games, though, with other forms of media and whatnot. We've got a lot of great announcements that are coming."

It's little surprise to hear that NetherRealm is making more MK, since that's the game that's built the studio's legacy, but it's always been a question of timing. Since the launch of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon in 2006, the studio had alternated its traditional, gory MK titles with T-rated comic book fighters, first with the Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe and then with the Injustice series.

That streak broke in 2023, when the studio followed up Mortal Kombat 11 with the reboot(ish) Mortal Kombat 1, and nary a caped crusader to break up the release rhythm. MP1st reported last week that Injustice 3 is already in the works – at least, according to the resume of one artist who claims to have worked on the game – but whether it or the next MK comes first is anyone's guess.

For now, at least, fans have the film Mortal Kombat 2 to look forward to, and the early reactions have been pretty positive so far. For my money, the last film was a dreadfully dull exercise in missing the point of the campy games, so I'm hoping the sequel has learned the right lessons – even if I care a whole lot more about MK's next video game appearance.

Mortal Kombat 2 writer called up co-creator Ed Boon for advice on the "best fatalities and stages" to put in the sequel.

Given Mortal Kombat's wild success at the arcades of the early '90s, home ports were inevitable – and they came from an array of different developers at differing levels of quality. At least one of them might have come from storied British developer Software Creations, if the company's co-founder hadn't been on vacation at a critical point in the development of a SNES Marvel game.

At the time, Software Creations was working with publisher Acclaim on the SNES action title Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade's Revenge, and things were not going smoothly. As Software Creations co-founder Richard Kay told Retro Gamer magazine in 2013, the game's development "started going horribly wrong. Acclaim was screaming at us and threatening litigation, and we ended up with three teams on this one game. I went to Portugal with my wife and one-year-old son, and I got a fax from Acclaim saying they wanted me to fly home and sort out the problem with the game."

Kay said, "'No, I'm on holiday with my family,' because, really, there was nothing more I could do; the team was already working on it. I got a fax the next day saying, 'The guys upstairs have said because you won't show commitment we're pulling Mortal Kombat.'"

Now, over a decade after that interview, and more than 30 years after the events Kay described, the folks at Time Extension have tracked down some of the other people involved in the story for further insight. That includes Acclaim producer Paul Provenzano.

"It was late in the summer, and they were late," Provenzano explains. "There was a real danger they would cause us to miss Christmas, and Richard WAS on vacation, which I reported back to my boss the second day I visited Software Creations."

Remember that this was the early '90s, back when games were still universally physical objects that had to be manufactured and sold in retail stores – and the bulk of those sales happened around the US shopping season leading into Christmas. "The average gaming 'expert' online is too young to know the stranglehold the hardware companies had on publishers, with manufacturing and Christmas representing a huge percentage of the potential profits a game would make," Provenzano says. "Richard should have been there."

31 years ago we were working on SNES 'Spider-Man and the X-Men in Arcade's Revenge'. We had very little development time for this project and had 3 experienced coders on-board to get it done. Here's a FAX from production at Acclaim to give you a flavour of the pressure we were under 1/2.

— @kevedwardsretro.bsky.social (@kevedwardsretro.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2026-03-25T14:58:17.491Z

According to Provenzano, "the news that Richard was MIA on holiday was a HUGE issue with my boss and the Chairman of Acclaim. On my last day, I was tasked with creating a FAX that highlighted the seriousness of the situation." That fax actually made the rounds on social media a few years ago, showing dozens upon dozens of points of improvement Acclaim was demanding for the Marvel game.

"I was told to get it done even if I missed my flight," Provenzano says. "It was never really meant for the team; we already went over everything. It was meant to emphasize the seriousness of the matter to Richard. It was done in the cramped 'business center' small room of my hotel in Manchester, with my luggage beside me and no spell check. Was this meant to support the decision that Richard was not getting Mortal Kombat? It was not my decision to make. But I have never heard or seen my boss as angry as he was with Richard for not being there. And it was his decision who got Mortal Kombat, so it seems logical."

Ultimately, most of the home versions of Mortal Kombat were developed by Probe Software, a studio which Provenzano says had an established track record in building conversions for Acclaim. The ports weren't perfect, but they were wildly successful, giving players a chance to practice their moves at home before returning to the full-fat MK experience in arcades.

So how costly was the loss of Mortal Kombat? Here's how Kay put it in that 2013 interview: "A few years later after I'd left Creations I went to the first E3 show and I bumped into an Acclaim exec and he said 'You know, you lost $40 million in royalties on all the versions across the various formats.' And I do occasionally still wake up in a cold sweat over it... so now I'm paranoid about project plans to the point I actually do more project plans than actual projects!"

These are the best fighting games you can play today.

During Winter Olympic's figure skating Exhibition Gala, the silver medal winning figure skating pair from Georgia, Anastasiia Metelkina and Luka Berulava, took to the rink dressed as Mortal Kombat's Kitana and Sub-Zero ending the routine with a competition illegal 'Headbanger' lift.

The Exhibition Gala is an event that closes the figure skating at the Winter Olympics and the stakes could not be lower. It's usually used as a fun way to close out the competition, where skaters often dress up and pay homage to different parts of pop culture, and/or demonstrate their mettle by pulling off the dangerous moves that are banned in regular competition.

In this 'almost-anything-goes' format, you can see figure skating rarely done anywhere else including a pair dressed at Kitana and Sub-Zero re-enacting scenes from the game while on the ice. Near the end of the routine the couple pull off a type of rotational lift, informally known as the Headbanger, where the man spins the woman around by only holding onto one ankle, while bringing her head down scarily close to the ice.

It's banned in regular competition in order to not encourage skaters to learn and practice dangerous moves in order to win points, but with nothing on the line, the Exhibition Gala allows athletes to show off their best moves free from the constraints of these rules.

Following the Headbanger, Metelkina acts dazed like before you are offered to pull off a Fatality, but don't worry – Berulava doesn't 'Finish her.' The pair performed the routine to Techno Syndrome, a well-known version of the Mortal Kombat theme.

This isn't the first time that Metelkina and Berulava have performed as the fighting duo, as they took to the ice with the routine at the 2025 World Championships. However, as this showcase took place at the Winter Olympics, it undoubtedly has more eyes on it than ever before.

These are the best fighting games you can play today.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is off to a rough start with a "Mixed" reception on Steam and the PlayStation version getting slammed for input lag issues.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is the latest documentary release from Digital Eclipse, akin to Llamasoft: The Jeff Minter Story and Tetris Forever (albeit, not officially a part of the studio's "Gold Master Series," but following that format). And, as someone who loves Mortal Kombat for its cultural impact and silly lore while also thinking a majority of the series' releases are pretty bad as fighting games (especially compared to what Capcom was putting out at the time), it's right up my alley. But after seeing the reaction online, I'm glad I've held off.

As reported by Push Square, the PlayStation 5 version – despite being the version available on the most powerful console available – is actually the worst off. Input lag tester Nigel Woodall tested Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 on each platform, with PS5 having 108 milliseconds of input lag, which is pretty significant compared to 73 on Switch 2, 51 on Xbox Series X, and 22 on PC. However, despite the PC being the best platform when it comes to input lag, things aren't looking too hot there either.

At the time of writing, the collection has a "Mixed" reception on its Steam store page with users citing audio issues, the steep price point, bugs, and the rollback netcode – a solution that rolls back the game to account for inputs, as opposed to freezing the game and waiting when faced with connection issues, (which has quickly become the preferred online-play system for fighters) – apparently not working as intended.

Another major complaint is the lack of online friend lobbies, which is set to be added in a future update. One particularly scathing review from a player who recounts their days playing the original arcade games says: "This is NOT a KOLLECTION. This is a Komplete FAILURE."

One Twitter user posted a clip of the game online, showing that the audio is completely bugged out, an issue multiple Steam reviews report. However, Digital Eclipse has released a hotfix for the game which makes some improvements, including fixing the audio for online play. Hopefully the fixes keep coming to make this the ideal way to play classic Mortal Kombat games, especially when it has what seems to be a solid documentary included and the only version of WaveNet Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3.

Mortal Kombat co-creator says the movie sequel's opening has made him cry every single time he's watched it: "It punches you in the face"

Mortal Kombat 2 is a few months away from release, but according to the franchise's co-creator Ed Boon, who had already seen the film in its current state, the movie sequel will live up to the expectations of fans starting with the very opening scene. In fact, Boon tells Collider the sequence is so striking that it's brought him to tears each time he's watched it.

"The opening sequence in the movie is… I don't think I've seen it yet and not cried," Boon explains. "It is intense. It punches you in the face. And it absolutely is the best way to start it, but the rest of the movie just lives up to it. It's such a powerful opening scene."

Boon cites the success - and faithfulness - of the previous Mortal Kombat movie, which relaunched the film series back in 2021 with a focus on many of the original Mortal Kombat fighters. According to the MK co-creator, the movie will present everything that fans have been asking for in an updated film.

"The previous Mortal Kombat movie was the first one that was rated R, so it is unabashed Mortal Kombat. Double that, and you have this movie," Boon says. "It's pretty crazy. It absolutely lives up to what fans are gonna be expecting, demanding of Mortal Kombat. We have the tournament, which is a big request from fans. It will absolutely satisfy you."

If you are somehow not familiar with Mortal Kombat, the venerable game series launched all the way back in 1992 with a much bloodier, more gruesome form of fighting game than the well-established Street Fighter model of colorful characters and decidedly PG-13 battles.

Most famous are the game's Fatalities, brutal finishing moves that kill subdued opponents with increasingly outlandish methods.

Mortal Kombat 2 is scheduled for theatrical release on May 15, 2026. In the meantime, stay up to date on all the Mortal Kombat news you need to know.

Karl Urban's Johnny Cage is one of the central characters of the upcoming Mortal Kombat 2 sequel movie, but he'll be sharing the spotlight with Adeline Rudolph's Kitana, as they both vie for the top spot in the movie's big tournament.

"Especially when I first read the script, it felt very much like the intertwining of two worlds. You have Earthrealm and then you have Edenia and Outworld," Rudolph tells EW. "Kitana's storyline feels very much interwoven into Johnny Cage's story, and they go in and out of each other throughout the movie."

According to director Simon McQuoid, that's very much on purpose as the filmmaker set out with an intent to bring more of the women of Mortal Kombat into the sequel, which finally depicts the full Outworld tournament set up by the previous film.

The Mortal Kombat tournament is the main conceit of the long running fighting game series, known for its bloody combat and brutal fatalities. Participants fight to claim the top prize and to stop the invasion of the sinister realm known as the Outworld.

"That's obviously gonna be Kitana and Jade," McQuoid explains, discussing how he picked the new characters who will appear in the sequel. "There are other great female characters, but for the second film, they seemed logical."

In the Mortal Kombat games, Kitana is a princess who hails from one of the kingdoms of Outworld, and a rebel against the dark dimension's vicious ruler Shao Khan. Meanwhile, Jade is a former assassin for Shao Khan and one of Kitana's fellow freedom fighters, who is played by Randolph's fellow Chilling Adventures of Sabrina alum Tati Gabrielle in the movie.

Mortal Kombat 2 comes to theaters May 15, 2026. While we wait, check out the 25 best fighting games you can play right now.

The next Mortal Kombat match is being shuffled around in Warner Bros.' calendar after Deadline confirmed that the upcoming sequel has been moved all the way into summer next year. Initially scheduled for release on October 24, 2025, Mortal Kombat 2 will now be charging up to go into battle on May 15, 2026. It might not be the news fans would be happy to hear, especially given that it means a further delay for the meeting with Karl Urban's take on Johnny Cage. However, the new scheduled spot might suggest we could be in for a bigger hit than expected.

The new film will now be released after the heat has hopefully died down from The Devil Wears Prada 2 (May 1) and before Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his adorable pal take to the big screen in The Mandalorian & Grogu (May 22). It looks like a safe summer spot and one that could benefit the film, which has already been hyped up thanks to the recent trailer that showcased the video game franchise's signature fatalities, and Urban fitting into a role he seems a perfect fit for. After spending so much time as Billy Butcher in Amazon's sweary superhero show, The Boys, Mortal Kombat 2 sees him cutting loose as the failed action star turned champion of Earth, and the man himself has had some promising words to say about it all.

Discussing the film back in July, Urban praised the second round of the franchise, saying, "I think Mortal Kombat II is to Mortal Kombat what The Road Warrior is to Mad Max. I think that everybody across the board has leveled up in a significant way right across the entire production." Urban added, "And I think this representation of this world and these characters is the best we've seen. And I'm super excited for an audience to see it. As you've seen from the trailer itself … it looks like a significant level-up."

Joining Urban in the cinematic scrap will be Adeline Rudolph, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Tati Gabrielle, Lewis Tan, Damon Herriman, Chin Han, Tadanobu Asano, Joe Taslim, and Hiroyuki Sanada. Expect some grisly-looking losses and at least one person being told to "get over here" when the film arrives next year. If you want to load up something while you wait, take a look at our list of the best video game movies of all time here.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is leaving no stone unturned in its quest to catalog the series' arcade roots, and developer Digital Eclipse has just revealed that this even includes the WaveNet version of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. This legendary arcade revision has effectively been lost since its debut in 1997, but it will be playable in the upcoming collection.

