Guns, guns, guns! Red Hood is coming to Injustice 2 in June! He's the first cab off the rank for Fighter Pack 1 and you can get a taste of things to come in the new spotlight trailer:
The Red Hood is Jason Todd: a character most famous for dying via fan-vote in a phone-in promotion to decide the ending of 1988's A Death In The Family.
Todd was first introduced to Batman comics in 1983, a replacement in waiting for aging Dick Grayson. The Boy Wonder was evolving into the maturing persona of Nightwing, seemingly necessitating the introduction of a new Robin. Over time, fans soured on the new sidekick, depicted as a brattier answer to his palatable predecessor. Given the chance, fans voted for his death by a few hundred calls, rendering him a victim of The Joker.
In 2003, writer Jeph Loeb and artist Jim Lee first teased Todd's return from the grave in the storyline Hush. The truth was ambiguous, until a few years later Judd Winick oversaw the characters' permanent return to the DC Universe, the result of Infinite Crisis and the reality altering tantrum of a character called Superboy-Prime. Todd assumed the retired identity once used by his killer, becoming a rogue element in the crime wars of Gotham City. A bat brat for a bratty new generation.
Red Hood employs the training he received from Batman, applying it to a deadlier trade. His bright red helmet and body armor protect him from harm, while an arsenal of guns, grenades and hi-tech weapons compliment his combat training. As the trailer shows, these skills are put to effective use in Injustice 2!
Injustice 2 is available now for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Red Hood begins the Fighter Pack 1 downloadable content in June. Will you adopt his cause, or fight against it? Register to talk all things I2 on the DC Universe Injustice forum!
When NetherRealm Studios develops a new fighting game, they go through many iterations of ideas before arriving at a finished product. Artist Marco Nelor has peeled back the curtain on the process, showing fans his Injustice 2 concept art that includes unused hero Static!
Nelor is clearly in touch with mother nature, having worked on designs for plant-based characters Swamp Thing and Poison Ivy. His artwork reflects a deep exploration of their floral make-up, the artist remarking on one image, "Much about [plants] was learned that week."
The image that excited most fans -- [since removed by request of Warner Brothers] -- was that of electrically charged Teen Titan: Static. A character Nelor was personally disappointed to see cut from the final playable roster: "So sad about this one. He was all cleaned up and ready to go, but unfortunately Static didn't make the cut for #injustice2 ... damn. I had him all worked out too."
Shocker:Static as he appears in Injustice Mobile.
For fans of a certain age, Static will resonate more prominently as the star of millennial animated series Static Shock. Though the cartoon and comics crossed over with DC properties, Static was in fact a creation of Milestone Comics.
The early nineties independent media group forged a publishing deal with DC Comics, but their characters weren't absorbed into the DC Universe until 2009. Founded by such luminaries of comics and animation as Dwayne McDuffie, Denys Cowan, and with input from Christopher Priest; Milestone's original mission statement was to offer a broader cultural representation within the superhero comic genre.
Static was Virgil Hawkins: A high school aged student exposed to a an experimental chemical that gave him mastery over electromagnetism. He used his newfound powers to take up the responsibility of fighting crime in the city of Dakota. When Milestone was folded into DC, Static became a satellite fixture of the Teen Titans, and forged a relationship with electrically powered seventies hero Black Lightning. In 2015, Milestone announced a new publishing strategy that would disentangle the characters from the DCU.
Prior to Milestone's announcement, Static was included as an exclusive character in the Injustice Mobile game. That may not impact his presence in Injustice 2, but with Black Lightning headling to live-action TV, and Raiden teased in the Fighter Pack 1 DLC trailer -- the electrically charged crossover hero has a lot of competition!
On Mortal Kombat Online we're already celebrating the 25th Anniversary of the franchise in our annual Supreme Mortal Kombat Champion voting tournament. At this year's E3; series co-creator Ed Boon will weigh-in on the quarter century milestone appearing in the E3 Coliseum!
Update (June 14th):Boon will be live on the E3 Coliseum stage at 12:45pm to talk about the last two and a half decades of MK! Watch it as it happens right here via the embedded live stream below!
Boon will be a special guest of the 2017 Electronic Entertainment Expo in three weeks, joining Geoff Keighly in the E3 Coliseum to talk twenty-five years of Mortal Kombat, and probably a little Injustice, too!
Fans looking for major announcements may want to temper their expectations until there's actually blood in the water. Injustice Fighter Pack 1 is soon to deliver Sub-Zero to the DC Comics fighter, with Raiden teased to follow. With a lot still to come from Injustice -- just released last week -- it's a little soon to be anticipating anything new from Mortal Kombat.
