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Mortal Kombat Legacy uppercuts Blu-ray on November 8
Sure, you could watch the entirety of Mortal Kombat Legacy for free on YouTube right now, but who wants to do all of that clicking? That's for chumps -- no, you'd rather pop a nice, neat Blu-ray disc into your preferred player, sit back and soak it all in. You're a connoisseur, after all. And on November 8, you'll be able to do just that when Warner Bros. releases Mortal Kombat Legacy on Blu-ray. High-Def Digest reports that in addition to all nine episodes, there will be a plethora of extras, including behind-the-scenes vignettes, a profile of director (and Mortal Kombat "super fan") Kevin Tancharoen and other exploratory pieces looking at the mythos of Mortal Kombat. All in all, it seems like a pretty decent package for a MSRP of $19.98.
Mortal Kombat dreams up Freddy Krueger trailer, TV spot
One, two, Freddy's coming for you. Three, four, better learn to handle gore. Five, six, add uppercuts to the mix. Seven, eight, better keep practicing fatalities late. Nine, ten, never sleep again.
Ono: Mortal Kombat vs. Street Fighter 'easier said than done'
Speaking with Street Fighter head honcho Yoshinori Ono, PlayStation Blog inquired about the highly sought after, and totally theoretical, fighting game crossover between Mortal Kombat and Street Fighter. As hopeful as fans may be, it's not likely to happen until some significant issues are solved (and until Street Fighter x Tekken is complete). "I understand why people want it, but it's easier said than done," Ono said. "Having Chun Li getting her spine ripped out, or Ryu's head bouncing off the floor ... it doesn't necessarily match." We'd like to say there's a happy middle ground that can be attained to make this crossover possible, but we've seen what compromise has done in the past. The world can ill afford another Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe, after all.
Mortal Kombat compatibility pack injects more Sub-Zero outfits on Aug. 9
The developers at Netherrealm Studios have been diligent in adding more characters to Mortal Kombat, releasing a free compatibility pack (to support online matches) alongside each bloody gush of new content. Creepy Elm Street loiterer Freddy Krueger calls for "Compatibility Pack #4" when he arrives on August 9. Once downloaded, the pack grants access to "Klassic Sub-Zero" (as he appeared in Mortal Kombat 3), and "Retro Cyber Sub-Zero," another cyborg ninja variant and a consistently effective sign that we're talking about video games here. Freddy Krueger is available on Xbox Live and PlayStation Network for $5, or as part of the Mortal Kombat Season Pass for $15.
Mortal Kombat, Lego Pirates of the Caribbean raise Warner Bros. revenues
The "Filmed Entertainment" division of Time Warner -- under which its Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment brand defiantly operates -- saw a revenue increase of 13 percent during the second fiscal quarter (ended June 30, 2011). The $2.8 billion result was "led by growth in video game revenues," attributed primarily to the grosses of Lego Pirates of the Caribbean: The Video Game, and the grossest Mortal Kombat yet. That pair's performance was likely dwarfed by the record-breaking sequels at the cinema: Warner Bros. raked in over $1.5 billion worldwide between Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2 and The Hangover Part II. (But don't tell Green Lantern that.) Operating income for the division dropped by 11 percent from last year to $154 million. According to Warner's statement, higher revenues were offset during the period by elevated advertising costs, restructuring costs, and film-related valuation adjustments. Time Warner as a whole posted a net income of $637 million for the quarter, alongside revenues of $7.03 billion.
EVO 2011 Results Roundup
This year's EVO Championship Series was bonkers, you guys. Not only did MVC legend Justin Wong get perfected into third place during the Marvel vs Capcom 3 grand finals, but The Beast took a bewildering fourth place in Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition, ending two consecutive years of first-place victories. This was also the first EVO ever to feature a Mortal Kombat game, which is a major victory for both NetherRealm Studios and the MK kommunity. Historically, Mortal Kombat titles have never been considered balanced or polished enough to participate in high-level tournaments, and EVO's seal of approval goes a long way in legitimizing Mortal Kombat in the eyes of the fighting community. Check out the highlights reel above for some incredible displays of skill, dedication, and heart, and be sure to peep the full list of winners and finalists after the break.