The WaveNet of Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 was an online-enabled arcade machine that got a location test around 1996 or 1997, as NetherRealm's lead QA analyst Stephanie Brownback explains on Bluesky. "The idea was using T1 lines you could play in your local arcade and connect against another player in a different location or city," she explains. "An amazing, forward thinking concept in 97."

WaveNet UMK3 wasn't just an online version of the game, however. It was a full revision, featuring balance changes, additional Easter eggs, and most notably, a fully playable Noob Saibot, marking the only time the character was ever actually playable in the arcade. Unfortunately, this version was never widely distributed outside of its initial location tests, and the arcade board was never preserved – not even by pirates.

But finally, 28 years later, a working WaveNet cabinet was found, and "Digital Eclipse has been able to hack together making it playable outside the network." The inclusion of this version was announced in a new trailer for Legacy Kollection, which also revealed the inclusion of Mythologies: Sub-Zero and Special Forces, two games that are themselves legendary for all the wrong reasons.

WaveNet UMK3 is effectively "the holy grail of MK lost media," Brownback says. "A monumental achievement for MK history. I am beyond excited!"

The Gamescom 2025 schedule rolls on, but don't miss everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is looking to be the most lavish arcade compilation the series has ever seen, and today, developer Digital Eclipse had two big announcements to sweeten the deal for fighting game fanatics. First, Mortal Kombat Trilogy will, indeed, be part of the package. Second, we're getting an array of physical versions including multiple packages with a wide array of goodies for collectors.

The big one is the $150 Kollector's Edition, which is headlined by a "Goro controller holder" – it's essentially a big plastic Goro bust with arms outreached to hold your gamepad of choice between battles. There's also a commemorative arcade token, a Scorpion and Sub-Zero pin set, a hardcover art and lore book, and an individually numbered box to hold everything in.

While I love that very ridiculous Goro statue, I think my heart might actually lie with the $70 Deluxe Edition. This one comes packed with a steelbook case, a magnet, and more arcade nostalgia than you can shake a fatality at: a bunch of arcade flyer reprints, mini-marquees for the old games, and even a set of trading cards running down the classic arcade cabinets. If you've got any fondness for the '90s arcade era, the Deluxe Edition feels like a treasure trove.

It's a shame there's not one package with everything included, but alas, this is the price you pay for neat-but-wildly-unnecessary video game merch. Both editions, and a standard $50 physical version without the extras, launch on December 12 – though an apparent leak suggests the digital release could be coming as soon as September.

Notably, the Switch 2 versions of the standard and Deluxe editions have a $10 markup compared with the others – presumably an allowance to put the game on a proper cartridge rather than a game-key card. Given the ongoing backlash against the game-key card format, I wouldn't be surprised if Nintendo kollectors are more than willing to pay that premium.

These are the best fighting games you can play today.

2025 is over the halfway mark, and I made the questionable decision to count up how many games I've managed to play in the past seven months. Apparently – not counting the many, many indie games I've dipped a toe into along the way – I've rolled credits on 13.

Of that baffling number, eight are RPGs. From Avowed to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and Final Fantasy 16, I've put my emotions through the wringer in the name of experiencing some beautiful storytelling, vast open worlds, and the most momentous video game soundtracks in history. The not-so-minor snag in that otherwise fulfilling plan is that I am now suffering from the most aggressive form of RPG fatigue I've ever known.

Dry spell

My transactional relationship with RPGs is plain as day: I get to play a huge, detailed, time-sink of a video game, and I give it every ounce of my emotional energy in turn.

The result is that July has left me paralyzed by choice in the face of so many new games, yet wracked with numbing anxiety at the prospect of playing them. Enter my saving grace, Mortal Kombat 11.

I downloaded it on a whim. It was a Friday, and I was heading over to a friend's place that evening. His PS4 had just gone bust, so I offered to find something on Game Pass – the easy choice being Halo Infinite – and bring my Xbox with me. But while browsing the subscription service for the first time in ages, half-heartedly adding games to an ever-growing backlog that I certainly won't be clearing this year, the thought of diving into an online multiplayer FPS with a bunch of strangers while in this fragile state made me want to barf. A cursory flick through the local co-op section would soon reveal the perfect antidote.

Mortal Kombat 11 is a gory, violent, button-smasher of a fighting game that I've long admired from a distance. Specifically, all the gnarly fatality compilations on YouTube. I love me some overkill, and what could be more over-the-top than punching a guy's brains out through the back of his skull? It sounded like just the stress relief I might need to repair these frayed nerves. 48 gigabytes and two hours later, I was sitting on my friend's sofa and loading it up for the first time.

Round One

The comforting thing about jumping into a new game with an equally dubious friend is that you're both total beginners. We made the questionable decision not to waste time on the tutorials (it was 10pm and I am passionate about my Cinderella bedtime) and jumped right into a local co-op session.

It took me about three matches before I realized that you don't need to hammer A to jump in Mortal Kombat 11. Pushing the left joystick in upwards diagonals is, frankly, a marvel in simplicity, allowing me to put all remaining brainpower into testing out button combos and squeezing them into my short term memory where possible.

This proved a bit of a pointless venture when I realized that swapping characters means new combos to memorize, but that irritation quickly faded once I settled into a peaceful, toothy rhythm with my fighter-of-choice, Baraka. I've only just noticed that he's labelled an "antagonist" in the Mortal Kombat franchise, but in a way, all of them seem pretty antagonistic to me when I'm getting curbstomped through a cross-dimensional portal by a Black Panther-meets-Dr. Strange hybrid.

My friend and I sat there revelling in the joys of flying fists and bloodshed for what felt like five minutes. It turned out to be a full two hours. By then, I was well and truly hooked – even though I was cheating a little by looking up fatality combos. I've yet to uninstall Mortal Kombat 11 despite my Series S's meager memory already bulging at the seams. Instead, playing it each night has become something of a ritual.

I find a strange, dissonant serenity in it. Each punch brings me closer to nirvana, each satisfying spine snap heralding the return of my sanity as I revel in utterly heinous acts of video game violence. Is this the stress relief I've been missing out on after all these years spent sidestepping the perils of multiplayer games, wilfully ignorant of their cathartic properties?

It seems so. At the very least, I'm no longer flinching from playing anything that's not Hades 2 or The Sims 4, so I'm calling this a knockout victory. Whether I'll ever try out the online multiplayer component of Mortal Kombat 11, on the other hand… let's not get too hasty.

Check out all the upcoming Xbox Series X games yet to come in 2025, from Borderlands 4 to Octopath Traveler 0.

The first trailer for Mortal Kombat 2 puts Karl Urban's Johnny Cage front-and-center. And while fans may have noticed that there's a slight shift in focus from the first film to Mortal Kombat 2's Johnny Cage-centric story, Urban assures IGN that the sequel is a "significant level-up," comparing it to one of the greatest sequel films of all time.

"I think Mortal Kombat II is to Mortal Kombat what The Road Warrior is to Mad Max," Urban says. "I think that everybody across the board has leveled up in a significant way right across the entire production. And I think this representation of this world and these characters is the best we've seen. And I'm super excited for an audience to see it. As you've seen from the trailer itself … it looks like a significant level-up."

According to the star, he was "very proactive" about seeking the role. As it turns out, Urban loves playing Mortal Kombat - primarily by losing to his more video game savvy kids. There will be a bit of that self-deprecating charm in his performance as Cage, which Urban says is all about seeing Johnny "evolve and grow."

"When we first discover Johnny, he is sort of lacking a lot of that quintessential spark that I think fans of the game will know," Urban explains. "We start him at a very low point. His career is completely in the dumps. He has no self-confidence. He has neglected his martial arts training."

"And at his lowest point, he gets called up to, essentially, be a warrior that represents the Earthrealm and fight for the very future of humanity," Urban continues. "We start this character in one place, and as an audience, we get to see him evolve and grow. And he certainly does that as he gains his confidence and gains his belief in his self, [and] some of that sort of cockiness and swagger starts to come through."

Mortal Kombat 2 is hitting cinemas on October 24, 2025. For more, check out the rest of this year's unmissable movie release dates.

People of Earthrealm, get ready for more Kombat. The first trailer for Mortal Kombat 2 is here and, as you might expect, the upcoming video game movie isn't pulling its punches but is providing buckets of the red stuff.

Focusing on Karl Urban's Johnny Cage being dragged into the next edition of the Mortal Kombat tournament, the Mortal Kombat 2 trailer sees the former box office headliner coming (perilously) face to face with Kitana's deadly fan weapon. Of course, there's more than your fair share of Fatalities and brutal deaths too, plus a taste of Shao Kahn's menacing presence.

As you can tell from the trailer, the big Mortal Kombat 2 newcomer is washed-up and obnoxious movie star Johnny Cage, played by Karl Urban. Elsewhere, the fresh Kombatants include Jade (Tati Gabrielle), Kitana (Adeline Rudolph), series villain Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford), Sindel (Ana Thu Nguyen), and Damon Herriman (Quan Chi). If that roster isn't stacked enough, there's also a chance that characters killed in the 2021 original could return. Dead rarely means dead in the Mortal Kombat universe, after all.

There's every reason to get excited for the Mortal Kombat sequel, too, as writer Jeremy Slater teases it's been getting Avengers: Endgame-style reactions with test audiences.

"I have been to those test screenings, which are full of Mortal Kombat fans, and watching them react to it the way I reacted to Avengers: Endgame. They were cheering and jumping out of their seats. Every joke is landing and they are loving it," Slater told ComicBook. "It's one of the greatest moments of my life. That's why you get into this business."

Mortal Kombat 2 is hitting cinemas on October 24, 2025. For more, check out the rest of this year's unmissable movie release dates.

With Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection, developer Digital Eclipse is building on its increasingly impressive history of interactive documentaries to tell the full story of Mortal Kombat's arcade era. That meant not just putting together the millionth re-release of the original MK trilogy - it also meant finally having to figure out how to properly port Mortal Kombat 4 to home consoles.

Mortal Kombat 4 is a fully 3D game, in contrast to the digitized sprites used in the earlier entries, and as Digital Eclipse's Stephen Frost tells me in a Summer Game Fest interview, the transition from 2D to 3D marks "an interesting story for the industry as a whole" where every developer "had their own struggles and challenges."

With the development of MK4, we're looking at "that had built all these 2D tools to build and improve Mortal Kombat, and they get to 3D and they're like, 'Well, none of this stuff is useful anymore.' They had to start all over again," Frost explains.

Flawless legacy

"From a preservation perspective," he continues, "the arcade version of MK4 has never accurately been brought to home. It's always been ports that had to make adjustments, or had to make some assumptions about stuff. It just hasn't been an accurate experience overall - especially a pure arcade experience."

There were ports of MK4 to N64, PS1, and PC - and even Game Boy Color - back in the day, but those ports all had serious compromises over the original. Even the later MK Gold for Dreamcast, which purported to be an improved version of MK4, had its own issues, and despite the many, many re-releases of earlier Mortal Kombat titles over the years, we never got an official port that kept that original arcade release intact.

"It's notoriously obtuse hardware," Frost says, explaining that it ran on a custom piece of arcade hardware, called Zeus, powered by a variation of the now long-defunct 3dfx graphics card line. "There's very little documentation on it."

This isn't the first time Digital Eclipse had to create its own solution for the sake of preservation, as the studio previously invested in an Atari Jaguar emulator - something that barely even existed in the world of fan development - to make sure that the Atari 50 collection could tell a complete story of that company's history. They took the same approach with MK4 to make sure the Legacy Collection's story could be complete, too.

"We took it upon ourselves to say, 'Okay, we want to preserve this and have it playable on modern platforms,'" Frost says. "So we're spending the time to get that working up and running. It's sort of similar for Atari 50: we spent a bunch of time creating a Jaguar emulator because there was no accurate Jaguar emulator out there, so we had to spend time to make it. It's the same thing with Mortal Kombat 4. We're trying to make that version accurate."

Of course, there are limits to what Digital Eclipse can do for a single collection, and the fact that this one is specifically focused on MK's arcade era hasn't stopped calls from fans who want "every game ever" to be included in the package, all the way up to the 2011 reboot colloquially known to fans as MK9.

"We can't just jump to MK9," Frost explains. "From a technological perspective, that's a huge endeavor, just to be able to take Mortal Kombat 9 and bring it to all these platforms. But we have to start somewhere, and we have to explain the story from the beginning. Do we want to get to, like, MK9 eventually? That would be phenomenal. But we've got to start somewhere and go there. We can't realistically include everything that everyone wants, just from a project perspective, scope perspective, or technological perspective."

With interactive documentaries covering everything from the history of Atari to the oddball creations of Jeff Minter, there's no studio I'd trust more with Mortal Kombat's legacy than Digital Eclipse. A series this legendary deserves more than simply another collection, and it's clear the devs are going above and beyond to show everything that matters from MK's early days. Heck, it even has the very bad GBA games. How can you beat that?

Crack those knuckles and prepare to dive in to the best fighting games out there.

Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection is set to launch later this year from the folks at Digital Eclipse. Like the studio's previous collections, this is more than just a pile of classic fighting games – it's an interactive documentary that looks at the entire legacy of classic MK.

