Following hot on the heels of the release of the story mode trailer from Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe, Midway has released another trailer from the game. This trailer, entitled "Ultimate Mash-Ups", shows off two matches by showing a short bit of cut-scene footage, leading up into an actual battle. The first match-up is between Sub-Zero and Batman in the Batcave. Sub-Zero freezes Batman's hand, who then shatters the ice around it and throws a batarang at Sub-Zero. Batman's eyes glow yellow, showing he's entered a rage mode, and threatens Sub-Zero, and the match begins. The match itself shows a wide variety of special moves, Freefall Kombat, and Klose Kombat. The second match-up shows Superman and Raiden. The match itself seems to take place in an area where the two worlds are merging; half appears to be Shao Kahn's throne room, and the other half appears to be Darkseid's throne room. Superman arrives and he and Raiden threaten one another; in this case, both characters' eyes glow yellow from rage. The fight itself shows both characters' special moves, Freefall Kombat, and Test Your Might.
Earlier today, Midway released another trailer for Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe! This trailer shows the one part of the game shrouded most in mystery thus far: the story mode. The video acts almost like a movie trailer, consisting entirely of cut scenes; in the video, characters from both universes discuss the events happening from their own perspectives; in addition, characters such as Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman, Raiden, the Joker, Liu Kang, and Kitana. The trailer ends with all kombatants (save Shao Kahn and Darkseid) facing each other, with Raiden declaring to the DC Universe characters, "We have come to challenge you in Mortal Kombat!"
Over on Giant Bomb, a new video was posted of an interview with Ed Boon; the interview, of course, was about Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe. In the interview, Ed did state that the game was pretty much done, other than final testing and showing the game to media outlets. In addition, he also stated that debates had started about what downloadable content to introduce later on. Otherwise, the video was mostly a summation of what to expect in the game and how the game came about, including explanations of Klose Kombat, Freefall Kombat, and Story mode (along with how Rage fits into it). The video is, of course, filled with gameplay footage as well.
Our thanks to forum member
Kotaku is reporting that Midway is having to tone down several of the fatalities in Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe in order to secure a T rating from the ESRB. Kitana was one character whose fatality was changed in order to secure the rating. However, another character whose fatality was changed to secure the rating was the Joker's, and in fact it was his first fatality seen that got changed: the joke gun fatality. From the article:
Anyway, it's been changed up a bit, toned down to just slightly less than awesome to secure that highly coveted T-rating that Midway and Warner Bros. are so adamant about. In the latest build, Joker still whips out his prank gun, a "BANG!" flag unfurling. Unfortunately, you won't see the follow up of Joker shooting someone in the face; that actually happens off screen now, the headshot safely out of sight.
It's a minor change, but a noticeable one.
We asked Midway's Ed Boon about the difficulty in getting that T-rating, something he said the team has been working closely with the ESRB on. They've sent "at least three" submissions to the ESRB, going in with something that's full of M-rated content, getting feedback and "scaling it back."
It should be noted that the T rating restriction is not so much from Midway as it is from DC Comics. That said, it is the ESRB who makes the final decision as to what content is allowed, so the ball is very firmly in their court.
To read the original story in its entirety, click here.
Our thanks to forum member 24_7_666 for the heads-up on this news story!
Fatality Friday returns with a brand new video showcasing three finishers on GameTrailers.com. The kombatants showcased in the video are Green Lantern and Flash performing Heroic Brutalities and Raiden a fatality.
Green Lantern is shown first, using his ring to encase Raiden in an energy bubble. The bubble constricts, crushing the helpless Raiden into a ball of broken bones.
Raiden grasps a defeated Deathstroke by the neck and unleashes powerful currents of electricity into his body, before calling down an immense stream of electricity from the sky that sears the flesh off of Deathstroke's body.
The Flash punishes the defeated Kano by running around, creating a powerful vortex that lifts Kano into the sky. While Kano floats helplessly, Flash jumps into the air and delivers a fierce punch that sends Kano slamming back into the ground.
To view the video click the Game Trailers link above. Our thanks to
Yesterday, the newest MKast was released on WorldsCollide.com featuring Steve Beran and Dave Pindara. Both guest stars were able to discuss their favorite aspects of creating the game and what goes into making a Mortal Kombat game, including character and environmental design.
To listen to the latest MKast you can click here.
Also released yesterday was a brand new video showcasing the Pro Moves of various characters in the upcoming Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe. This is the first opportunity to see a few characters in action.
To view the video you can click here.