The E3 Coliseum takes place June 13-14 and while we aren't counting on a new game, it's sure to be a great focus point for nostalgic celebrations! With a movie also in development [read more], there's still hope for something new to mark the anniversary! The event will stream live to Facebook.
What do you hope to hear Ed Boon discuss at E3? Register and share your wishlist on the forums! Celebrate 25 years of Mortal Kombat by returning to vote and comment on daily character polls in the 2017 Supreme Mortal Kombat Champion tournament! Support the kommunity by getting involved and liking & sharing stories via Facebook and @MK_Online!
Her only loyalty is to herself, but Tanya will serve your needs as long as it keeps her alive! She's the latest fighter to challenge Mortal Kombat X Mobile -- yours to unlock with an iron fist!
Unlocking Tanya means outwitting and outplaying five tiers of challenges! Each tier consists of 12 battles, with the exception of the final 15-fight challenge! Tier 1 is a pitiful round of all Bronze Kards, Tier 2 a mix of Bronze & Silver, and Tier 3 an escalation to Silver Kards only. Only Martial Artist classed characters can enter Tier 4, before Tier 5 demands Jacqui Briggs take down the devious Edenian!
Master the art of treachery by downloading Mortal Kombat X Mobile free-to-play from Apple Store, Google Play & Amazon Games! Do so and you could unlock Mobile exclusive content like Baraka and this newly redesigned Tanya!
Will you betray your fighters to be dealt better kards? Register to enact your scheme on the Mortal Kombat X forum! Support the kommunity by impaling like & share options via @MK_Online, Facebook & YouTube!
Earlier this month we learned the first three characters that will join Injustice 2 as downloadable content. Now take a closer look at Sub-Zero, Red Hood & Starfire in official render art from NetherRealm Studios.
Just like Scorpionin the last game; Mortal Kombat crossover guest Sub-Zero has been specially designed by legendary comic book artist, and DC Comics Publisher, Jim Lee!
The original reveal trailer also teases the prospect of a future download addition of Raiden in a future pack. Watch the Fighter Pack 1 Trailer for more. Click the preview images above to expand Injustice 2 art.
Injustice 2 is available now for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One! Regiater to share your thoughts about the new designs and DLC on the DC Universe Injustice forum! Vote for the greatest fighters of the last twenty-five years in the 2017 Supreme Mortal Kombat Champion character tournament!
As one of the most successful video game properties to make the transition; Mortal Kombat has been destined to make a return to the big screen for two decades!
During that time there have been many false starts, somethign writer Oren Uziel can attest. As a collaborator on Kevin Tancharoen's ill fated Mortal Kombat movie reboot, Uziel was one of the men responsible for unleashing Mortal Kombat: Rebirth onto the world.
In an interview with Collider, the writer has discussed his involvement with the notorious 2010 short, which in turn inspired Machinima to commision the live-action webseries Mortal Kombat: Legacy.
Uziel was recruited off the back of his work on upcoming Netflix series Shimmer Lake, but the Mortal Kombat job was short lived. The writer explained, "... the guy who hired me exited the company before we even completed the paperwork. So it was like a job that existed and then disappeared, it was soul-crushing." He did not return for Legacy, but was brought back as interest in the film renewed.
... then after a couple years of [Legacy] New Line came onboard to actually make a feature version again. And it was at that point that Kevin called and New Line called and said, ‘Hey, you were there at at the beginning, do you wanna come back?’ I said, ‘Sure’, so I wrote them a feature that has been the basis of what the Mortal Kombat movie will be, but it’s been kicking around for a little while now. I know James Wan came on to produce, so that to me was a good sign that maybe things were heating up again, but beyond that I really don’t know the specifics.
Aquaman director James Wan became associated with the film reboot in August, 2015 [full story], with Simon McQuoid attached to direct the feature as of last November. Commenting on the project at last year's Television Critics Association awards, Wan noted the need to "do it right".
Despite its considerable success as a YouTube series, Legacy and the works of Tancharoen raised concerns about the handling of the Mortal Kombat mythology. In 2012, Uziel's script was rumored to centre around the journey of Liu Kang from supermarket employee to destined. Uziel summarized his draft in the Collider interview.
“Well, and again I don’t know what remains of this, but I know that it was going to be—it’s almost like if you took The Avengers, or if you took a storyline like that and set it in a sort of hard-R, over-the-top violence and hard-edged world of Mortal Kombat. It was a little bit like that, it was a little bit like a Wanted-type story that brought together a bunch of these characters and just pulled zero punches, and had a tone that was still fun but very dark.”