Naturally, the arcade versions of Mortal Kombat 1, 2, 3, and 4 are here, but so are the home console ports, with both arcade and console versions offering online play complete with rollback netcode.

On top of that, there are even many handheld ports. Yes, you can play the Game Boy version of MK1 here, and the utterly reviled Mortal Kombat Advance is even part of the package. This one is for the sickos, and I couldn't be more excited.

Here's the first batch of announced games, per the PlayStation Blog.

• Mortal Kombat – 1992: Arcade, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, Game Gear
• Mortal Kombat II -1993: Arcade, SNES, Genesis, Game Boy, 32X
• Mortal Kombat 3 – 1995: Arcade, SNES, Genesis
• Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 – 1995: Arcade, SNES
• Mortal Kombat 4 – 1997: Arcade
• Mortal Kombat Advance – 2001: Game Boy Advance
• Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance – 2002: Game Boy Advance
• Mortal Kombat: Tournament Edition – 2003: Game Boy Advance

More game announcements are coming in the future.

Digital Eclipse is known for going above and beyond with collections like Atari 50 and Tetris Forever, packaging not just emulated versions of classic games together, but also including robust documentary features telling the stories of how these games got made and their impact on the industry.

Legacy Kollection will be no exception, featuring interviews with series co-creators co-creators Ed Boon and John Tobias and many more alongside piles of other archive materials to tell the full story of early MK.

While the collection was announced during the June 2025 PlayStation State of Play, it's not just coming to PS5 and PS4. You'll also be able to pick it up on Switch, Switch 2, Xbox, and PC via Steam when it launches in 2025.

Summer Game Fest looks large, but there's always time to check out the best fighting games.

Mortal Kombat 1 isn't getting any more character or story DLC, NetherRealm Studios confirmed today on Twitter.

We had a very strong feeling that this was the case after the game's Definitive Edition surprise launched last week, bundling together the 2023 fighting game and approximately $162 worth of DLC into a single package, but now we know for certain Mortal Kombat 1 is certified Komplete.

"We are hearing players’ requests for continued game support of Mortal Kombat 1, and, while we will continue to support Mortal Kombat 1 through balance adjustments and fixes, there will not be additional DLC characters or story chapters released from this point on," reads the tweet.

"We understand this will be disappointing for fans, but our team at NetherRealm needs to shift focus to the next project in order to make it as great as we possibly can," reads a follow-up tweet.

NetherRealms is right to assume this will be disappointing news to fans, who have been united in hoping for more Mortal Kombat 1 content, especially since the game only came out less than two years ago and series boss Ed Boon has suggested it would get "years of content" in various interviews. (It's worth noting that Boon himself likely had little to do with publisher Warner Bros.' decision to move on from the game.)

NetherRealms has yet to reveal what it's next project is, but Boon said in an interview earlier this year that whatever it is was decided on "a long time ago."

Find out where your favorite ranks on our list of the best fighting games out there.

Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition just got a surprise launch today, bundling the 2023 fighting game and approximately $162 worth of DLC into a single package. But while that's a pretty good deal for the MK-kurious, the implication that things are over for developer NetherRealm's latest has the community mourning the possibilities for what might have been.

As you'd expect, the Definitive Edition includes all the DLC released for MK1, bringing the total roster up to 35 fighters, with post-launch additions ranging from Quan Chi and Cyrax to Peacemaker and the T-1000. There's also an array of additional skins, the Khaos Reigns story expansion, and extra kameo fighters.

It's a solid package, but it's not really for the players who've stuck with MK1 for the 19 months since its launch. The name "Definitive Edition" implies that there's no more content to come, and for a game that many in the community feel never truly reached its full potential, the disappointment is palpable.

You'll see the sentiment of "it's over" repeated again and again in the game's subreddit, and players on Twitter have also taken the opportunity to repost clips of series boss Ed Boon suggesting that MK1 would get "years of content" in various interviews. We're just over 19 months past the game's launch, so we haven't quite hit the plural "years" mark yet.

Of course, most fans are willing to acknowledge that it's likely business requirements at WB rather than Boon himself forcing the team to put a bow on MK1. Either way, if this truly is the end for the fighting game, NetherRealm's going to have a much tougher time convincing players that it'll stick around for the long haul on its next game.

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Mortal Kombat 2 was a pretty advanced arcade game when it launched in 1993, to the point where none of the contemporary home consoles of the time could really do the fighter justice. It turns out, though, that one console of the time actually was capable of handling MK2 - it just took 32 years for somebody to do the work of bringing the game to 3DO.

The 3DO launched in 1993 as the brainchild of EA founder Trip Hawkins. The idea was that the console spec would be licensed out to third-party manufacturers, who would then make their own devices that could play 3DO games. The first 3DO consoles were built by Panasonic and launched at an eye-watering price tag of $699 USD, which is about $1,500 today, accounting for inflation - a price that could put the PS5 Pro to shame.

With that price tag, you might expect the 3DO to have some pretty advanced hardware for the time, and nowhere is that clearer than with a new, fanmade Mortal Kombat 2 port to the failed console. You can check out some footage below, and if you've played any other contemporary ports of MK2, the quality is immediately apparent.

We've got giant sprites, minimal load times, and fantastic sound - features that even the game's best '90s ports struggled to match. "The assets are sourced from the original arcade version but the game itself was coded from scratch and eyeballed to try and match the arcade gameplay," according to a Reddit post from the port's developer, who goes by FenixTx119, and that just makes this version all the more impressive.

These days, the need for a full-on console port of MK2 is a bit questionable since emulation can let us play the original arcade release in nearly perfect fidelity, but I'm always going to be impressed by the ingenuity of fan developers bringing classic games to derelict consoles. If we're getting the likes of GTA 3 and Vice City on the Dreamcast, the sky's the limit to what retro consoles can manage.

Mortal Kombat 1 makes good on a 30-year tradition of trolling fans by introducing a confusing, labyrinthine quest to fight pink Floyd, a new ninja.

Mortal Kombat has a decades-long tradition of trolling series fans with the tease of secret characters who may or may not really exist. Mortal Kombat 1 is not giving up on that game, and a new secret hunt for a pink ninja named Floyd is quickly turning into one of the franchise's weirdest, wildest secret hunts yet.

Mortal Kombat 1 just got a fresh update alongside the introduction of its new DLC guest character, Conan the Barbarian. As IGN notes, fans quickly discovered that the update introduced a series of hints and teasers leading to a secret fight with the pink ninja, Floyd.

Modder and dataminer thethiny has been spearheading efforts to understand how to unlock this fight. It appears that there are 37 hidden challenges for doing things like getting a win with nothing but sweeps, or beating Scorpion as Scorpion with only spear attacks. There's a community spreadsheet tracking all the challenges, and each time you complete one, you'll hear a little guitar riff and see a Floyd icon appear.

But which challenges do you need to complete, and how many? That's the part that people haven't yet managed to figure out. You definitely don't need to complete all 37 challenges to make Floyd appear, but everybody seems to get a different secret list of challenges to complete with little clear indication of what you need to do. The closest thing to hint you might get is a quick cameo from Floyd, who has a chance of appearing after you've played 100 ladder matches and dropping a quick teaser about an active challenge.

Once Floyd finally does appear, you can expect a pretty serious fight against a ninja with a familiar moveset built from other existing characters. The fight takes places on a unique field stage, and if you manage to beat Floyd, you get to unlock and use that stage for yourself. Sadly, Floyd himself doesn't join your roster.

If the whole "pink Floyd" thing and the Dark Side of the Moon-style rainbow prism that accompanies his entrance didn't tip you off, this is indeed a reference to English rock band Pink Floyd. Back in 2022, series boss Ed Boon tweeted this in response to a fan asking about new ninja characters: "I honestly want to make a PINK ninja and name him FLOYD. No kidding." I guess he really was serious.

This whole thing mirrors the introduction of series mainstay Rain back in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. Rain showed up as a purple-clad cameo in the arcade version of the game, tantalizing players with the promise that there was another new ninja to unlock somehow. Of course, it was all just a gag - Purple Rain being a goofy Prince reference - but Rain did eventually become a playable character in the console versions of the game. Mortal Kombat's grand tradition of trolling fans with obscure Easter eggs goes back decades, and I'm glad to see it's not stopping in the modern era.

Check out all the best fighting games out there.

The line up of Mortal Kombat 1 Fatalities has been completed for the time being, with the arrival of the shape-shifting T-1000 seen in Terminator 2, along with the feisty Madam Bo Kameo to wrap up the Khaos Reigns expansion. If you've purchased that pack (or any of the characters individually as DLC) then you can use the fresh T-1000 Fatalities to eliminate your opponents with a giant truck or your liquid metal blades, and call in a Madam Bo (Kameo) Fatality to serve their head up on a platter. Of course, there are plenty of other new finishers from the expansion, so if you haven't already tried them then now is the time to check out the Conan the Barbarian Fatalities, Ghostface Fatalities, Cyrax Fatalities, Noob Saibot Fatalities, and Sektor Fatalities.

You can use any of these Fatalities to decimate your rivals locally, or via Mortal Kombat 1 crossplay to expand your pool of opponents. If you picked up the extra pack of Seasonal Fatalities when it was available from the Rotating Premium Items store, I've also got the details on how to use the special Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Winter finishers from your kollection.

Mortal Kombat 1 Fatalities continue the most well-known tradition of the long-running fighting series – obliterating your opponent in entirely brutal fashion once you've defeated them in regular combat. This latest instalment does not hold back, featuring the usual flurry of limbs and viscera with just a hint of cheeky humor thrown in for good measure, so naturally you'll want to know how to carry out these over-the-top executions and cap off your victories. Follow the explanations below, then check out the complete list of Fatalities in Mortal Kombat 1 so you know which moves to enter when the time comes.

Note that Mortal Kombat 1 Brutalities are performed using a different method, which is explained in my separate guide.

How to unlock Mortal Kombat 1 Fatalities

When you get started in Mortal Kombat 1, you'll find that each character has one Fatality shown in their moves list under the Finishers tab. You can level up each character to add a second finishing move to this list with Mortal Kombat 1 unlockables, by playing Ranked, Invasion, or Tower modes with them, but crucially you don't need to unlock a Mortal Kombat 1 Fatality in order to use it (except Seasonal Fatalities) – so follow the sequences I've listed below and you can use both finishers straight away, without having to actually reveal them first.

How to perform Fatalities in Mortal Kombat 1

To perform Fatalities in Mortal Kombat 1, you need to wear down your opponent's health until the Finish Them prompt appears on screen, then stand at the appropriate distance from them (close, middle, or far away) and enter the correct sequence of moves to pull off your character's finisher. The moves correspond to the following buttons on each platform:

• Front Punch: Square (PlayStation), X (Xbox), Y (Switch)
• Back Punch: Triangle (PlayStation), Y (Xbox), X (Switch)
• Front Kick: X (PlayStation), A (Xbox), B (Switch)
• Back Kick: Circle (PlayStation), B (Xbox), A (Switch)
• Block: R2 (PlayStation), RT (Xbox), ZR (Switch)
• Kameo: R1 (PlayStation), RB (Xbox), R (Switch)

Note that in addition to the individual moves I've listed below, every character can also perform an Easy Fatality by pressing Front Kick + Block, along with an Easy Kameo Fatality by holding Block + Front Punch, as long as you've purchased Easy Fatality Tokens from the Premium Items Store. So, if you don't want to memorise the finishers for each character, this still gives you a simple way to end each victorious match in style if you've got the tokens to pay for it.

Seasonal Fatalities

Originally, the first of the Seasonal Fatalities in Mortal Kombat 1 was released as DLC in October 2023 to coincide with Halloween. Then in December 2023, you could purchase the Seasonal Finishers Kollection from the Rotating Premium Items store for 1,200 Dragon Krystals, but since January 2024 this pack has not been offered for sale. Once bought, any character can perform the three finishers listed below, and while previously you could only assign one Seasonal Fatality to each fighter at a time, you can now access all three at any time alongside your regular finishers:

Fatalities

• (Any) Halloween Finisher: Block (Hold) + Up, Up
• (Any) Thanksgiving Finisher: Block (Hold) + Down, Down
• (Any) Winter Finisher: Block (Hold) + Forward, Forward

Ashrah Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Heavenly Light: Down, Forward, Down, Back Punch
• (Mid) Threads of Ill Will: Down, Down, Back, Back Kick

Baraka Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Split Decision: Back, Forward, Down, Front Punch
• (Close) Fatality 2: Forward, Back, Down, Back Kick

Conan the Barbarian Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Secret Ingredient: Back, Forward, Down, Front Punch
• (Close) Fatality 2: Back, Down, Back, Front Kick

Conan the Barbarian is available as part of the Khaos Reigns expansion – if you've purchased that then make sure you've installed all of the files to get access.

Cyrax Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Burst Your Bubble: Down, Forward, Down, Back Kick
• (Mid) Fatality 2: Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch

Cyrax is available as part of the Khaos Reigns expansion – if you've purchased that then make sure you've installed all of the files to get access.

Cyrax (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Annihilation: Forward, Back, Forward, Kameo

Darrius (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Armed & Dangerous: Down, Back, Forward, Kameo

Ermac Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Vitruvian Maim: Down, Forward, Down, Back Kick
• (Close) Fatality 2: Forward, Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch

Ermac is available as part of the Kombat Pack – if you've purchased it and he's still showing as locked on the character selection screen then you may need to visit your platform's store to manually download him separately.

