Check out the gameplay reveal for Conan the Barbarian in MK1:

Here’s the official description:

Crush your enemies and see them driven before you. Conan THE Barbarian joins Mortal Kombat for early access players on January 21. May Crom help us all.

Conan will be available with the Khaos Reigns expansion, Bundle, or Kollection. Players can also buy him individually via the store.

As far as the character goes, it does look like a lot of his moves mostly consist of using the Atlantean Sword. In real life, the sword was said to have weighed 9 pounds and was said to have been pretty impractical for a weapon, but considering how huge Schwarzenegger was at the time, it would make sense for his Conan to wield such a massive weapon.

With Conan joining the game, Mortal Kombat adds another 80s icon to its roster. While some people may think Conan as a playable character is rather random, it does make sense with the meta-context that MK was supposed to be an adaptation of the 80s film Bloodsport—which explains the franchise’s connection to 80s action cinema. That’s why characters like Robocop, John Rambo, the Predator, and a Xenomorph have made it to the game.

Who knows, maybe in the next 10 years there could be a playable John Wick down the line or maybe characters from other bloody franchises like Resident Evil or Elden Ring.

Mortal Kombat 1 is now playable for PC, Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. Conan drops on Jan. 21.

Now NetherRealm has dropped a look at the gameplay for Peacemaker, and it’s just John Cena up to his usual shenanigans. Check this out:

Mortal Kombat already has their cop character in the form of Stryker, but Peacemaker is different in that he has ‘powers’ that come from his specialized helmet which he also uses alongside more traditional weapons.

If you’ve also seen the Max series, you’ll know that Peacemaker also comes with his pet Eagly which he can use to delve out attacks in the game like an extra Kameo fighter.

As far as his characterization goes, Peacemaker is pretty much a suped-up child of the 80s, what with his obsession with big muscles, guns, and 80s hair metal. We don’t know what kind of alternate skins the game has for him, but I imagine they can go crazy with a variety of helmets as well as an unmasked version to show off that John Cena face model.

We don’t know if any other DC characters will be coming to MK1 down the line, but we do know everyone is now looking for the next drop, Homelander from The Boys, maybe sometime around June.

Peacemaker comes to Mortal Kombat 1 on Feb. 28 for Early Access, but will be available for everyone come March 6. Mortal Kombat 1 is now playable for Xbox Series X|S, PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Check out the first look at Omni-Man voiced by J.K. Simmons:

The realms will tremble under the weight of the Viltrum Empire. Omni-Man approaches our timeline.

Anyone who’s seen Invincible will know that a lot of Omni-Man’s moves are drawn from scenes from the series; from him holding up a person to run through a train, to him squeezing a head open till it explodes. They even have him punching someone relentlessly to the ground—like he does with Invincible in the show.

I doubt they added the “Think, Mark, think!” meme to it though.

Besides the scenes from the show, we should expect Omni-Man to play just like Superman, what with his flight abilities and speed. It’s just a question of how the game is going to differentiate him from another upcoming hero Homelander (The Boys) who essentially has the same ‘evil Superman’ schtick. I guess the main difference is that Omni-Man actually is fighting for something other than himself, while Homelander is a crazy sociopath.

Omni-Man is expected to launch with the incoming Kombat Pack which is set to come out this November. Mortal Kombat 1 is now available for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

With the release of the rebooted timeline soon, NetherRealm Studios has revealed their alternate skin for Johnny Cage that looks and sounds like Jean-Claude Van Damme from Bloodsport of all movies. Check out the reveal:

Essentially, Van Damme’s model has all of Johnny’s moves and fatalities, but he does have a different voice, and he has the face of Van Damme during his prime box office days.

In a way, bringing Van Damme into the game kind of makes MK go full circle after thirty years, finally booking the action star after so long. If anything, it was kind of great that Van Damme refused; because if he didn’t, we would’ve gotten Jean-Claude Van Damme: The Game instead of the 90s icons that are the Mortal Kombat roster.

I’m just crossing my fingers they have an alternate skin of Van Damme as Guile in the Street Fighter movie. Sonic Boom!

It’s In Our Blood. Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and Fatalities!

Watch out for Mortal Kombat 1 when it launches on Sept. 19 for Nintendo Switch, PC, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.

Check out Megan Fox as Nitara:

After almost 17 years, the Vampire of Outworld has graced us with her presence. Megan Fox brings Nitara back to life.

Nitara was a character introduced way back during the 3D era of MK with Deadly Alliance. As the description reads, Nitara is a vampire, but unlike several characters who have their specific allegiances, Nitara is more of a self-serving entity in the game.

While they could have just cast anyone in the role of Nitara, it’s pretty great that they should nab Fox for the role. Though a lot of fans remember her best for being the leading lady of the early Transformers movies, Fox also has cult status with her role in Jennifer’s Body where she becomes a succubus that murders boys in high school.

