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Portal Kombat proves the cake is a Liu Kang
It's a conundrum that much of the world is facing this week: With Mortal Kombat and Portal 2 now available, which one do you buy? Fortunately, The Game Station has solved that problem by combining the two into Portal Kombat, featuring some gruesome fatalities using Portal technology.
Xbox-exclusive Mortal Kombat fighter discussed, Boon says
With Kratos headlining the Mortal Kombat roster on PS3, it seemed only a matter of time before NetherRealm Studios would announce an Xbox-exclusive character for the ninth installment in the grizzled fighting game series -- except the game's out today. It never happened. "Unfortunately, the circumstances didn't allow us to make a 360 exclusive [character]," MK boss man Ed Boon told Eurogamer. "I'm not allowed to talk too much about it, but I can tell you we certainly wanted to do an exclusive for 360, but that's all I can say." Boon did end up saying a little more, as he hinted that Halo's Master Chief and Gears of War's Marcus Fenix came up as (obvious) choices during discussion. Of course, Chief has been known to "balk at" the invitation to join an exclusive fighting tournament. And we heard that it's in Marcus' contract that any arena he enters has to be cover-based.
Mortal Kombat: Legacy continues in second episode
The first 12 minutes of Mortal Kombat's live-action excitement wasn't enough for you? Perhaps the second episode will help sate your hunger for martial arts mixed with so, so many guns.
Mortal Kombat web series: From leak to Legacy
In June of last year, a video short appeared online under the name "Mortal Kombat: Rebirth." It was a polished, inventive take on the now classic fighting game franchise. Initially, its origins were unknown and fans could only speculate: Was it a clip from a new movie? An elaborate teaser for a new game? Quickly, however, director and choreographer Kevin Tancharoen's name was attached to the project, and then the actress playing Sonya Blade, Jeri Ryan, confirmed on Twitter that it wasn't a trailer at all, but a pitch aimed at Warner Bros. One that wasn't supposed to have been made public. "I wasn't exactly thrilled that it was leaked," Ryan says now, almost a year later. She had done the short as a favor for Tancharoen, whom she knew through a friend. Ryan first heard about the leak from fans while on a movie set in Montreal. "I came to the set, and later that day, there were 3000 tweets saying, 'What is this, what is this, what is this, what is this?' It was just crazy." "It wasn't supposed to go on the internet," reiterates Tancharoen, who had created the short film with his own money to send "out to different producers and things like that." He had uploaded it to YouTube on what he thought was a private page -- and the rest is history. Lucky for Tancharoen, Rebirth did reach Warner Bros. and impressed the studio enough to land the director a gig creating a live-action web series, Mortal Kombat: Legacy, to promote the new game. The first episode premiered today.
First Mortal Kombat: Legacy episode now available
The first episode of Mortal Kombat: Legacy has gotten over here ("here" being "YouTube"). In this first 12-minute installment of the web series, you'll see the secret origins of Kano's robot face parts, Sonya Blade's highly impractical, highly CG cell phone replacement, and oh hey! There's that one guy from Dollhouse. Also, way more shooting than you'd expect from a series based on a fighting game. And though nothing, nothing can prepare you for this show, we've preceded the episode with a new trailer for the series. You can find both after the break.
Mortal Kombat's Shang Tsung featurette will get inside your head
Man, we knew Shang Tsung was a bad dude, but we didn't know he could make people tear their own heads off, as detailed in Mortal Kombat's latest trailer. You know what, Mortal Kombat? We're not sure that's physically possible. We've been trying all morning, but we just end up hurting our hair.
Rumor: Mortal Kombat Xbox 360 exclusives include arena, free DLC character, Avatar support
Ever since revealing Kratos for the PS3 version of Mortal Kombat, Xbox 360 owners have been waiting to hear about platform-exclusive features for Microsoft's console. While NetherRealm Studios and Warner Bros. have yet to confirm anything, Save and Quit has posted up some rumored features -- and no, none of them are a playable Spartan. Outside of an exclusive Puzzle Kombat mode, the Xbox 360 will also get a King of the Hill mode (which features Avatar support) and an arena called The Pit 360, a remake of Mortal Kombat 3's The Pit 3. Additionally, it's reported that DLC character "Lady in Red" will be offered as a free download for Xbox Live users for a limited time following her debut and there will be exclusive Mortal Kombat-themed Avatar gear available for purchase on Xbox Live. None of this is confirmed, of course, but the image above supposedly shows off the King of the Hill mode and some Avatars, giving this rumor just a little hint of validity. We've contacted both NetherRealm and Warner Bros. for comment.