Watch EVO 2011 Championship Series live on Joystiq, see dudes get punched hundreds of times
Tonight truly is the final fight, as warriors from around the globe prepare to punch-or-be-punched in the EVO 2011 Championship Series finals! Mortal Kombat, Marvel VS. Capcom 3, and Super Street Fighter 4: Arcade Edition finals comprise tonight's action, with special exhibition matches adding flavor to this already delicious knuckle-sandwich. Check out the schedule after the break, and let us know how you feel about competitive-gaming coverage on Joystiq, either in the poll or the comments!
Meet Sektor and Cyrax in Mortal Kombat Legacy's finale
The final episode of the Mortal Kombat Legacy web series can now be watched ... right here! For the ideal Mortal Kombat experience, we suggest yelling "FINISH HIM" before watching the episode, and then spiking your monitor into a river of acid.* *Joystiq is not responsible for any property damage caused by destroying your computer in an effort to symbolically murder a web video series.
NetherRealm considered Michael Myers, Jason as Mortal Kombat DLC
Mortal Kombat's newest kombatant certainly came as a surprise to the seasoned MK vets here at Joystiq; we were expecting Tanya, or maybe even Meat, but Krueger? Dude wasn't even on our radar, let alone our fantasy character selection screens. As out-of-left-field as his inclusion seems to us, series co-founder Ed Boon says that slasher villains have always been on the table as potential new characters. "Over the years, we've certainly had a number of conversations about guest characters," said Boon during an interview with PlayStation Blog. "A number of names were run by us: Jason, Michael Meyers [sic] and all those guys. Freddy Kreuger, we felt, was the most instantly recognizable and he fits in with Mortal Kombat with his claws." We think they made the right choice; why would anyone put the guy from So I Married An Axe Murderer in a Mortal Kombat game?
Freddy Krueger haunting Mortal Kombat August 9
The news of Mortal Kombat's next downloadable brawler, Nightmare on Elm Street antagonist Freddy Krueger, is weird for a number of reasons. First off: It's Freddy Krueger in Mortal Kombat. We didn't know non-gaming murderers were allowed to join the party! Secondly: Wouldn't his inclusion be predicated on the fact that everyone in the Mortal Kombat universe is asleep while they're fighting? That seems like it would be difficult to do. Check out Freddy's appropriately brutal announcement trailer above, and decide whether you're going to grab him from your respective DLC marketplace when he arrives August 9. Update: A Warner Bros. press release has revealed that Freddy will cost 400 Microsoft Points ($4.99), and will be free to Season Pass subscribers. Comic-Con 2011 attendees can check out his sweet, Baraka-esque moves at the GameStop in San Diego's Westfield Horton Plaza between 7 and 10 p.m. PT.
Mortal Kombat trailer makes it Rain
Of all the Mortal Kombat ninjas, Rain is kind of a tough sell. Scorpion can throw fire. Sub-Zero can freeze things. Ermac can summon warrior souls. Meanwhile, Rain can totally shoot water out of his hands and stuff. We're really hoping the next DLC character is Glade, "the ninja that smells good."
100 percent chance of Rain with new Mortal Kombat DLC on July 19
Rain, former denizen of Edenia and walking Prince reference, will be joining the twenty-first century on July 19 as Mortal Kombat's third DLC character. Half god, half severe weather alert, Rain originally debuted in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3. It looks like he's retained all of his old tricks, including his lightning bolt, water levitate, and magical-compulsory-teleportation feet. Rain will be available for 400 MS Points ($5), or as part of the Season Pass.
Insane Mortal Kombat Kabinet shows us what could have been
Save for die-hard enthusiast institutions scattered across the country, North America's casual-arcade scene has all but disappeared. Thankfully, this sad reality hasn't stopped hobbyists from showing us the world that could have been, by creating their own what-if dream machines. Hot on the heels of last week's custom Mortal Kombat 3 Ultimate Edition cabinet comes BadBoyBill's truly stunning kabinet for this year's Mortal Kombat. While last week's (still quite impressive) MK3U cab was an upgraded unit from a bygone era, BBB's creation is an entirely custom-built labor of love, featuring a 42-inch screen and a 10-inch subwoofer. Hit the source link for all the nitty-gritty build details, as well as photos of the unit under construction. [Thanks, Dazzaz!]