Though we should always expect classics like Liu Kang, Sub-Zero, and Scorpion to appear in the game, it’s pretty great that characters from the 3D era of MK are now getting their chance to shine. Let’s hope that Fox’s Nitara becomes a fan-favorite for a new generation of gamers.

Watch out for Mortal Kombat 1 when the game launches for PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5 on Sept. 19.

Here’s the new promo starring none other than Guardians of the Galaxy’s Dave Bautista:

And for context, here’s the original ad that was used way back to promote the release of Mortal Kombat 1:

The ad with Bautista is definitely more bombastic, but it’s the same concept of just having random civilians shouting, “Mortal Kombat!” and running to a place getting super-hyped. They’ve also spliced in some clips from the game, but all of that comes in the end.

There is a lot of hype surrounding the release of MK1, especially with an all-new rearranged timeline that puts Liu Kang in the shoes of the new Elder God and Raiden and Kung Lao being his kung fu disciples. Sure, the game has evolved from its B-movie kung fu roots, but who doesn’t love a good action game with a bit of silly violence?

Okay, a lot of silly violence.

It’s In Our Blood. Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and Fatalities!

Watch out for Mortal Kombat 1 when it launches on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 on Sept. 19.

Now thanks to IGN, we have a look at the first 17 minutes of the campaign which not only gives us a look at the gameplay, but as well as the story and where some characters are in Liu Kang’s new reality. Watch this:

It’s still unclear who the villain of the franchise is going to be, but the story does open with the fate of Shang Tsung in this alternate timeline. It looks like he’s been subjected to a life of conning poor Outworlders, but it does seem that the villain from the last game, Kronika, is going to help him re-achieve his full potential.

Besides Shang Tsung, we also get a look at the early parts of Kung Lao’s campaign. It does look like Raiden has now taken the part of Liu Kang as his best friend, and they find themselves clashing with the Lin Kuei. Not only do we get to see the character Smoke, but we also get an appearance from Sub-Zero and Scorpion who are now allies. We don’t exactly know how that happens, but it does seem that the Lin Kuei are a bunch of gangster thugs in this timeline as well.

For only 17 minutes, we actually get a good idea of what to expect with the story, and I’m sure that it’s going to be a fun ride, not only for pro MK players but for anyone following the game’s narrative as well.

Watch out for Mortal Kombat 1 when it launches on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 on Sept. 19.

Check out the new Mortal Kombat 1 trailer which reveals the rulers of Outworld:

With Shao Kahn being demoted to a general, we can now see that the ruler of Outworld has become his wife Sindel. While a lot of people are familiar with how chaotic Outworld was when Shao was running it, it’s going to be interesting to see just how the realm flourished with Sindel on the throne.

Besides Shao and Sindel, the game has also revealed Motaro the centaur, a classic character that was introduced way back in Mortal Kombat III. Though he doesn’t seem to be a playable character, he does show off a lot of his powers from the original game including his teleport ability as well as his tail projectiles.

Raiden (or at least, human Raiden) also gets a chance to shine in the trailer, and his rivalry with Shao is put in the spotlight. Though Raiden has been the ‘mentor’ character of Mortal Kombat for decades, the fact that Liu Kang is now the new protector of Earth Realm means that it’s his turn to show the way for a Raiden reborn.

Though all seems good for a rebooted timeline, I am interested to see just how the conflict will manage to come up once again in new and unexpected ways.

Watch out for Mortal Kombat 1 when it launches on PC, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 on Sept. 19.

Now with the recent reveal for Mortal Kombat 1, it’s been revealed that Reptile can now shift from human and reptile appearance at will. Check this out:

The Mortal Kombat 1 trailer also gives us a look at other returning characters from the 3D era including Havik and Ashrah—both characters who debuted in Mortal Kombat: Deception. Though Havik was known for breaking his body in multiple places, they’ve added the extra quirk that he can tear off and grow body parts. As for Ashrah, they’ve strayed off the ‘female Raiden’ aesthetic embracing something closer to Overwatch’s Mercy with the angelic aesthetic.

As for Reptile, it does seem like a lot of his classic skills are still intact from turning invisible to being able to use acid spit, but this time around, he shifts from his human appearance to reptile form when he uses his powers.

It’s In Our Blood. Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and Fatalities!

Watch out for Mortal Kombat 1 when it launches for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC on Sept. 19.

Watch this:

Geras was a time-manipulating character that used his time powers in battle, and it looks like he’s been given a whole new set of time powers for the sequel/reboot. Storywise, while Liu Kang is seen ‘cleaning up’ the timeline, it’s teased in this trailer that meddling with destiny will have its consequences.

Though most of the preview was focused on the reveal of Geras, the trailer also gives us a hint of the skillset of one Darrius. Just like Tanya, Darrius made his debut in the older 3D MK games, and was introduced in Mortal Kombat: Deception. His skillset isn’t clear yet, but based on how a lot of the other characters are changed, it’s possible they could be doing a complete overhaul of his abilities and characterization.