Ferra (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Far) Down The Middle: Down, Forward, Down, Kameo

Note that although the in-game move list says this Kameo Fatality should be performed from Mid distance, my personal testing has shown it actually only works at a Far distance.

Ferra is a Kameo character released as part of the Kombat Pack – if you've purchased it and she's still showing as locked on the character selection screen then you may need to visit your platform's store to manually download her separately.

Frost (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Breaking Point: Back, Down, Back, Kameo

General Shao Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Spin Cycle: Back, Forward, Down, Front Punch
• (Mid) Axe-ident: Down, Forward, Back, Front Punch

Geras Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Sand Storm: Forward, Down, Down, Back Kick
• (Close) Fatality 2: Down, Forward, Back, Front Punch

Ghostface Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Slashing The Fourth Wall: Down, Forward, Down, Front Kick
• (Close) Fatality 2: Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch

Ghostface is available as part of the Khaos Reigns expansion – if you've purchased that then make sure you've installed all of the files to get access.

Goro (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Close) Prince Of Pain: Back, Forward, Down, Kameo

Havik Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Atomic Heart: Down, Forward, Down, Back Kick
• (Close) Fatality 2: Forward, Back, Down, Back Punch

Note: You need to complete the Kampaign to unlock Havik.

Homelander Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Winging It: Down, Forward, Down, Front Kick
• (Mid) Fatality 2: Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch

Homelander is available as part of the Kombat Pack – if you've purchased it and he's still showing as locked on the character selection screen then you may need to visit your platform's store to manually download him separately.

Janet Cage (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Close) Killing Blow: Forward, Back, Forward, Kameo

Janet Cage is another Kameo character released as part of the Kombat Pack – if you've purchased it and she's still showing as locked on the character selection screen then you may need to visit your platform's store to manually download her separately.

Jax (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Far) Big Boot: Down, Forward, Down, Kameo

Johnny Cage Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Hollywood Walk Of Pain: Forward, Back, Down, Back Punch
• (Mid or Far) Fatality 2: Forward, Down, Back, Back Kick

Kano (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Heart Ripper: Back, Down, Forward, Kameo

Kenshi Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Blended: Forward, Down, Down, Back Punch
• (Mid) Fatality 2: Back, Down, Back, Front Punch

Khameleon (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Close) Fantasize: Down, Forward, Down, Kameo

Khameleon is a Kameo character released as part of the Kombat Pack – if you've purchased it and she's still showing as locked on the character selection screen then you may need to visit your platform's store to manually download her separately.

Kitana Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Royal Blender: Down, Forward, Down, Back Kick
• (Close) Last Kiss: Down, Down, Back, Back Kick

Kung Lao Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Lao’d And Clear: Back, Forward, Back, Back Kick
• (Close) Ripper: Back, Down, Down, Front Kick

Kung Lao (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Klean Kut: Forward, Back, Forward, Kameo

Note: You need to reach account level 15 to unlock Kung Lao as a Kameo.

Li Mei Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Roman Candle: Forward, Back, Forward, Front Kick
• (Close) Happy New Year: Back, Forward, Down, Back Kick

Liu Kang Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Double Dragon: Down, Forward, Back, Back Kick
• (Close) Spaghettification: Back, Forward, Back, Front Kick

Madam Bo (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Head Busser: Back, Forward, Down, Kameo

Madam Bo is a Kameo character released as part of the Khaos Reigns expansion – if you've purchased that then make sure you've installed all of the files to get access.

Mavado (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Katapult: Back, Down, Down, Kameo

Mavado is a Kameo character released as part of the Kombat Pack – if you've purchased it and he's still showing as locked on the character selection screen then you may need to visit your platform's store to manually download him separately.

Mileena Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Appetizer: Back, Forward, Back, Front Punch
• (Close) A Little To The Left: Down, Forward, Back, Front Kick

Motaro (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Brain Blast: Forward, Down, Down + Kameo

Note: You need to reach account level 25 to unlock Motaro as a Kameo.

Nitara Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Vaeternus KomBAT: Down, Down, Back, Front Punch
• (Mid or Far) Fatality 2: Back, Down, Back, Back Kick

Noob Saibot Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Far) Shadow Play: Forward, Back, Down, Back Punch
• (Mid) Fatality 2: Down, Down, Forward, Back Punch

Noob Saibot is available as part of the Khaos Reigns expansion – if you've purchased that then make sure you've installed all of the files to get access.

Omni-Man Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Trained Killer: Down, Down, Back, Back Kick
• (Mid) Fatality 2: Down, Forward, Back, Front Kick

Omni-Man is available as part of the Kombat Pack – if you've purchased it and he's still showing as locked on the character selection screen then you may need to visit your platform's store to manually download him separately.

Peacemaker Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Pest Exterminator: Down, Forward, Down, Back Kick
• (Mid) Fatality 2: Forward, Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch

Peacemaker is available as part of the Kombat Pack – as with other DLC fighters, if you've purchased it and he's still showing as locked on the character selection screen then you may need to visit your platform's store to manually download him separately.

Quan Chi Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Pentamagic Trick: Forward, Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch
• (Mid) Fatality 2: Back, Down, Forward, Back, Back Kick

Quan Chi is the second main fighter released as part of the Kombat Pack – if you've purchased it and he's still showing as locked on the character selection screen then you may need to visit your platform's store to manually download him separately.

Raiden Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) The Storm’s Arrival: Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch
• (Mid or Far) Fatality 2: Down, Forward, Back, Front Punch

Rain Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) The Red Sea: Down, Down, Back, Back Kick
• (Mid) Under Pressure: Down, Forward, Back, Front Kick

Reiko Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) The Impaler: Down, Down, Back + Back Punch
• (Close) For The General: Back, Down, Down, Back Kick

Reptile Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Indigestion: Forward, Back, Down, Back Kick
• (Close) Acid Reflux: Forward, Down, Back, Front Kick

Sareena (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Inner Demon: Back, Down, Down, Kameo

Scorpion Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Eye-Palling Victory: Down, Forward, Back, Block
• (Mid) Killer Klones From Netherrealm: Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch

Scorpion (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Toasty!!!: Down, Forward, Down, Kameo

Note: You need to reach account level 5 to unlock Scorpion as a Kameo.

Sektor Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Cyber Crematorium: Down, Forward, Down, Back Kick
• (Mid) Fatality 2: Forward, Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch

Sektor is available as part of the Khaos Reigns expansion – if you've purchased that then make sure you've installed all of the files to get access.

Sektor (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Far) Kompactor: Back, Forward, Back, Kameo

Note that although the in-game move list says this Kameo Fatality should be performed from Mid distance, my personal testing has shown it actually only works at a Far distance.

Shang Tsung Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Side Effects: Back, Down, Down, Back Kick
• (Mid) Fatality 2: Forward, Down, Back, Back Punch

Shujinko (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Five Point Strike: Down, Back, Down, Kameo

Note: You need to reach account level 20 to unlock Shujinko as a Kameo

Sindel Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Hair Comes Trouble: Down, Back, Down, Front Punch
• (Mid to Far) Livin' The Scream: Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch

Smoke Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Anywhere) Hazed And Infused: Back, Forward, Down, Front Punch
• (Anywhere) Fatality 2: Down, Forward, Back, Back Punch

Sonya Blade (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Kiss: Back, Forward, Down, Kameo

Stryker (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Safety Vest: Forward, Down, Forward, Kameo

Sub-Zero Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Anywhere) Hairline Fracture: Forward, Down, Down, Back Punch
• (Close) Brain Freeze: Forward, Back, Down, Back Kick

Sub-Zero (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Spine Rip: Forward, Down, Forward, Kameo

Note: You need to reach account level 10 to unlock Sub-Zero as a Kameo.

T-1000 Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Judgment Day: Down, Forward, Down, Front Kick
• (Close) Fatality 2: Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch

T-1000 is available as part of the Khaos Reigns expansion – if you've purchased that then make sure you've installed all of the files to get access.

Takeda Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Mid) Millipede's Bite: Down, Forward, Down, Front Kick
• (Mid) Fatality 2: Back, Forward, Back, Back Punch

Takeda is available as part of the Kombat Pack – if you've purchased it and he's still showing as locked on the character selection screen then you may need to visit your platform's store to manually download him separately.

Tanya Fatalities

Fatalities

• (Close) Helping Hands: Down, Back, Down, Front Kick
• (Mid) Top Off: Back, Forward, Down, Back Punch

Tremor (Kameo) Fatality

Kameo Fatality

• (Mid) Disembowling Ball: Down, Forward, Back, Kameo

Tremor was the first Kameo character to be released as part of the Kombat Pack – if you've purchased it and he's still showing as locked on the character selection screen then you may need to visit your platform's store to manually download him separately.

© GamesRadar+. Not to be reproduced without permission.

Video game historians have reason to celebrate today, as the first-ever drawing of Mortal Kombat's iconic dragon symbol has been shared publicly for the first time.

Mortal Kombat co-creator John Tobias shared the image alongside some fascinating insights into its creation and the series itself. Tobias says he designed the symbol as a way to represent both Mortal Kombat and the in-game fictional tournament players take part in when they play.

As if it isn't cool enough seeing the very first sketch of Mortal Kombat's now famous dragon symbol, Tobias also shared some neat details about its conception. For example, he revealed that John Vogel, another one of the key developers behind the original Mortal Kombat, recorded a video of Tobias's drawing and used it to digitize the image into something that could be used in the game. The image above is a screenshot of that video recording.

Tobias also said that the reason the official Mortal Kombat icon is a dragon is because the title 'Dragon Attack' was being considered before the one we all know and love. 'Dragon Attack' is the name of a Queen song loved by Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon, so that's where that came from.

The actual design of the dragon was inspired by a golden statue that sat on the desk of Midway general designer Ken Fedesna, which Vogel took and turned into a model for the game.

Tobias noticed the statue in the game and was inspired to design an Asian-themed arcade cabinet with a version of the dragon on the sides. "I used the dragon from my cabinet side panel sketch to inform the look of the dragon icon as our symbol," Tobias said.

You'll definitely want to peruse the entire Twitter thread to hear the complete story from Tobias himself, which includes a hilarious tidbit involving a family member of his confusing his original dragon sketch for a drawing of a seahorse.

In an entirely separate nugget of video game history: check out this cut Super Mario 64 level that was found after months of searching.

The actor who portrays Johnny Cage in the Mortal Kombat series seems to be teasing a new project at Warner Bros., and naturally fans are eager to know whether it's Mortal Kombat 12 or something else.

Andrew Bowen, the actor behind Johnny Cage in Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11, took to Instagram and Twitter to share the following video (thanks, ComicBook):

It's a short clip, but there's more here than you might catch at first glance. You'll notice the vaguely Mortal Kombat 2-esque music playing in the background accompanied by the words: "Every deadly technique... and savage combat." But not so fast: that's actually not a quote from Mortal Kombat! The sounds are from a trailer for the 1988 martial arts movie Bloodsport, which directly inspired the original pitch for Mortal Kombat, according to the series' co-creator, Ed Boon.

Further to the point, Johnny Cage himself is a reference to Bloodsport star Jean-Claude Van Damme, which all but confirms Bowen is teasing something Mortal Kombat-related here. Whether that's voice work and/or performance capture for Mortal Kombat 12, some sort of expansion, or possibly the upcoming Warner Bros. ensemble fighting game MultiVersus, remains to be seen.

Regardless of what Bowen is teasing, the next Mortal Kombat game is almost certainly in development. For one, we have this supposed "leak" from NetherRealm Studios producer Jonathan Andersen himself. NetherRealm also confirmed back in July 2021 that it had wrapped up work on Mortal Kombat 11 to start developing its next project. 

Then you have noted insider Jeff Grubb saying back in October that it's his "understanding" that NetherRealm is working on Mortal Kombat 12. With all of this and another tease from Bowen, it seems more and more likely we'll get an official announcement soon.

Until then, these are the best fighting games to play right now.

Read these Mortal Kombat 11 tips to begin your journey to mastering the martial arts of kombos, Krushing Blows, and Fatalities. Combining an action blockbuster story with the tight, lightning-fast fighting gameplay the series is known for, Mortal Kombat 11 is certainly fun but difficult to learn. There are some useful tutorials in-game - which we highly recommend you check out - and plenty of practice modes that will allow you to get the hang of kombos for your favorite characters. We've put together this list of eight Mortal Kombat 11 tips to help ease you into the game and winning fights.

1. Make use of quick combo references 

Getting used to the fast-paced mechanics takes time, and you'll often feel pressured to rely on the basics - simple kicks, punches, and grabs. You'll have a much easier time if you check the quick reference combos in the pause menu. Even if you're too impatient to go through the tutorial, you'll be able to up your damage output and move versatility by a huge amount if you learn a couple of these easy combos.  

2. Lean on Fatal Blows when you fall behind

Fatal Blows, a crushing move you can use when your health bar is low, can feel cheap, there's no getting around it. At some points it feels like the game is punishing you for winning. Don't let this opportunity fall to the wayside; when your health falls below a certain threshold you'll see a prompt to use your Fatal Blow (both triggers on PS4). These ultra violent moves do a ton of uninterrupted damage if they land, sometimes completely turning the tide of battle. Make sure you find a good opening that your opponent can't block and let those punches fly. 