Our thanks to forum membersFollowing the release of exclusive images to MK fansites yesterday, Midway has officially released all six screenshots from Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe. The screenshots focus on the three big extra fighting modes from the game: Rage Mode, Klose Kombat, and Freefall Kombat. The first of the two Rage Mode screenshots shows Wonder Woman entering Rage in the Fortress of Solitude while Raiden watches. The second screenshot is the same image of Scorpion and Baraka seen yesterday. The first Klose Kombat screenshot features Baraka and Deathstroke, while the second features Wonder Woman and Raiden. The first Freefall Kombat screenshot features Liu Kang on the receiving end of an attack by Batman, while the second shows Kano being pummelled by Superman.
The folks over at Midway have released an exclusive screenshot from Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe! This screenshot features Scorpion and Baraka in the Hell Stage. As Scorpion watches, Baraka hunches down and enters Rage Mode, with the yellow glow around him and the word "RAGE!" above him.
Our thanks to our sources at Midway for this new screenshot!
Do you live in England? Do you think you can get to London this weekend? If so, would you like a chance to get to play Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe? Now's your chance!
This weekend, Midway will have a booth at the London MCM Expo. The game will be playable there. However, apparently the game will be in the invite-only VIP area of the booth. That said, getting an invitation is easy. All you have to do is email info@indigopearl.com with the words "MCM Expo" in the subject line, and your name and date of attendance in the message body.
Again, this is happening this weekend, October 25th-26th, at the London MCM Expo. To visit the London MCM Expo site for more information and to purchase tickets, click here.
Owners of Playstation 3 systems who use the Playstation Network encountered a strange problem recently. According to reports, Mortal Kombat II has been pulled from the list of downloadable games. More, those people who had actually already bought the game found that it was no longer available. The problem appears to be limited to US players. According to a representative from Sony Computer Entertainment of America, the game was pulled due to a compatibility issue with the latest firmware update for the Playstation 3. Midway has, thus far, not responded to a request for comment.
We'll be keeping an eye on this story. As soon as we learn more we'll be sure to report it here. To read the original thread on Sony's site where the matter was first brought to light (and an email response posted by users), click here.
Our thanks to forum/chat member
EDIT - 21 October 4:55 PM CDT - According to our sources at Midway, a Sony representative gave the following message concerning the Mortal Kombat II disappearance from PSN:
"A Mortal Kombat II specification is being upgraded in connection with the release of the latest firmware update. This is one of our top titles on PlayStation Network, we are working diligently to get this back on the PlayStation Store."
As stated before, as we learn more we'll be sure to report it.
And now, a news story that doesn't involve Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe. Nearly ten years ago, MK5.ORG (later to become Mortal Kombat Online) was founded by Joseph "CCShadow" Schorr and Scott Howell. Scott has left MK Online and come back since then to serve as our marketing director, which is a much more behind the scenes position. Still, he never really left, in a way, and he has continued to be an important part of this site. Thus, it is with great pride and pleasure that we announce that today was one of the most important days of his life. Today, he married his love Lindsey Bailey here in Columbus, OH. CCShadow and I were honored to represent MK Online at the event, as he considers the site such an important part of his life.
On behalf of all of us at Mortal Kombat Online, I would like to congratulate Scott and Lindsey Howell, and wish them a lifetime of wedded bliss!
Noob.com has updated with yet another cinematic screenshot from Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe! This time, seeing as the alphabetic sequence has reached the letter I, the image filename is "imquire.jpg". This is apparently the beginning of chapter 5 of the Mortal Kombat story mode campaign; Scorpion's name is in the chapter title, which indicates that he is the playable character for that chapter. The screenshot itself shows an empty lot in what is presumably Gotham City, where a blast of fire is erupting from the middle. This man-sized blast of fire is quite possibly Scorpion's arrival in Gotham.
Our thanks to forum/chat member
EDIT - 10:10 AM EDT - The "hidden message" at the bottom of the page (visible by highlighting the entire page) has been changed. Now it says "Looc divoe micong noso....", which is an anagram of "Cool video coming soon". Our thanks to forum/chat member
The folks over at GamesRadar have posted a new video featuring regulars Hans Lo and Hector Sanchez displaying many of the features in Midway's upcoming release, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe! The vocal point of this video is a discussion of the three new "modes" which are prominently intertwined with the standard gameplay.
The video begins with discussion about Freefall Kombat. Most of what is known about the mode is reiterated, and we are treated to the supers of characters such as Green Lantern, who uses his ring's power to saw the opponent to the ground, and Raiden, who uses his thunderous powers to shock the opponent. Next up is Klose Kombat. Hans and Hector assure everyone that this mode is unique for each character, as everyone has their own counter and power move. Numerous characters, such as Deathstroke, Scorpion and Catwoman are shown. Finally, Rage mode is touched upon. The combo breaker system introduced in Mortal Kombat: Deception returns here. Instead of having 3 to use per match, you earn your breakers by filling up the rage meter. You can choose to use a breaker, which depletes the Rage meter, or hold onto it and wait for Rage mode to activate, which gives you 5-7 seconds of having your hit animations turned off. The characters do not seem to be immune to damage, however.