The Mortal Kombat games may have leaned very heavily on characters that were introduced in the 2D era, but with Mortal Kombat 1, NetherRealm is now delving into the 3D era of their games. The characters may not be as iconic as the likes of Johnny Cage or Shao Khan, but there is a lot of content to mine from around the games that released in the 2000s.

I’m just wondering if there’s going to be room for completely new original characters in this upcoming MK core roster.

Mortal Kombat 1 launches on Sept. 19 for Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch, and PlayStation 5.

Here are the trailers for the new characters coming to the base roster:

And here are the DLC characters which include the rumored Homelander, Peacemaker, and more:

Though the newer games do like to bring back characters from the original 2D era of Mortal Kombat, MK1 is looking to bring back some classic faces from the 3D era of MK, like Li Mei, Tanya, and Darrius. However, it does seem like they are going to be doing some changes with their story, but that’s kind of expected with Liu Kang rebooting the timeline as an Elder God.

As for the Kombat Pack, Homelander, Peacemaker, and Omni-Man are the only non-MK characters joining the roster. We’re also getting the return of Quan Chi, Ermac, and MKX’s Takeda.

As for the Johnny Cage film, here’s the trailer:

It’s unclear exactly where in the animated MK timeline this film will take place, but it’s great that they were able to bring back Joel McHale, who does a great job playing the franchise’s cockiest character. Here’s the official synopsis:

In 1980s Hollywood, action star Johnny Cage is looking to become an A-list actor. But when his costar, Jennifer, goes missing from set, Johnny finds himself thrust into a world filled with shadows, danger and deceit. As he embarks on a bloody journey, Johnny quickly discovers the City of Angels has more than a few devils in its midst. He faces off against a sinister secret society plotting a nefarious scheme, but the brutal fight against the bloodthirsty warriors of the Netherrealm is just beginning. Can Johnny, alongside other Mortal Kombat legends, save humanity…and, more importantly, his career?

Mortal Kombat 1 launches for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch on Sept. 19, and Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match releases on Oct. 17.

While the MK franchise has evolved the characters throughout the decades, we have a new trailer for Mortal Kombat 1 that re-introduces the palette-swap characters Smoke, Rain, Cyrax, and Sektor:

And while she isn’t an original palette-swap ninja, she is a part of the Lin Kuei, so Killer Frost also gets a reveal for this trailer.

Admittedly, there are more palette-swap characters in the game that didn’t appear in the trailer. Other ninjas in that roster include Reptile (Green), Ermac (Red), and Noob Saibot (Black). With Noob being revealed to be a resurrected Sub-Zero, it’s possible the Sub-Zero in the game is the one that’s going to turn into him, seeing that he seems to have his own hidden agenda.

While all these incoming characters look great, I’m sure fans will want to see some new faces in the game. It’s been rumored we’re going to get a character from every generation of the MK  games, but it’s too early to tell if that’s going to be true.

Here’s the official description for the game:

It’s In Our Blood. Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and Fatalities!

Mortal Kombat 1 launches on Sept. 19 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Just in, we have a new gameplay trailer for the game, and it reveals even more returning characters from the klassic titles in the franchise including Jax, Johnny Cage, Kano, and Kenshi. Check this out:

I’ll admit, the marketing does seem kind of confused, with the white tranquillity theme being mixed together with all the blood and gore, but I guess it’s an interesting, different direction as previous MK games have always had shifting tones of dark fantasy.

Other characters that appear, but don’t get the spotlight include Sonya Blade, Goro, and Stryker. While the characters have changed throughout the years, it looks like the game will be embracing their original appearance from the first games.

I guess it’s also worth mentioning that the game will now be taking a leaf out of Marvel vs. Capcom’s book and will be allowing players to call in assists from other characters. I guess it adds to the theme of ‘friendship’ that Liu Kang seems to be fostering, what with the pairings of Raiden and Kung Lao, Scorpion and Sub-Zero, as well as Kitana and Mileena.

It’s In Our Blood. Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and Fatalities!

Mortal Kombat 1 launches on Sept. 19 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.

Watch this:

Here’s the official description:

It’s In Our Blood. Discover a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe created by Fire God Liu Kang. Mortal Kombat 1 ushers in a new era of the iconic franchise with a new fighting system, game modes, and Fatalities!

So far, the characters that seem to be confirmed for the main roster are Liu Kang, a mortal Raiden, Kung Lao, Kitana, Mileena, Sub-Zero, and Scorpion. We also get a look at Shang Tsung, but it seems that he’s going to be a pre-order bonus.

It is kind of odd how the game kind of tries to have a tranquil look at the world with Liu Kang then just turns the violence up to eleven, but it’s honestly one the most unique ways to market a Mortal Kombat game, marking a new era for the story.

Then again, who knows where the franchise is going this time. Fighting and violence has always been at the core of Mortal Kombat, so how would they push forward with Liu Kang expected to be a benevolent god that actually fixed everything?

We’ll just have to wait and see.

Mortal Kombat 1 launches on Sept. 19 with beta access available by August. Pre-orders for the game are available now.