3. Use the environment to give you an advantage

Every stage has several interactive elements that can help you deal extra damage or gain better positioning. They usually take the form of a crate hanging on the side of a ship or a spear sticking out of the ground. Press the right bumper when prompted (you'll see it below your health bar when your next to the item) and your character will automatically pick them up or jump off them. It's that easy.  

4. Mix up moves when fighting the computer

Fighting an AI-controlled opponent is nothing like fighting a real person, but the computer characters can still pose a stiff challenge (especially on the harder difficulties later in the story). To help make those fights easier mix up the variety of moves you use. It's easy to rely on one or two moves right away, especially hefty ones like a jump kick, but the computer learns patterns fast, blocking your moves and retaliating with ease if you don't change things up. Even if you want to rely on a favorite move or two, change how and when you use them. 

5. It's obvious, but use the tutorial

Tutorials, in pretty much any game, aren't for everyone. They sometimes keep you away from the action when all you want to do is dive in headfirst. Mortal Kombat 11 is no different, except that the tutorial is just as deep as the game's mechanics. It has character-specific walkthroughs, a deep dive on the basics, and much more. Whether you're a veteran or a newcomer, the tutorial will definitely help you transition into playing Mortal Kombat 11 at a higher level. 

6. Play through the story mode first

The story mode will last you around 5 hours (if not more, should you want to try out some of the other difficulties). While short, it does give you the chance to play through a ton of fun fights with a big chunk of the games playable characters. Use this as an opportunity to get acquainted with most of the roster and to pick your favorite character(s). It's better than playing them in arcade matches. 

7. Play aggressively defensive

Mortal Kombat 11 is all about close-quarters combat. Projectiles aren't as effective and combos are usually started when you're right up in your opponent's face. Instead of just rushing in, try getting right up in your enemy's face with blocks. Learn what they rely on most and match it. Once you block them, follow up with a grab or hit. This'll help you get use to dealing damage rather than taking it.  

8. Ignore the grind if you can

The Krypt and Tower modes have been criticized for how needless the grind is to unlock new items. While those modes can be fun, it's not fun to waste your time toiling away trying to unlock items whose value won't be worth the time invested. Take it from me, playing through the story and then jumping online is far more fun, worthwhile, and challenging than anything those other modes can provide. If you find yourself turning the game into a chore to unlock items, make sure to take a break. 

Want to smash up something else? Check out the best fighting games to play right now. 

The first big Mortal Kombat 12 teaser has arrived via a "leak" that's just too perfect to have been an accident.

The teaser took the form of a few lines of text hidden in plain sight in an image posted to Twitter by NetherRealm Studios producer Jonathan Andersen. The post has since been deleted, but ResetEra user CaptainKashup grabbed a copy before it disappeared. At first the image seems to just be a nostalgic look back at promotional materials and concept art from the Mortal Kombat and Injustice games, all arrayed across a desk.

The computer monitor in the upper right part of the image is largely out of frame and partially obscured by the art, but we can make out a few details: a couple snippets of an email saying not to "share any part of this video" because "fans eagerly scrape the internet for any trace", and a few files sitting on the desktop, including one named "MK12_Mast…" and another with the word "Reptile" in it.

Given the reference to a video in the email message and the file with "mast" - as in "master" - in its name, it looks a whole lot like NetherRealm Studios is teasing a Mortal Kombat 12 trailer. The mention of Reptile also points to great news for fans of the acid-spitting lizard dude who debuted way back in the original Mortal Kombat but wasn't playable in Mortal Kombat 11.

NetherRealm Studios head Ed Boon said back in December that he wished he could announce the developer's next game, but cited more "variables involved than we are allowed to disclose." If NetherRealm is ready to drop cheeky teasers like this, it looks like those variables might have just about found their place in the equation.

NetherRealm confirmed back in July that it had ended work on Mortal Kombat 11 to double down on its next project.

Mortal Kombat developer NetherRealm isn't ready to announce their next game due to ongoing variables.

Over the past weekend on December 11, a Twitter user asked NetherRealm boss Ed Boon what comes next for the long-time Mortal Kombat studio. Boon responded via the tweet below, saying that although he really appreciated the community's enthusiasm for NetherRealm's next project, they simply aren't ready to announce anything right now.

This is, according to Boon, primarily due to "more variables" that the developer themselves isn't allowed to disclose right now. While it's anyone's guess as to what these variables involving NetherRealm's new game could be, if it's a fighting game then it could be that these variables are guest characters that NetherRealm is still trying to secure.

NetherRealm first revealed earlier this year in July that it would be focusing on developing a brand new game. At the time, the studio actually announced that it would be ending ongoing DLC support for Mortal Kombat 11, over two years after it originally launched, to focus on this brand new project. Fast forward to now however, and we still have no information regarding this new game.

However, if it's fighting games you're looking out for, then NetherRealm parent company Warner Bros. might have you sorted. Over the past few months, leaks began to do the rounds of a brand new fighting game from the publisher, taking advantage of their various IPs to bring in the likes of Batman, Gandalf, and Shaggy for a new game.

This was then revealed to be MultiVersus, a multiplatform fighting game starring an extended list of colorful characters. We'll finally get to see the likes of Arya Stark, Superman, and more fight it out in this new battler. MultiVersus is due out next year in 2022 across PC and console platforms alike.

For a full look at all the other games arriving next year, head over to our new games 2022 guide for more.

Mortal Kombat creator Ed Boon has revealed the behind-the-scenes video of a truly historic moment in video game history: the conception of Scorpion's classic "get over here!" spear move.

The prolific Mortal Kombat series' undeniable mascot is the undead ninja Scorpion, and his long-reaching Spear move - and its accompanying catchphrase - is one of the most iconic moments in gaming. And now, thanks to a two-minute clip shared by series creator Ed Boon to celebrate Mortal Kombat's upcoming 30th anniversary, we get to see how it came to life. Check it out:

In a reply thread, Boon gives some useful context as to what's being discussed in the above video, which includes a conversation between Boon and co-creator John Tobias. At one point, you can clearly hear Boon ask rhetorically, "You know what would be a cool ass move?", and it's just really cool to witness the very germ of what would eventually become such A Thing. 

You even get to see the moment Boon and Tobias decide to give the move its pullback effect that almost always leads the attacker into an uppercut. Boon further explains that the performing actor needed to keep their movements simple so as to minimize frames for 1991 hardware constraints, and you can see Boon and Tobias ask the actor to reposition the spear throw to chest height so that ducking opponents could dodge it.

As we inch closer to Mortal Kombat's big birthday next year, Boon says he's hoping to release more "fly on the wall" videos from the series' history, and like, yes. Please do.

Here's what we think are the best fighting games to play right now.

For the third consecutive month, someone has reportedly leaked next month's PS Plus freebie line-up before Sony could do so: Hell Let Loose, and Mortal Kombat X, and PGA Tour 2K21.

Just like last month, the rumor comes courtesy of French forum Dealabs (thanks, VGC), which correctly unveiled September's line-up ahead of Sony's formal announcement. Once again, the leak has reportedly been verified by the site's moderation team which is satisfied that the information contained in the leak is authentic. 

This time around, it's Hell Let Loose that's unique to PS5 players, which might be a little surprising given the game isn't even out on console just yet. The multiplayer tactical first-person shooter - which was released on PC earlier this year – is slated to release on next-gen systems PS5 and Xbox Series X next month and sees players fight in the Western and Eastern Fronts of World War 2.

For PS4 players, there's apparently the fan-favorite fighting game Mortal Kombat X up for grabs, plus the much more leisurely golf sim PGA Tour 2K21 for those with a live PS Plus subscription. 

There's still time to grab September's PS Plus free games, by the way, which also leaked early last month. Both Predator: Hunting Grounds and Hitman 2 are available for both PS4 and PS5 players, whilst the third game – Overcooked! All You Can Eat – is a "PlayStation 5 bonus game" only for people who've managed to upgrade to Sony's latest home console.

On the subject of PlayStation Plus games... Fall Guys was recently awarded the Guinness World Record for being the most downloaded PlayStation Plus game of all time.

After thanking the "wonderful Fall Guys community" for its "enthusiasm, feedback, and support" which helped the party game land with a viral smash last summer, developer Mediatonic said: "It’s safe to say that we’ve had our fair share of utterly surprising (but delightful!) moments since Fall Guys: Ultimate Knockout stumbled into the world. From BAFTA nominations to a full-on bean-based ESPN documentary, those adorable beans have cropped up in some incredible places!" 

"Well, now the team are going to have to start amending their bucket list, as we can joyfully reveal that Fall Guys have made it into...The Guinness Book of World Records!"

Here's our complete list of PS5 exclusives. 

Mortal Kombat 11 has seen its last piece of new downloadable content as NetherRealm Studios turns its full attention to its next project.

The studio announced on its official Twitter account that it had ended active development on the fighting game, more than two years after it was initially released in April 2019. This means no new characters, skins, or other additional content is planned for the game, though it doesn't rule out the possibility of another surprise addition here or there if the spirit takes NetherRealm.

NetherRealm made some extensive expansions to the game after it came out, growing the base game's roster of 25 to eventually include 37 fighters. Post-launch contenders such as Sindel and Mileena came in from deeper in Mortal Kombat history, while others such as The Joker, Robocop, and Rambo extended the battle to franchise-crossing proportions.

The announcement specifies that NetherRealm is "focusing on its next project" - though it stops short of saying what that project actually is. The studio hasn't uttered an official peep about where it may be turning its attention next, though it's a pretty good guess that it will probably involve punching people, possibly in slow motion.

Creative director Ed Boon did send out a Tweet back in May that sent folks furiously speculating about the possibility of a NetherRealm fighting game made with Marvel characters, though that's admittedly reading quite heavily into a few words followed by a thinking emoji. On the other hand, Boon has been known to enjoy seeding teases for upcoming projects into his social media in the past, so it's something to keep in mind even if it's far from a sure thing.

What's more certain is that NetherRealm and the rest of WB Games seem to be sticking together, at least for the foreseeable future. While WB Games' fate was uncertain after a corporate merger, a press release (via PCGamesN) indicates that EA's purchase of Golf Clash studio Playdemic will be the only change to the WB Games portfolio.

Meanwhile, the uncontested champion of cross-franchise fighting Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has confirmed its next DLC fighter will be its last. 

A modder has enabled a first-person camera for Mortal Kombat 11, and it's just as chaotic as you're imagining.

You can see the mod in action from YouTuber ermaccer just below, in which a number of camera modes for Mortal Kombat 11 are put on display. The user firstly positions the camera over their character's shoulder in the third-person action style, before switching the viewpoint to entirely first-person, resulting in some absolute carnage up close and personal.

It's fairly obvious why the first-person camera perspective has never been an official thing for Mortal Kombat. Despite being incredibly weird and whacky for just a few moments, I can imagine the viewpoint gets pretty intoxicating after a very short time, even if it is somewhat satisfying seeing Scorpion rip someone apart from his own perspective.

In fact, it appears that the last time a fighting game got an official first-person mode was Ultra Street Fighter 2 for the Nintendo Switch, back in 2017. The mode, called Hadoken, transports you into the first-person perspective, so you can see Ryu's arms shoot out ahead of you when pulling off the classic move of the same name. Perhaps unsurprisingly, it wasn't received well.

Mortal Kombat 11 was just ported to PS5, Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S as a free upgrade for existing players two months ago in November 2020. Around the same time, a trio of characters including John Rambo, Mileena, and Rain all joined NetherRealm's fighting game.

For our pick of the best classic and modern brawlers you can play right now, head over to our guide on the best fighting games for more. Or if you're feeling saintly sweet, check out our guide on how to do Mortal Kombat 11 Mercy finishers!

Meet the blind gamer who is also an esports star in the latest episode of Totally Game. 

Zoe Espinoza, 29, who also goes by the name of the 'Sightless Sensi', has a condition called Leber congenital amaurosis. This condition affects their sight, leaving them "profoundly blind" according to the World Health Organization, but this hasn't stopped them from becoming a skilled fighter on Mortal Kombat X. 

Espinoza, who is from Austin, Texas, tells Totally Game: "One of the most morbidly satisfying things to do in a fighting game is to demolish someone completely and utterly - to then inform them that they were defeated by a blind opponent, it drives home the obliteration of their sense of pride in their technique.

"Being able to do that to someone who intrinsically should be better than me is a cruel but satisfying pleasure."

These skills take a lot of time and practice to hone, something which they're more than happy to do the hard yards for. Espinoza explains: "Being a blind gamer means I have to practice four times as hard to be a quarter as good. A sighted person can pick up a game and go straight into it."

This practice has paid off though, leading Zoe to sign for an all-disabled esports team PermaStunned, who provide a platform for disabled gamers to compete against non-disabled gamers and aims to normalise the need for accessibility within games. 

Zoe also has a YouTube and Twitch channel, SightlessSensei, where they stream with their wife Kesley. Zoe tells Totally Game: “The comments we get are very positive, a lot of people are very surprised. Occasionally I do get people who question if I'm blind, but it’s usually not from a place of hostility. 