At the end of the video, The Joker's second fatality is revealed. In this fatality he tosses razor sharp playing cards into the opponent's upper body, landing the last one in their face as they fall over dead. The Joker then bows to the players as the announcer proclaims him the victor.
Thanks to forum member
EDIT - 17 October 8:55 AM CDT by DArqueBishop - Midway has released an unwatermarked version of the video. To view the video (or download an HD version), click below.
This morning, Midway made available a video showing a first glimpse into the comic book that will be included with the Kollector's Edition of Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe! The video primarily features artwork from the comic, plus series co-creator and comic artist John Tobias discussing how he came back to the Mortal Kombat fold, what it was like returning to MK after nine years away, and also talked about the matchup he was looking forward to most in the new game (complete with new gameplay footage). In addition, for those worried about spoilers, the video shows the first glimpse at the merged form of Shao Kahn and Darkseid, which is the final boss of the game.
Our thanks to the folks at Midway for making this video available!
This afternoon, Midway sent out a press release announcing the official release date of the upcoming Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe! According to the press release, the game will be on store shelves on November 16
To read the press release in its entirety, click here.
A brand new episode of the MKast has been added to the official site for Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. This week with Hans Lo and Hector Sanchez was special guest Shaun Himmerick, best known to the MK world for his work with Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, MK: Armageddon for the Wii and MK: Unchained.
Shaun speaks mostly about the production that went into MK: Armageddon Wii and his work on Midway's Wheelman project. According to Shaun, there will be a guest character from Mortal Kombat appearing in the game. Other than this, the conversation is mostly about his favorite parts of the upcoming game and the limits of the T rating.
Thanks to forum members
Earlier today on the official website of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, three renders featuring arenas previously announced were unveiled!
First is Superman's base of operations, the arctic Fortress of Solitude. The fighting space seems to be circular in nature. Second is the dark and murky Gotham City Streets, complete with police vehicles. Finally, the Special Forces' Base of operations. In this render, we can see exactly where the fighters will be located as there are models placed in the image.
Thanks to forum member
Ed Boon's official website, Noob.com, has updated with another cinematic screenshot from Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe! Continuing the alphabetic theme of previous screenshots, this image is entitled "headlost.jpg". In it, two shadows can be seen against a brick wall in a city (most likely Metropolis, given the devastation in the background), and the subtitles reveal one of them is pleading, "No, no, PLEASE! I've got the money!" The figure on the right is indistinct, but considering the one on the left apparently has a sword-like weapon on his back and money is being discussed, it's likely that he is the mercenary Deathstroke.
Our thanks to forum member
The website Worlds Collide, which is the official website for Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe, updated today with a brand new look! The new site is protected by an age gate, which is odd considering the game has a T rating as opposed to a M rating. The interactive Flash site has the tag "Which side will you choose?", and each menu option goes to a kombat area, sometimes showing two kombatants. The "KOMBAT" and "PRESS" areas are greyed out and inaccessible. The "KOMBATANTS" area shows all of the characters (excluding Baraka and Lex Luthor; there are no spots for Shao Kahn and Darkseid), but only show the character render without the backgrounds. The "KOMMUNITY" link goes to an area where the MKasts can be downloaded and also has a Developer Diary. Oddly, while there are links for Midway, Warner Bros., and DC Comics at the bottom of the site, the MK dragon logo links to Threshold's Mortal Kombat site, which has not been updated in several years.
To visit the revamped official Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe site, click here.
Our thanks to forum/chat member
EDIT - 4:35 PM CDT - Forum and chat member
This afternoon, the folks over at Midway officially released the box art for the Kollector's Edition of the upcoming Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe! The Kollector's Edition box art, instead of using game character models, uses art work by acclaimed comics artist Alex Ross. Alex Ross is known for his photo-realistic style, usually done via paintings (as this box art was). Alex Ross's art is prominently featured in such acclaimed DC Comics titles as Kingdom Come and Justice.
In addition, Midway released a video narrated by Ross, showing the "making of" the Kollector's Edition box art; in it, Ross describes his own style and how he went about in creating the artwork.
Finally, Midway officially announced that not only would the Kollector's Edition feature a comic book by Mortal Kombat co-creator John Tobias, it would include an exclusive removable print designed by Alex Ross.
To read the original press release in which the box art and video were announced, click here.