PSA: Kenshi slices up Mortal Kombat today
With all of Monday's barbecues, subsequent food comas and fireworks, you may have forgotten all about Kenshi, the blind swordsman with psychic powers. He's available for download today in Mortal Kombat for 400 MS Points ($5). If you've already snagged the Mortal Kombat season pass on Xbox 360, you've already paid for him. Additionally, two more klassic kostumes are up for grabs as part of the free compatibility download: Smoke and Noob Saibot.
Man upgrades Mortal Kombat 3 cabinet with Xbox 360, PDP sticks
Freedom ||ˈfrēdəm || noun. the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint.: He had the freedom to HD-ify his ancient Mortal Kombat arcade cabinet, despite some dubbing it blasphemy.
Free Klassic Noob and Smoke with Mortal Kombat Compatibility Pack 2
NetherRealm Studio's pallet-swap parade continues to march through blood-splattered streets, as July 5 marks the introduction of another set of complimentary Klassic Kostumes for Mortal Kombat's two most gray-scale-iest fighters. Included in the fighter's forthcoming Compatibility Pack 2, designed to make systems ready for the Kenshi DLC dropping the same day, these costumes allow Noob Saibot and Smoke to join in with the rest of the ninja clan's retro reindeer games. With at least two more DLC characters due this year, and with all the ninjas now tastefully dressed, it's unclear whether or not free costumes will continue to be the norm when system updates come to town. For now though, enjoying murdering hundreds of people in a slightly different outfit.
Jon Stewart kombats mortally with Supreme Court decision
Mortal Kombat makes Jon Stewart uncomfortable, and not in the good, pants-region way. Last night on The Daily Show, Stewart dissected the finer points of the United States Supreme Court's recent decision to allow the sale of violent video games to minors, using Noob's ripping-fun fatality on Sonya Blade as a demonstration of Mature material. Stewart noted the courts may regulate sexual material, while extreme violence can now terrorize our children's minds all the legal-long day. Stewart generally offers an open-minded comedic spin to the news, but at the end of the day he's still a middle-aged American man on television, and the sight of a woman's internal organs spilling from her gaping torso never seems to sit well with their kind. But good of him for showing it on basic cable and posting it for free online, where every child with thumbs can now access the gruesome slaughter of a busty blonde woman by two men in black masks. As long as her shirt stays on. [Thanks, Ben!]
Don't turn a blind eye to Mortal Kombat's Kenshi
Some Mortal Kombat fans are willing to accept that Kenshi – available July 5 – is just another dude with a weapon and magical powers. Others, however, demand narrative justification for his participation in the tournament that will decide Earthrealm's fate. For that latter group, here's a trailer.
Kenshi slices into Mortal Kombat July 5
If there's one thing Mortal Kombat has been missing, it's a blind swordsman that uses ghosts to murder people. Thankfully, series-semi-veteran Kenshi will be arriving July 5 to fill that void in our violent little hearts. Check out his ultra-bloody debut trailer after the jump.
Mortal Kombat Skarlet DLC problems reported in North America and Europe [update]
It looks like Skarlet's bloody journey into Mortal Kombat has been a tough one. Downloading the new fighter has been tricky for European PS3 users, specifically because Skarlet was never actually added to the PlayStation Store. Rather than Skarlet, the latest update featured a new costume pack -- which was listed at nearly twice the price of the same pack in the US. Warner Bros. has responded to the issue on Twitter, stating that "some technical issues" caused the problem and that Skarlet will not be available until next week. Furthermore, the price of the costume pack will be corrected to £3.19 in the UK and €3.99 for the rest of Europe. Meanwhile, in North America, users have been reporting that the Kombat Pass isn't functioning properly on Xbox Live. Once redeemed, Skarlet appears on Xbox Live for 1200 MS Points ($15) -- three times the standalone price -- instead of being free. We've contacted Warner Bros. about the issue. In the meantime, Netherrealm Studios community manager Rigo Cortes has posted a workaround on Twitter, stating, "If Skarlet DLC is incorrectly showing up as 1200MS points in the game store, exit the game [and] go to the XBL store [through] the console." Update: Warner Bros. has responded to Joystiq, noting that the problems reported by North American Xbox Live users have been "rectified." Those who ran into issues earlier this week should now find everything as it should be.