The promise of hard violence will tickle fans of the series' famed fatalities, but could raise alarm bells for those looking for a faithful adaptation. Something star of the original film, Christophe Lambert did, when he talked about the reboot [full story].
What do you want to see from a Mortal Kombat movie? Register to share your thoughts on the Media & Merchandise forum! Support the kommunity by liking and sharing stories via @MK_Online and Facebook.
What would a major video game release be without a pop soundtracked launch trailer? Injustice 2 is officially in stores and if you weren't already sold - here's one last trailer to get the party started!
We wouldn't ordinarily encourage accepting unsolicited invitations into "the jungle", but if you pick yourself up a copy of Injustice 2 for PlayStation 4 or Xbox One you'll be able to hang with Gorilla Grodd, Swamp Thing and a cavalcade of new additions to the DC Comics fighting game series!
On the eve of the official release of Injustice 2; gaming website Glixel has featured an excellent interview with Creative Lead Ed Boon.
Discussing development, character design, roster selection and more, the discussion goes in depth on some of the most important aspects of the DC Comics fighting sequel!
Premier Skins are one of the ways Injustice 2 will answer popular demand for more characters, but Boon tells James Mielke he sees diminishing returns from a hypothetical roster of one hundred. He explains the practical side of creating a fighting game stocked with almost forty characters.
[...] When a fighting game would come out back in the day, especially a new fighting game, they would typically start off with eight characters, plus a boss. A sequel would usually add a couple of characters. Injustice 2, last time I checked, has 38 character slots. How do you arrive at this number?
With Injustice 1, I think we were just going on the ballpark number of characters that we had in our previous games, MK9 we had 25 or so characters, so we started with around 25 or 24. Injustice 1, we knew we were gonna do DLC characters, and originally we planned on doing four additional ones like Mortal Kombat. But then they resonated with players a lot more than we anticipated, so we decided to do two more after that. So some of that is a response to player demand.
For Injustice 2, we had a number of factors that were affecting it. One was bringing back the most recognizable – you can't do an Injustice game without Superman, Batman, Flash, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, Green Lantern, the most recognizable characters. But then we absolutely wanted to go down the roster of the ones that we didn't get in Injustice 1 and people were clamoring for – the lesser-known but just as interesting characters – like Doctor Fate, Atrocitus. On that list, Swamp Thing was huge.
Actually, Swamp Thing was probably one of the characters that, as far as the team was concerned, was a must have for Injustice 2. So it was a lot of conversations. Conversations with DC, and then considering the character's abilities and participation in the story and relationship with the existing characters. All of these factors come in.
At some point though, I personally believe it's diminishing returns when you're talking about the size of the roster. Like, if we came up with an Injustice 3 and we had a hundred characters, the win wouldn't justify the doubling or tripling of the roster. At some point it's like "OK, that's enough, let's save it for the next one."
The Saga Of...Swamp Thing is just one of the exciting additions to Injustice 2.
Injustice 2 is doing a good job of diving deeper into the DC Universe, shedding some of the first game's characters for exciting new additions. Characters like Gorilla Grodd and Doctor Fate have been welcome additions, contributing a completely different aesthetic and design sensibility to the game. Swamp Thing is one of the stand-out reveals for the sequel, and it's clear the developers feel the same way!
I have to say, Swamp Thing is one of my personal favorite additions, because I grew up with the Bernie Wrightson Swamp Thing comics. I love that he gets as much loot as anyone else in the game. It's interesting to see Doctor Fate and Blue Beetle in there too. It's good to see old Steve Ditko and Charlton Comics characters represented.
Towards the end of Injustice 1, when we were doing DLC characters and releasing them one at a time, those were the characters that we kept seeing coming up, like "Come on Blue Beetle, come on Swamp Thing! Scarecrow, Poison Ivy!" And, we listened, you know. We listen to that. Some of that stuff, unfortunately, we gotta plan way ahead. It's not like we created the character the day before we announced it.
But Swamp Thing, the fact that he has so much gear, that's not by accident. A lot of the guys on our team, this became like a passion project for them. "Oh, this guy's gotta have this, he's gotta have that," how much we love these characters is really evident when you see it, all the little nuances and the references to the comics and the references to the animated series; that's not by accident. That's people really getting into it.