Mortal Kombat web series to debut on April 12
With under two weeks left until the official launch of the new Mortal Kombat, the game's companion live-action web series has been given a premiere date: April 12. According to Hadoken.net, the first episode will be available via Machinima at 4PM PST, following a live stream event. Select actors from the series and show director Kevin Tancharoen will play Mortal Kombat during the stream, and then introduce the episode. We're waiting to hear back from Warner Bros. about the scheduling of the next eight episodes, but we imagine you'll see more around the game's April 19 launch day. For now, we've got the image of two ladies from the film fighting just above. It's the least we could do.
Test your might against these new Mortal Kombat screens
Fresh screens from Mortal Kombat highlight the struggle between Sub-Zero and Mileena, plus those creepy trees with faces -- watching, wishing they had arms and legs. At least that's what we'd like to imagine they're thinking. In reality, their thoughts are probably ... much darker.
Mortal Kombat tournament koming to Bally's Las Vegas May 14-15
Planning to be in Vegas later this summer and know a thing or three about pulling off Fatalities? Good news: PDP Tournaments is coming to Bally's in Las Vegas on May 14 through 15, and is bringing along $21,000 in prize money for a Mortal Kombat tournament. All you need to do to enter is sign up on the event's website (though you'll need to book a place to stay if you're not from around there, of course). The tourney will be played using official PDP Mortal Kombat joysticks, so you've got the option to shell out $129.99 at sign-up for your own to practice on. The event sounds exciting: double elimination over two days of nothing but MK. Good luck to everyone who enters; we'll help you start psyching up right now.
Mortal Kombat soundtrack now available for (blood) streaming
Mortal Kombat and techno music have enjoyed a long history together. Now you can preview the next step in their relationship, as the entire soundtrack to the upcoming Mortal Kombat reboot has been made available through AOL Radio streaming. The album was executive produced by JFK of MSTRKRFT and features 12 tracks based on the game's fighters. See if you can FINISH IT in one sitting.
Mortal Kombat tag team match pits Background against Our Attention
Happy April Brutal Violence Day, everyone! Enjoy some footage of a Mortal Kombat tag team match, featuring Kitana, Mileena, Sindel and Jade. Even though the match has more painful-looking attacks and surprise reversals than the spinoff Mortal Kombackgammon, we found ourselves unable to concentrate on the actual fighting because of the guy in the background performing a resurrection ritual or something. Way to steal the show! Maybe we should let the guy have his moment. It must be hard work to be the "resurrection guy" in the Mortal Kombat universe.
Rumor: Warner Bros. joining 'online pass' camp with Mortal Kombat
Warner Bros. may be following in the (very large) footsteps of Electronic Arts and THQ when it comes to discouraging -- or at least profiting from -- the sale of used games. Joystiq has learned from a tipster that when Mortal Kombat hits shelves on April 19, its box will include an "online pass" token that must be redeemed before playing online. At present, WBIE evidently intends to do the same for its high-profile releases F.E.A.R. 3 and Batman: Arkham City. Since the latter won't feature multiplayer, though, the token would have to unlock some other (equally attractive) content. According to an email obtained from our source, which appears intended for retailers, WBIE won't be promoting the pass -- in fact, no reference to it will appear on the game's packaging. Instead, it is apparently providing retailers with details on the pass, including how to purchase a new one if you're buying a used copy of the game. Unsurprisingly, a new pass will run 800 Microsoft Points / $10 for Xbox 360 and PS3, respectively. As with EA's titles, there will be a free two-day "trial period" before players are prompted to either enter the code or purchase a pass. We've contacted WBIE for comment on this information. You can find an excerpt from the retailer email past the break.