“I look at that as an opportunity to educate people. That's why I make videos in the first place, to show people all the things blind people can do.”

Catch up with every episode of Totally Game so far. 

John Rambo is coming to Mortal Kombat 11 later this year, NetherRealm Studio has revealed today.

Just below, you can check out Rambo's debut in Mortal Kombat 11. The bloodthirsty hunter will be arriving in Mortal Kombat on November 17, alongside returning character and fan-favorite Mileena, while rounding out the trio of characters is Rain, now wielding a katar.

I haven't actually ever seen any of the Rambo movies, but I hear they're about a former soldier traumatized to violence, which is why it's undeniably a bit surreal to see the character tearing people's legs off and putting a hundred rounds into their face for a Fatality. But that's a bit standard day in Mortal Kombat, to be fair. 

Alongside the trio of fighters making their debut in Mortal Kombat 11 in the Kombat Pack 2, the game is heading to next-gen consoles. For everyone that owns Mortal Kombat 11 on the PS4 and Xbox One, there'll be a free upgrade available to the PS5 and Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S versions of the game, on November 17 alongside Kombat Pack 2.

This new, enhanced version of Mortal Kombat 11, with 4K graphics and significantly reduced load times, is called the "Ultimate" edition of the game. For those that don't yet own Mortal Kombat 11, there'll be the chance to pick up the Ultimate edition of the game on next-gen consoles as soon as it launches, but NetherRealm hasn't revealed how much the upgraded game will cost.

Rambo is just the latest film character to join the ranks of Mortal Kombat 11. The likes of the Terminator and Robocop have already joined NetherRealm's game, and hopefully Rambo won't be the last movie character we see added to the game's roster.

For a look at all the games arriving on both next-gen consoles just before Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate arrives on the scene, head over to our PS5 launch games and Xbox Series X launch games guides.

Something is being announced for Mortal Kombat 11 this week, and naturally, players have all sorts of theories, which include Rambo potentially being the next DLC character. A brief teaser trailer says an announcement is coming Thursday, October 8, so we won't need to wait long to learn more.

The teaser shows a Tarkatan engaged in a breakneck chase through dense forest. "Who is chasing that Tarkatan?" asks Mortal Kombat 11 creative director Ed Boon. Whoever's behind the fleeing Tarkatan is almost definitely the next addition to the Mortal Kombat 11 player roster, and one eagle-eyed Twitter user points out that the teaser resembles a scene from the first Rambo movie.

Watching the two clips back-to-back, it is hard to deny the similarities. Both are shot from similar close-up perspectives, and in both scenes the goon quickly turns their head back to see if the chaser is making ground. Coupled with information from a recent datamine (thanks, Bloody Disgusting), it sure is looking like the real John Rambo is on his way to pummel the cast of Mortal Kombat 11 into the ground. 

The data also includes references to Mileena and Rain, so it's possible the new DLC will include three new characters. If it's at all similar in scope to Aftermath, the most recent expansion, it would certainly make sense for the DLC to include more than one character as well as new story content.

Don't miss our essential Mortal Kombat 11 tips so you don't wind up on the wrong end of a Rambo fatality.

Mortal Kombat 11 just keeps getting bigger and badder. The latest trailer for Aftermath, which brings a ton of new content to the game, features a showdown between two iconic 80s metallic heavyweights: RoboCop and the Terminator.

Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment and NetherRealm Studios have actually released two new trailers for the matchup. RoboCop is joining the franchise for the first time, while the Terminator joined Mortal Kombat 11 as part of the Kombat Pack. Each trailer has an alternate ending - head here for Round One, which involves dick shooting, or here for Round Two, which involves kneecap shooting. 

Ultimately, it's up to you who wins in the battle of the '80s badass, and where you decide to aim your bullets. 

As we previously reported, Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath launches digitally on May 26, and it's bringing a ton of new content. Aftermath includes a franchise-first story expansion, three new playable characters (Fujin, Sheeva, and RoboCop), three character skin packs, and a Johnny Cage skin. 

The expansion costs $39.99/£34.99 but you can get Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath and the Kombat Pack Bundle for $49.99/£39.99. Or, get the entire base game, Aftermath, and the Kombat Pack for $59.99/£49.99.A physical version of the expansion will be available in the Americas only this June. 

There's certainly a lot more game to be played, and with the addition of some iconic characters, you may want to get into some Kombat more than ever before. 

There's plenty of exciting titles to look forward to this year, so check out the biggest upcoming games of 2020. 

Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition has been removed from Steam.

While not formally confirmed by publisher Warner Bros. nor Steam operator Valve, ResetEra members noted the game had been withdrawn when perusing the store page, with prospective players warned that "at the request of the publisher, Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition is no longer available for sale on Steam" (thanks, VG24/7).

Without formal confirmation of the removal, Mortal Kombat fans can only speculate on the reasons why. Many opine it might have something to do with the guest fighter Freddy Kruger, who appears fresh from his nightmareish appearances in A Nightmare on Elm Street. With his US rights recently returning to creator Wes Craven's estate (via Bloody Disgusting), it's possible Warner needs to draw up a new agreement to keep him on the roster.

That's only speculation, though, and doesn't quite explain why the game has seemingly been withdrawn worldwide and not just in the US.

If you were thinking of jumping back in – and ResetEra certainly suggests some had been thinking of it, despite the game's age – players who already have the game in their libraries should be good to go despite the change.

Announced way back in 2012, the Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition packs all the DLC that was released with the NertherRealm reboot, including new characters like Skarlet, Kenshi, and Rain; as well the “Klassic” fighters, klassic skins, and an honest-to-goodness code for a free copy of the original Mortal Kombat movie from 1995 via PlayStation Network or Xbox Live. Those were the days, eh?

Looking for something else to get stuck into? Here are the best PC games right now.

Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion’s Revenge, a new animated film based on the fighting series, is expected to release by June 2020.

As reported by Revenge of the Fans (via The Hollywood Reporter), the animated movie is in production at Warner Bros. Animation, and there's already top-tier talent attached to the production, including Community’s Joel McHale who will portray Johnny Cage and Dexter's Jennifer Carpenter is on board to offer her voice as Sonya Blade.

The animated movie features a script by Supernatural's Jeremy Adams and is directed by Batman: Assault on Arkham's Ethan Spaulding. Netherrealm Studios’ own Ed Boon is also thought to be on-board as a creative consultant while Rick Morales steps in as producer and Jim Krieg as co-producer, whose credits include Batman: Return of the Caped Crusaders and Batman: Gotham by Gaslight respectively. Sam Register is on-board as executive producer.

According to THR, other confirmed contributors include Jordan Rodrigues as Lui Kang, Patrick Seitz as Scorpion and Hanzo Hasashi, Steve Blum as Sub-Zero, Artt Butler as Shang Tsung, Darin De Paul as Quan Chi, Robin Atkin Downes as Kano, and David B. Mitchell as Raiden. We also have Ike Amadi as Jax Briggs, Kevin Michael Richardson as Goro, Grey Griffin as both Kitana and Satoshi Hasashi, and Fred Tatasciore as Demon Torturer.

Of course, this isn't the only Mortal Kombat-flavoured movie in production right now. Director Greg Russo has his fingers in a couple of video game movie pies, including a live-action 2021 Mortal Kombat movie that we already know will have an R-Rating and fatalities, as well as a Resident Evil reboot according to IMDb.

Russo also recently opened up and revealed he's interested in bringing BioShock to the silver screen, too. 

“I would love to figure out a way to do BioShock and I’ve tried,” Russo said last year. “I've been like elbowing everybody I can possibly find, because I think I have a really awesome way to do it that would be really fun.”

Looking for a video game film that isn't terrible? Here are the best video game movies.

Warner Bros. and NetherRealm Studios have announced a holiday-themed event for Mortal Kombat 11, because what better way to celebrate the most wonderful time of year than by ripping a hole through a man and shoving a shotgun through said hole?

There are actually two separate event periods coming to Mortal Kombat 11, both for the Towers of Time mode. The first, called 'Winter Wonderland,' runs from Sunday, December 22 to Friday, December 27. That one will feature "three Towers with holiday-themed modifiers in the form of falling Killer Kanes, Sledding Tarkatans, Parachuting Ginger Deadmen, Exploding Snowmen, Christmas Trees, Menorahs, Dreidels and Shooting Stars."

The 'Ring in the New Year' Tower event runs from December 28 through January 2, featuring "three Towers allowing players to usher in the new decade with party-themed modifiers, including a Disco Ball, Champagne Bottles, Party Poppers, Fireworks, and a Digital Countdown Clock to ring in the new year."

You don't need to spend a dime to participate in the Mortal Kombat 11's two holiday events, and doing so earns you experience, skins, player module pieces, and consumables. Seems like a win-win and the bloodiest possible way to celebrate the holidays and ring in the new year.

NetherRealm is also working toward bringing crossplay to Mortal Kombat 11, with testing currently underway for Xbox One and PS4. No word on whether the Switch and PC versions will be included just yet.

Mortal Kombat 11 more than earned its spot in our ranking of the best games of 2019. 

Mortal Kombat 11 will soon support crossplay between PS4 and Xbox One, NetherRealm Studios has announced.

We don't have a release window yet, but we know "krossplay" is only being implemented for the PS4 and Xbox One versions of Mortal Kombat 11 as of now. Crossplay is also being restricted to Online Kasual modes for now, but it's a triumph for fans to see Mortal Kombat 11 open up a huge pool of new players on PS4 and Xbox One.

The way it works is fairly simple: enabling the Krossplay option via the Online menu will open up matchmaking to any player on Xbox One or PS4 in Online Kasual modes. Additionally, designated Krossplay rooms will allow Xbox One and PS4 players to coordinate outside the game and meet up in a specific room to play together.

All progress, unlocks, and purchases are still exclusive to the platform and account you started with, and nothing can be transferred to other platforms.

You'll be able to tell if you're up against a player on a different platform by the crossed-arrows icon on their Kombat Kard, whereas a player using the same console will indicate as much in the same space.

As mentioned earlier, it isn't clear exactly when crossplay will go live in Mortal Kombat 11, but a tweet from NetherRealm Studios says it'll be tested in the latest patch in beta form.

Once you get tired of bloodying each other up across platforms, you and your friends can make up with the 25 best co-op games to play right now. 

Mortal Kombat 11 director Ed Boon took to Twitter on Wednesday to troll fans about a potential Pennywise DLC reveal. The post includes a picture with Bill Skarsgard's Pennywise next to Joaquin Phoenix's Joker, who appears to be giving the amorphous clown directions. And according to the caption, those directions point directly to Mortal Kombat, but the accompanying hashtag makes it clear that we can't get too excited just yet. 

As you can see, the hashtag reads "Pennywise not confirmed just having fun," pouring buckets of cold water on a crossover that would be a surefire win with fans. Still, Boon doesn't rule out bringing Pennywise to Mortal Kombat 11, and he's even expressed interest in doing so in the past - when a fan asked about a potential crossover on Twitter, Boon responded with a link to Stevie Wonder's 'I Wish.'

Unfortunately, if there's any chance Pennywise the Dancing Clown could still come to Mortal Kombat 11, it won't be for quite some time. NetherRealm Studios and WB Games confirmed the entire roster of DLC characters coming to Mortal Kombat 11's first Kombat Pack, and it stretches into 2020 with no mention of Pennywise. Shang Tsung, Nightwolf, and Terminator have all since been added, and we're still waiting on Sindel, Joker, and Spawn.

At best, we'll see Pennywise join the roster in the second Kombat Pack, and at worst Boon is just exercising his trolling skills. And somewhere in-between, maybe we can at least get a Pennywise skin for Baraka.

With or without Pennywise, Mortal Kombat 11 is best experienced in glorious 4k - here's where to find the best Black Friday TV deals. Or if you're feeling merciful, look up how to do Mortal Kombat 11 Mercy finishers here!

Mortal Kombat 11's free trial gives you the chance to try before you buy between October 11 to 14. Over the weekend, you'll be able to access limited versions of Mortal Kombat 11's single-player and multiplayer modes on PS4 and Xbox One, and you'll even have the chance to play as the most recent DLC characters in one mode.

Starting Friday, anyone with a PS4 or Xbox One can hop into the acclaimed Mortal Kombat 11 and access two chapters of the story mode, 1v1 with base roster, The Krypt, Fatality Training, and Towers of Time, the latter of which you can play using Terminator, Nightwolf, and Shang Tsung.

If you like what you play, you'll have a limited time to buy Mortal Kombat 11 at 40% off, which is an incredible deal if you weren't sure. For Xbox One, you'll need to hit the Microsoft store between October 11 and 20; for PS4, you'll find it on the Sony store until November 1; and for Switch, you'll need to visit the eShop between October 15 and 21.

The latest DLC character to join Mortal Kombat 11's roster is Arnold Schwarzenegger as the Terminator, which you'll have access to for free this weekend. I haven't had the chance to download it yet, but I was impressed by the footage shown in the latest trailer, especially when it sheds its skin and becomes the T-800 endoskeleton.

We included Mortal Kombat 11 in our list of the best games of 2019 (so far).