Today two brand new renders have been released from the upcoming Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe. The renders released are of the Tarkatan brute Baraka, and genius arch-villain of Superman, Lex Luthor. Both characters stand, battle ready against chaotic backdrops. Baraka's outfit appears to have a stronger similarity to his Deception appearance, sans the bone detailing. While Lex Luthor is clad in his power suit, making him a formidable foe against Superman and the rest of the Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe line-up.
The only renders left to be seen are of Shao Kahn and Darkseid. If alternate versions of these renders with the black and white backgrounds are made available, this post will be updated to include them.
Our thanks to forum member travm013 for the lead on this story.
Over on the Midway Boards, Hector Sanchez (who is a producer for Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe and posts under the name MK_Hec) made a surprise comment in a thread, where he revealed a couple of new facts about the game (and the lead up to it). He did state the official site would have a massive update later this week, not to mention the fact that the remaining renders (including those for Shao Kahn and Darkseid) and the next MKast would be released soon. More importantly, he did confirm that each character would have two fatalities. From the post:
2 fatalities per character!
All of the content is in the game, we're balancing the characters now and making sure we're compliant with Sony and Microsoft's technical requirements!
The MKast will be coming soon. we've been really, really busy these last few weeks.
WorldsCollide.com is getting a huge update! That should be happening this week or maybe next week as well. Tons of new content will be available!
Don;t know about exactly when the renders are coming out but we definitely have plans to release renders for EVERYONE!{YEp DS and SK, too!)
To read the Midway Boards thread in which this news was posted, click here, and scroll halfway down the page.
Our thanks to forum member
Midway has released yet another screenshot from the upcoming Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe! This screenshot shows a shot from Freefall Kombat, as Captain Marvel and Raiden have it out as they fall down the side of a mountainside.
Our thanks to the folks from Midway for making this screenshot available.
Ed Boon's official website, Noob.com, has updated with a new image from what is likely a story mode scene between Mortal Kombat's ninja spectre, Scorpion and DC's clown prince of crime, the Joker!
Joker taunts Scorpion as they appear to be freefalling (likely in Gotham). The style seems to be a play on the Freefall Kombat mode that appears within the fighting portion of the game itself. The Joker is the first DC character to be featured in one of Ed Boon's uploaded screens. On the site, the image is titled "greatgag".
Thanks to forum member samus_aran3900 for the lead on this story!
This morning, the folks over at Midway sent out a press release announcing the final box art from the upcoming Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe! The final box art has the logo tinged in yellow at the top as seen in recent announcements. Underneath, fighters from both universes face off against each other. On the left, representing Mortal Kombat, Scorpion, Raiden, and Sub-Zero stand from front to back. On the right, representing the DC Universe, Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman stand from front to back. The ESRB rating shows as pending; at this time the game has apparently not received a rating from the board.
In addition, the press release contained five screenshots, at least three of which were sent as exclusives to fansites beforehand. In addition to the image of Baraka firing a blade spark at the Flash, there are images of the Flash being hit by Baraka's blade spark, Raiden firing electricity at Captain Marvel, Superman using his heat vision on Raiden, and Raiden using his torpedo launch on Superman.
To read the press release in its entirety, click here.
The folks at Midway have sent the fans another screenshot from the upcoming Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe! This screenshot is a first, in that it provides a clear look at a kombatant that has been announced but had not been shown yet: Baraka! In this shot, Baraka is firing off a blade spark at the Flash, who is rushing towards him at super-speed. Baraka's appearance in the game is very reminiscent of his appearance in Mortal Kombat Deception, save for his eyes being darker and his armor not having bones on it. The battleground appears to be on a darkened street somewhere, possibly in Gotham City.
Our thanks to the folks at Midway for sending us this image!
True Game Headz has released a hands-on preview of what is being called the "final version" of Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. Whether or not this is the case remains to be seen, as there is still almost two months until the game is scheduled for release. Either way, we are treated to never before seen gameplay footage from two characters we have not seen much at all from: Captain Marvel and Kano!
Captain Marvel, who is referred to as "Captain Marvel" in his lifebar as well as on the select screen, has a number of special moves which highlight both his power and mystical superpowers. Kano has his trademark cannonball, which seems to come in a few different variations rather than just the standard. The select screen has also been completed with all the recently announced characters such as Lex Luthor and Baraka having their slots filled in. Shao Kahn and Darkseid will likely be selected in some other manner once they are unlocked.
In addition to this, we see a short cutscene between Kano and The Flash followed by a fight between the two. The cutscene seemed to seamless flow into the battle.
There is commentary from someone in the background but it cannot be heard very well. To view the video in full, click here.
Thanks to forum member