Mortal Kombat's first two downloadable fighters revealed
Wait, you mean to tell us that even though the game hasn't actually come out yet, you're already bored with the roster of fighters included in Mortal Kombat? How is that even possible? Regardless, you don't need to worry -- Netherrealm's Hans Lo recently revealed to CVG that two new kombatants are already in the works for post-launch DLC: Series regular Kenshi, and "Scarlet," a fully fleshed-out character based on a glitch in the old Mortal Kombat arcade machines, which turned Jade, Kitana and Milena blood red. Lo explained, "People always thought it was a hidden unlockable character and it wasn't, it was purely a programming glitch." He added, "She's no longer a glitch - she's an actual character, and she'll be coming pretty soon post-launch." We wish other developers were this sentimental about their earlier mistakes -- maybe then we could finally get that Laddergoat game we've always dreamed of.
Mortal Kombat trailer showing Kratos doing what Kratos does best
Well, our fears have been confirmed: Kratos is going to be the most unfair Mortal Kombat kharacter of all time. Not because he can blind and stun fighters or hit them from miles away with his Blades, but because he's obviously part god. Then again, so is Raiden, we guess. Never mind.
Mortal Kombat video ups the voltage with Raiden
Are you positively charged up to see Raiden's electric moves in Mortal Kombat? Bolt on past the break to see what happens when Raiden shuffles sufficiently across the living room carpet.
UK Mortal Kombat Kollector's Edition bumps bookends for figurine
Little known fact: Brits can't read. Well, not all of them at least. Despite naming our language, England enjoys an incredible 110 percent illiteracy rate. So it makes total sense then that the North American release of Mortal Kombat would come with bookends -- after all, what else is your book-learned American fighting game fan going to do when he's done with a couple rounds? -- while the UK release is saddled with a "kollectible" figurine. There's also an exclusive art book (mostly pictures, don't worry), an "in-game Retro Ninja Costume," and some console exclusive avatars and what have you. Enough words, have a taste of these images: %Gallery-119286%
NetherRealm and Rocksteady using Unreal Engine 3 for 'the next few years'
Epic's Unreal Engine 3 will power any games developed by Rocksteady Studios (Batman: Arkham City) and NetherRealm Studios (Mortal Kombat) through 2014 as part of a deal announced today by parent company Warner Bros. Interactive. Sure, the news in and of itself isn't all that exciting, but it does hint at the future of the Unreal Engine and the timeframe for the dawn of the next console generation. Specifically, this news would suggest that we're not going to see Unreal Engine 4 for at least a couple of years. Given that Epic has said UE4 is being targeted "exclusively" at next-gen consoles, it gives us some insight into when Epic -- and developers -- are expecting to be creating games for successors to PS3 and Xbox 360. Sometime around, say, 2014? Of course, there's no saying Unreal Engine 3 won't be used for next-gen games -- one look at the GDC 2011 demo of new UE3 features and it's obvious the engine still has a lot of miles left on it.
PSN Tuesday: Slam Bolt Scrappers, Mortal Kombat demo
PSN exclusive Slam Bolt Scrappers is the highlight of this week's PSN update. The multi-genre mash-up from Fire Hose Games delivers multiplayer mayhem in a colorful package. There is also a demo available, so definitely take the game out for a test drive. Speaking of test drives, Mortal Kombat's demo is now available to PSN plebs. Characters included in the demo are Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Mileena and Johnny Cage. There's plenty more to peruse in the full update after the break. Choose your platform to view the corresponding release list: (Note: Continue past the break to view both release lists.) %Gallery-118218%
Mortal Kombat classification appeal rejected in Australia, import companies rejoice
Despite a contested rating by Warner Bros. Interactive, the forthcoming Mortal Kombat reboot has been permanently refused classification in Australia, effectively banning the title from official retail distribution. WB Games issued a statement regarding the ruling, stating that it's "extremely disappointed" that the game has been refused classification on the continent. The publisher continued, praising "thousands of Mortal Kombat fans in Australia and around the world who have voiced their support during the appeal process." Mortal Kombat's latest iteration will still arrive next month in other territories, also known as "the month when a handful of hardcore Australia-based MK fans are forced to import copies."