The Terminator T-800 is making its debut on Mortal Kombat 11 October 8 for Kombat Pack owners and for everyone else October 15, and at last we have our first look at how the extinction-bound android operates in a match. The T-800 moves with its signature lumbering gait and dispatches enemies with the same cold determination and cutthroat technique we've grown to know and love throughout the Terminator franchise.

Lead character artist Brendan George took to the PlayStation blog to reveal the gameplay trailer along with some new skins for Terminator and other characters. He also took the time to detail chunks of the process and inspiration behind bringing Terminator and its variants to Mortal Kombat 11.

"The team added a lot of new features, pushing everything to its technical limits to make all gameplay, intros, victories, Fatal Blows and Fatalities feel truly impressive," George says. "The character team worked hard to not only add new systems for all the Terminator dismemberment and Krushing Blow content, but to also add new features enabling the addition of decal elements. These allowed us to give the Terminator several different shirt options."

The trailer also showcases a mechanic that lets players briefly play as the T-800 endoskeleton. This makes the player seemingly invincible to enemy attacks but can only be activated at low health during the final round and with the right move equipped. You'll also have access to "younger" and "battle-damaged" Terminator skins when the DLC releases later this month.

In the meantime, here are the 25 best fighting games for when you just want to punch things. 

The final characters in Mortal Kombat 11's Kombat Pack DLC are officially announced, and they're as quirky as we've come to expect from the franchise that let us fight as the Predator. Joining the DLC ranks are Arnold Schwarzenegger's T-800 Terminator, Batman's nemesis the Joker, evil queen of the Outworld Sindel, and Todd McFarlane's comic book hero, Spawn. Check out the trailer for the Kombat Pack below: 

The quartet will join the already-released Shang Tsung and Nightwolf, confirming the veracity of a leak we reported on back in June. The Nintendo Switch datamine showed a handful of new characters in the game's source code. Included in the leak, but not in this Kombat Pack, was Ash (likely from the Evil Dead franchise), Sheeva, and Fujin. No word yet on whether or not those characters will be included in the second set of DLC, but it's likely.

Arnold Schwarzenegger's silver fox Terminator is clearly a tie-in with the upcoming Terminator: Dark Fate flick (opening November 1 in the US and October 23 in the UK), which will reportedly ignore all the Terminator sequels save for Judgement Day. Obvious Cinematic connection aside, the T-800 is a great addition to the Mortal Kombat franchise, as the two go together like Linda Hamilton and shirts that show off her biceps. 

The Joker's addition is a fun one as well, even if this version of the Joker looks a bit… young? He's carrying an impressive-looking walking stick, bringing to mind all the possibilities for some gnarly Fatalities. 

Rounding out the group is the iconic Mortal Kombat fighter Sindel and the edgy hero Spawn. 

Arnie's salt-and-pepper T-800 will be available on October 8, Sindel will jump into the fray on November 26, college freshman Joker will cackle into the game on January 28, and Spawn will drop on March 17. 

If this doesn't scratch your fighting itch, check out the 25 best fighting games to play right now.

Warner Bros. Interactive and NetherRealm studios has announced that EDM DJ Dimitri Vegas and Iceland-born strongman and Game of Thrones actor Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson will face off in two different live Mortal Kombat 11 matchups at Gamescom 2019.

The first match, "The Music vs. the Muscle," will be shown only to Gamescom attendees at the Google Stadia consumer booth on August 22 at 4:30pm CEST/10:30am EST. This is the first time Mortal Kombat 11 will be playable on Stadia, and fans can get their hands on it at the consumer booth during regular Gamescom show hours.

The two celebs will face off again on August 22 at 5:30pm CEST/11:30am EST at the Xbox Open Doors fan experience, but this time the matchup will be livestreamed on Mixer and the NetherRealm Twitch Channel. The stream will also debut the trailer for the Dimitri Vegas Sub-Zero skin (which looks exactly like you'd think it would). Mortal Kombat 11 owners can get the skin the same day the trailer drops on PS4, Xbox One, PC, and Nintendo Switch. Gamescom attendees can also play the newest DLC character, Nightwolf, at the Xbox Open Doors event from August 21 to August 23. 

Dimitri Vegas is best known as one half of the EDM duo Dimitri Vegas and Like Mike, and Icelandic strongman Björnsson will forever be remembered as the Mountain from HBO's Game of Thrones, or the man who crushed Oberyn Martell's head like a grape (spoilers?). I'm tuning in just to see how ridiculously tiny a controller must look in The Mountain's hands. 

Gamescom 2019 kicks off in Cologne, Germany on August 19 with Geoff Keighly's Opening Night Live event and runs until August 24. Stay tuned for all of our exclusive coverage of the event.

For a preview of the newest DLC fighter, check out Mortal Kombat 11's Nightwolf gameplay trailer features animal spirits and a lightning tomahawk.

 The ever-expanding Mortal Kombat 11 roster has added another fighter to its Kombat Pack release: the fierce shaman Nightwolf, last seen in 2011’s Mortal Kombat. 

According to his official background story, Nightwolf was born as Grey Cloud, and is “a proud and fierce warrior dedicated to the cause of good and chosen by the Great Spirit to become the Matoka tribe’s champion and protector.” In Nightwolf’s last Mortal Kombat appearance, he sacrificed himself in a ritual to defeat Sindel, Kitana’s mother. Funnily enough, Sindel will also be offered in the Kombat Pack DLC. Perhaps a rematch is on the horizon?

Nightwolf’s signature lightning-summoning tomahawk is back, as well as his rib-shattering shoulder charge, and his ghostly bow-and-arrow. But NeatherRealm Studios has added a new ability to his arsenal – Nightwolf can summon the spirits of the wolf, eagle, and bear to help him in battle. Based on the gameplay trailer, it seems like the bear can deflect projectiles, the wolf increases attack speed, and the eagle can be launched at an opponent. Nightwolf’s Final Blow has him call on the power of both the wolf and the bear, before launching three green arrows at your opponent. After that, he embeds his tomahawk into their neck and uses it to channel lightning through them. As far as the Fatality goes, let’s just say it involves a tomahawk to the lower jaw, which is quickly removed from the rest of your opponent’s face. 

Nightwolf is available as part of the six-character DLC Kombat Pack, which also includes new skins and different gear sets, all released over a period of time. So far the confirmed fighters in the Kombat Pack are Nightwolf, Shang Tsung, Spawn, and the aforementioned Sindel. Rumor has it that Ash Williams from the Evil Dead franchise and the Terminator himself will be the final two downloadable characters. If you already own the $39.99/£33 GBP Kombat Pack, Nightwolf will be available on August 13. If you don’t, you can download the character as of August 20.

Mortal Kombat 11 is available for the Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One. 

In the mood for more violence? Check out the 25 best fighting games to play right now.

Mortal Kombat 11's Sonya is reaching deep into the closet for her latest skin, a throwback to the Sonya of yesteryear available exclusively to Kombat Pack owners today. Along with Sonya's new retro outfit, today's update also gives those who bought into the Kombat Pack DLC access to Nightwolf, the newest addition to the Mortal Kombat 11 character roster.

The last-minute announcement of Sonya's new skin is a nostalgia-inducing, and welcome, surprise to long-time fans of Mortal Kombat and Kombat Pack owners. The new outfit is a laser-accurate callback to Sonya's appearance in Mortal Kombat 3 from 1995, complete with the 90s-tastic headband, earrings, and green/white sports bra. With any luck, this is a sign of more throwback skins to come for classic characters in the Mortal Kombat 11 roster.

Nightwolf is the second of six DLC characters to be released with the Mortal Kombat 11 Kombat Pack, the first being Shang Tsung, who was released back in June. Kombat Pack owners have access to the DLC characters a week before everyone else, giving them time to master them before they're available to the masses. That means Nightwolf will be available to those of us without the Kombat Pack DLC on August 20.

Mortal Kombat 11 developer NetherRealm Studios has a big, long-term schedule in mind to keep their latest fighting game fresh for years to come, literally. Shortly after the game released this April, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president David Haddad said that Mortal Kombat 11 that they and NetherRealm will continue to support Mortal Kombat 11 with "years of content," seemingly in the form of new characters and skins.

Just getting into Mortal Kombat 11? Be sure to check out our best tips for success.

Tutorials in fighting games are usually an afterthought, seemingly designed as a kind of Captcha. Can you walk forward and backward? Throw a punch? Lovely stuff – you're clearly a human, and are now free to be torn apart by frame-data mathematicians via the power of the Internet. It’s maddening, especially in the online era (The Mortal Kombat 11 couchplay options have been significantly reduced in favour of it: Happily, the netcode has come on significantly since the series' last entry). Gone are the days when you’d get trounced by someone standing or sitting directly beside you, before turning to them and demand they teach you what buttons they're pressing to bounce your Baraka around in the corner like an ugly tennis ball.

Fighting games are tense, delicate matches of speed-chess. If we're teaching newcomers to simply take their knight and bash it around the board until the opponent's pieces clatter to the floor, they might have five seconds of fun – against a savvier foe, they'll be at a loss as to how they've been bested, and won't return to repeat the humiliation.

Points to Mortal Kombat 11 for effort, then. Its tutorial system means well, and goes some distance towards challenging Skullgirls' for one of the most involved digital dojos in the genre. Not that the basic lessons do much to educate. There's the usual business of movement, blocking and throws. Then, a glimmer of hope. "Your opponents will attempt to mix low and overhead attacks to get past your defense," the tutorial explains. We expect to see something like Skullgirls, where we must block combo strings to prove we’ve mastered the concept. Instead, we can progress by blocking attacks one at a time until we total five. Then we're told to "use what [we've] learned to defeat Sub Zero", who fights like a heavily sedated bag of sausages. The lesson ends, and we've learned nothing.

Spoils of war

In more advanced lessons, hidden among menus, explanations arrive – when to avoid projectiles and when to block them, or the damage benefits of mixing up specials – alongside two useful methods of teaching combo timing. But the first impression, which will no doubt be the only thing the majority sees, does little to prepare us for online play.

So what’s the solution? There’s a fine idea in Mortal Kombat 11 locking certain rewards behind tutorial completion: you’ll need to run them all if you want the Shao Khan announcer voice, and each section you clear grants ten Time Krystals (although the game’s stinginess with this purchasable currency is perhaps holding players to ransom rather than encouraging a desire to learn).

Something drastic and more interactive has to happen – perhaps introducing another experienced human player in the tutorial via some kind of sherpa system, with the veteran being rewarded handsomely for taking part. We'd love to see tutorial updates as balancing changes the meta. With the advent of tech such as machine learning, maybe there’s even a future in which a tutorial adapts to and commentates on fights, and you can hit a button to pause the action and be told why you've just been hit in the face. Indeed, there are the beginnings of this in Mortal Kombat 11, with pop-ups heralding a 'punish' or a 'breakaway'.

Still, tutorials are expensive enough to build as it is, which is why they plummet to the bottom of devs' priority lists. But without adequate in-game tutorials, we're more likely to lose the next generation of enthusiasts. Nobody's likely to make a one-size-fits-all tutorial, every game's rules being different. One of Mortal Kombat 11's tutorials teaches us jump-in attacks, blasphemy in Street Fighter, and while zoning gets its due, Mortal Kombat's structural issues mean 'footsies' (throwing out less risky attacks to judge space) can't be taught, as it barely exists here. One thing's certain: there's no replacement for a human sensei, and the more fighting-game tutorials can do to incorporate them, the better.

For more features like the one you've just read, be sure to check out the Edge magazine channel page here on GamesRadar or visit MyFavouriteMagazines to check out the latest subscription offers. 

Learning how to perform a Mortal Kombat 11 Mercy is always worth it - either because you're feeling compassionate or just want to humiliate an opponent. Netherrealms latest has introduced a system where players can forgive the opposition in the Mortal Kombat 11 Fatality screen to bring them back to life for another scrap. Clearly this is only for players who are confident in their abilities, or want to show respect to another player after a brilliant bout. Regardless of your disposition, in this guide we’re going to show you what a Mortal Kombat 11 mercy does to your opponent and how to perform one, with specific instructions per your chosen platform. 

What is a Mercy in Mortal Kombat 11

Originating in Mortal Kombat 3 circa 1995, a Mercy is a series of inputs that afford your beaten opponent with an extra sliver of health once it’s been drained by your attacks. After a successful input your opponent will receive a negligible amount of health back and you’ll start fighting once more.You can’t perform consecutive mercy inputs if you succeed in this extra fight, but you can perform a fatality once you’ve beaten them if you really want to rub salt in the wound.

How to perform a mercy in Mortal Kombat 11

After you’ve beaten your opponent twice (you’ll know when ‘FINISH HIM’ emblazons your screen) stay vigilant as this will be your window to perform a mercy. Now the tactic is different per platform, so we’re going to leave you with a handy list to show you how to do it depending on your controller type. The most important thing to note is that you must distance yourself from your opponent by half the screen for this to work, so if you’re up close walk it back. 

PS4 Controller: Hold L2, press down on the D-pad 3-4 times and release L2

Xbox One Controller: Hold LT, press down on the D-pad 3-4 times and release LT

Nintendo Switch: Hold ZL, press down on the D-pad 3-4 times and release ZL

If you perform this input properly, your opponent should be revived in an instant, ready for you to pummel them once more. This should give you a healthy finisher bonus, especially if you win and perform another fatality move!

Shang Tsung, Nightwolf, Sindel, Todd McFarlane’s Spawn, and two mystery fighters are the first batch of DLC fighters coming to Mortal Kombat 11. A new trailer showcases Shang Tsung in action and promises that more fighters—possibly the Terminator and Ash from Evil Dead—are coming.

Players who purchased the Kombat Pack will get to play as Shang Tsung early on June 18.

The trailer also confirmed the long rumored additions of Spawn and other characters. Early leaks for DLC characters included Sindel, Nightwolf, Spawn, and currently unconfirmed characters like the Terminator and the Joker. The accuracy of the leak so far makes it likely that we'll get Batman's arch nemesis in the fighter soon.

Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who played Shang Tsung in the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie adaptation, is reprising his role as the sorcerer. You can even see him saying his classic phrase "your soul is mine," in the trailer. A classic throwback to a moment from the movie that's still popular today.

The short trailer shows off Shang Tsung's impressive ability to take the form of other fighters. We see him morph into Rain, Reptile, Ermac, and Smoke while fighting Raiden. His fatal blow sees him take the abilities of Sub-Zero, Scorpion, and Noob Saibot. It's an exciting way to kick off the post launch support for Mortal Kombat 11.

The Mortal Kombat 11 Kombat Pack is $39.99 on each platform. It gives players six new characters, early access to each fighter, and character skins and gear. We'll hopefully get final confirmation on who the rest of the DLC fighters are soon. 

Want to cut straight to the goriness that is Mortal Kombat 11? Then checkout the 10 goriest Mortal Kombat 11 fatalities and how to pull them off.

With all of the brutal finishes and slick combos, sometimes you forget to really take in the surroundings of a stage in Mortal Kombat 11. Well, thanks to a rather neat camera mod you can truly appreciate the stage designs like never before. As spotted by Eurogamer, YouTuber DennisNetwork has uploaded a series of videos to show off some of the stages they can freely explore using the mod - which is not yet released to the public.

In the first upload you can take a look at the Tournament stage as the camera gets up close to the audience who appear to be missing their legs. And you can check out what the stage looks like from a birds eye view above the stage. 

Fancy a tour around Shang Tsung's Ruined Island? Here you can get closer to those lifeless figures than you really might want to. 

You can also take a detour around Black Dragon Fight Club and get a peek at all the bottles lining up the bar to get your drinks order in. And, uh, see a guy peeing in a urinal just because you can. 

They also explored the Cyber Lin Kuei Assembly to take a closer look at the creepy arena and the Cyber Lin Kuei being built first-hand. 

Given what's written in DennisNetwork's video descriptions, you may be in a for a bit of wait if you want to try it out for yourself: “The mod is not ready to be released to the public because I still have some kinks to work out. Please be patient and enjoy the video”.

Still, it’s really interesting to eye up some of the details and pieces which you might otherwise miss as you’re throwing your razor sharp hat at someone’s face, or giving them a swift uppercut with a well-performed combo. 

Want to master more fatalities? Here's our list of the 10 goriest Mortal Kombat 11 fatalities and how to pull them off. 

To the surprise of no one, Mortal Kombat 11 is an exceedingly gory game. It may well be the goriest game ever made. Where else can you see faces pulled off, punched out, and peeled like a dang onion so closely and in such lurid detail? DOOM (2016) comes to mind, but seeing demons ripped apart just doesn't make the ol' toes curl quite like seeing a human being turned into a modern art installation. Case in point: this elderly couple's reaction to Mortal Kombat 11 Fatalities.  

This video comes courtesy of the couple's son, YouTuber and horror enthusiast Mark Petrie. It's clear from the start that these folks have no idea what they're getting into, and it's equally clear that Petrie delights in their haplessness. I can relate - the first thing I did after seeing the Mortal Kombat 11 Fatality trailer was show it to my dad, who laughed his ass off. Petrie's parents react with incredulity, but also with genuine horror, and understandably so. If you don't have any context for Mortal Kombat's borderline obsession with exquisitely rendered gore, I imagine it can be overwhelming, especially seeing it marathoned like this. Hell, it can be overwhelming even in context. 

That being said, here are a few of my favorite things these nice parents say throughout this video:  

• "Gah, look at his spine there." 
• "Oh you've gotta be kidding." 
• *in a hushed tone* "Lunchmeat." 
• "That's no way to treat a woman."
• "One of those moves is fatal, you don't have to do 20 of 'em."
• "He's only got half a body." 
• "Oh that's like The Thing." 
• "You promise I'm not going to have nightmares tonight?" 

I'd like to say 'oh that's nothing, I've seen worse,' but quite frankly, I haven't seen worse. The eyeball scene in Dead Space 2 and the finger scene in Heavy Rain are pretty bad, don't get me wrong, but Mortal Kombat 11 is on another level of gore. Good on Petrie's parents for making it to the end. Maybe just treat the experience as a vaccine against gruesome horror flicks. 

Here are some Mortal Kombat 11 tips to help you out as you dive into its brutal, brilliant fighting.  

After 27 years of the series Mortal Kombat 11 fatalities have evolved into monstrosities that overshadow the game itself. These moves showcase insane amounts of blood and gore in creative ways that completely dismember the opposing fighter. They are a spectacle to watch. 

We've put together a list of the top ten Mortal Kombat 11 fatalities shown, but be warned that it's not for the squeamish. Each fatality can be performed at the end of a battle and we've listed the input for each incase you want to try them out yourself (PS4 controls are included, use the equivalent buttons on the Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, and PC versions).

Who Hired This Guy?

Johnny Cage is a classic Mortal Kombat fighter and he's all kinds of old in the latest game. So much so that his uppercut isn't what it used to be. The movie star's best fatality shows him struggling to punch the head off his opponent-- with cuts from an off screen director in between each punch. It's a fun break from all the intensity and a call back to a classic arcade glitch which could see removed heads replaced, and even knocked off a second time. It's my favorite in the entire game. 

Input (close range): forward, down, forward, square

Death Trap

Erron Black is one of the best characters in Mortal Kombat 11, he's got great range and power with a killer outfit. His fatalities are both brutal takedowns with his rifle and revolvers, but the second one, Death Trap, shows the cowboy put a hole in the opponent's belly, shove his gun through that hole and then pull the trigger. You can imagine, or watch, the rest. 

Input (mid range): down, forward, down, triangle

Ice-Cutioner

Sub-Zero's first fatality is pretty straight forward. He freezes his enemies entire body up to their head, pulls out his ice axe, and unceremoniously removes their head. You'd think that be enough but afterwards he picks up their head, freezes it, and smashes it in his hand. It's chillingly brutal. 

Input (mid range): back, forward, back, triangle

Belly of the Beast

Liu Kang must be good at Fruit Ninja since that's basically what his best fatality comes down to. Kang starts of with a series of kicks and one big uppercut that completely obliterates his enemy—sending body parts flying up. He then takes out his nunchucks and destroys each bit of falling human debris. I thought you were chill Liu!

Input (mid range): back, down, back, forward, triangle

New Species

D'vorah is a disgusting character so it make sense that her fatality is equally as disgusting as her. She literally grabs her opponent's head and force feeds them a swarm of insects that come pouring out of her mouth. The enemy's body then thrives on the floor before huge pincers spring out—as if the body itself became... a new species. 

Input (close range): back, forward, back, x

You're Next

It's safe to say that Scorpion knows how to use his equipment. This fatality shows the fire warrior using his flames to cut people in half, leaving only their spine intact. He then chops of their head and drives his chain weapon through their lifeless face. If there is a worse way to go out, I'm not sure I want to know what it is. 

Input (long range): back, down, down, square

Kat Food

Kotal Kahn is one buff piece of work. Outside of having huge pecs to go alongside his massive sword, he can transform into a black jaguar and pounce on his enemies. His fatality, Kat Food, features him slicing up his opponent with his blade before ripping out vital organs as the jaguar. Pretty tame, as far as Mortal Kombat goes, but awesome nonetheless. 

Input (close range): back, forward, back, forward, square

Phasing Through Time

Geras is one of the newest faces in Mortal Kombat 11, you'll fight him several times throughout the campaign. He's supposed to be unkillable (due to his time manipulation abilities and relationship with Kronika) as he gets stronger every time you defeat him. His fatality, Phasing Through Time, makes good use of his time travelling abilities as he jumps to multiple sides of his opponent as he punches them into oblivion. 

Input (mid range): back, down, down, x

Good and Evil

Cetrion is another one of the new fighters in Mortal Kombat 11. She's one of the Elder Gods that have supreme omnipotence in the Mortal Kombat universe, although she feels underpowered with that in mind. Her fatality isn't, however. The Good and Evil move see Cetrion grow as big as Earthrealm itself and blast her enemies with a beam of light.

Input (mid range): back, down, back, x 

Kronika's Rage

Kronika isn't playable in Mortal Kombat 11 without a mod, but you can still see her fatalities during the final fight in story mode. She puts up a tough fight to close out the game and if she beats you she'll perform one of her two fatalities. The more brutal one sees her rip apart opponents at the waist, put them back together, and then rip him in half a second time from head to toe. 

Alternatively, if you want to spare your opponent, check out how to do Mortal Kombat 11 Mercy finishes!

The initial reaction to the Mortal Kombat 11 grind and microtansations was far from positive, and NetherRealm Studios made changes almost as soon as the game released. Fighting through the Tower of Time is still pretty tough, as is getting koins while wandering through the Krypt can leave you feeling unsatisfied with the rewards. Which isn't great considering gear and unlocks are some of the best parts of Mortal Kombat 11. 

If you want to reduce the Mortal Kombat 11 grind and avoid microtansations then we've put together a list of tips to help you get the most out of Mortal Kombat 11. Have funs, get koins, and unlock sweet gear. 

Play through your favorite fighters character specific tutorial

Take the time to play through your favorite fighters tutorial and go over specific moves, combos, and nuances . You may not learn much if you're a veteran of Mortal Kombat, but finishing each one nets you a unique skin. It's one of the only easy ways to get a skin and you shouldn't pass up the opportunity.

Just navigate over to the tutorial section on the main menu and find the fighters you're interested in. It should only take a few minutes. The rest is self explanatory.

Play through the story mode first

The story mode is a huge blast to play through and it only lasts around five or six hours. You'll gain rewards after each fight that include minor items, a fair amount of koins, and a few other unlocks. I racked up over 80,000 koins after my first playthrough. Not a ton of dough in the long run, but it's good enough for a handful of chests in the Krypt. 

Explore the Krypt to gain thousands of koins

The Krypt is a third person explorative adventure all it's own. You'll walk around through basic environments, open chests with koins earned in other modes, and solve basic puzzles. 

You can unlock tens of thousands of koins from opening up new areas in the Krypt. If you walk to the left in the second room you'll find a breakable wall. Smash through it with the hammer, walk up to the giant gong in the centre of the area and hit it. You'll net an easy 25,000 koins from that alone. There are several other similar tasks you can do to earn similar amounts as well. 

Focus on unlocking fatalities in the Krypt

Chest throughout the Krypt all have various costs ranging from cheap 1,000 koin boxes to more luxurious 15,000 koin diamond studded jewellery containers. The more you spend on the chests, the more likely you are to get a better item. Spend more than 10,000 koins and you have a better chance at grabbing a skin while spending less might only net you cosmetic items, artwork, fatalities, brutalities, and other minor items. 

There are some random elements involved when opening them so it still could be a struggle to get a specific skin. The best you can do is adjust how much you spend based on what you're after. 

Grab character specific gear by playing through the tower

Everyone wants to deck out their character to make it unique and personal, no one wants to waste time unlocking chests that give you something for Kitana. You've always had a fancy for Kano and you want gear for him. Luckily, you can unlock character-specific gear like skins, helmets, intros, and victory scenes by playing through each character-specific tower. 

The towers are quite the steep challenge though, the balance patch helped ease some of the over-the-top enemy AI but it's still not a walk through the park. Even you're AI fighters will have hard time finishing everything off. 

Try going through the advanced tutorials to help you improve your game before gunning for those precious skins. 

You can get skip tokens in the Krypt

Skip tokens help you pass up difficult fights in the tower of time. They are extremely rare but can be found within the Krypts chests and other pickups. If you're trying to take on a especially tough tower, give the idol outside the warrior shrine 1,000 koins. It always has a change to spit out a skip koin, but it isn't guaranteed. 

AI fighters can fight through towers for you

If you want to sit back and watch someone else fight through a tough tower fight for you then tap out. You can choose 'AI fighter' during the character select screen and get some help from the computer. You can design the AI's look and style through the AI behaviour option. This is a nifty way to farm loot if you don't mind sitting on the couch for a few hours. All you'll need to do is hit the continue button when prompted. 

Be sure to check for awards if you play offline

Mortal Kombat 11 doesn't require an constant connection to enjoy, but you won't be able to redeem your rewards unless you connect to the internet. If you play through several story missions while offline, for example, you'll need to jump over to the notifications tab in through the kombat kard menu. You can then redeem any rewards you gained while playing offline quick and easily. It's a simple thing that's easy to forget.

Feeling generous? Check out our guide on how to do Mortal Kombat 11 Mercy finishers!