Fans couldn't help but notice inconsistencies between the twelve issue Mortal Kombat X maxi-series and the top selling 2015 fighting game. Injustice did a good job of juggling its two mediums, but several years of comics inevitably brought many characters onto the page that haven't featured in the games. Boon acknowledges the innate differences that will always keep the comics and games separate.
In the Injustice comic books, there are characters that haven't been announced for the game, like Deadman or Mr. Mxyzptlk. Are they planted in the books with a chance of working their way into the game, or are there lots of characters that you put into the comic books that are just sort-of there to enhance the storyline? The reason I bring up Deadman is, well, he's dead. How do you beat a dead guy in a fighting game?
Well, with NetherRealm games, somebody being dead doesn't really mean that much, so there's that. That would not be an obstacle to getting a character like that in. The thing about telling a story through a comic book is that in order to make a cameo appearance or even a significant appearance – well, it's a different process than doing it in the games. When we make a character appear in the game, we have to create a 3D model, if they're playable there's just the longest list of things that you have to include, so the comics have a little bit more elbow room in terms of having a really cool cameo or appearance.
That's what's really so cool about this comic series, it really goes off on its own. The comic has been such a great side-effect of all of this, it's becoming such a powerful entity, so far beyond just a complement to the game. It's its own entity. I always describe the comic book and the mobile game as like when you have two kids and they grow up, and they go to college and they both their own identities and how proud you are of it. I think Tom Taylor did such an amazing job with the comic book.
That mobile game has been a monster, too. It took us all by surprise and the second one has its own mobile game too. Those two things are such great, unexpected, fantastic things spawned from the original game.
Return Policy:Some characters won't be back for the sequel.
Just as every character appearing in comics can't make the crossover to games, so too must the sequel make sacrifices to keep the game fresh. So far the likes of Deathstroke, Solomon Grundy and Martian Manhunter are nowhere to be seen in Injustice 2. Glixel tackled the selection process from the perspective of player data, which is becoming increasingly intricate in its availability to the developer.
I'm sure you have stats now that everything's online and connected. When you're balancing the characters or the roster, are there any characters that aren't used nearly as much as you thought they would be, and does that affect who you choose for the sequel?
It probably has a factor. If a character wasn't chosen because it wasn't considered as strong or as good as other characters, that's always something that we have control over. We always have control over how much damage they do or how fast they move, the reach that they have, and all the variables involved with what's considered a good character. But I think as far as when we decide if a character is coming back, it's that and whether the character resonated with players as far as personality, the voice, its role in the story; there's a whole bunch of stuff that comes into play that we factor in with it. Not just how many times was it chosen by players.
Boon also explains the value of his social media account to informing the decision process. April Fool jokes like The Wonder Twins are never intended to go anywhere, but as we already know, sometimes Boon plays it straight.
The Creative Director notes his questions and character polls can provide useful information, asking for specific opinions, or merely gauging reactions. Given the lead time typical of development, sometimes this data has an influence well beyond the immediate future. You never know when your vote will influence the creative process.
Golden Age:Original Flash Jay Garrick adds a touch of class to Injustice 2 designs.
Injustice has shown tremendous ability to engage the difficult demographic of Millennial aged gamers. The series has found tremendous success in marketing through console and mobile devices, even making readers of gamers who've embraced tie-in comics, and other products.
The Injustice franchise may have found a strong core audience but the NetherRealm aesthetic won't necessarily appeal to long time readers of the comics. Once maligned armor plates and accessories are back in vogue, especially in Injustice, but fans of the classics will have options in the Gear System to adopt the streamlined iconic designs they love!
The style of Injustice 2 has everybody looking cooler, less spandex-y, and more armored-up like Batman in the DC universe films. You look at Blue Beetle and he looks cool and in tune with the Injustice 2 setting, while in the original comic he was definitely from the spandex era of super heroes. I mean, it would be cool if there was an "Adam West Batman" option to contrast with the nipple-armor Batman. Has there been consideration for alternate costumes?
Absolutely, on more than one level. For instance, we purposefully created shaders for characters, and have gear that you could put together for looks that are much, much closer to the old-school spandex outfits. We absolutely knew that some people would want to do that. You can make a very "Adam West-type" style of Batman, same with a number of the other characters, and we also have some unannounced premium skins that are super-retro as well. People are gonna love those.
Boon also notes the Gear System will provide options to restore characters to "regulation" standard, stripping them of the irregular statistics associated with Gear armor and upgrades. This will have particular application in the eSports arena, where perceived balance between characters is vital. Injustice 2 will feature in the 2017 Evo World Championship line-up just two months after its released! Boon expects Gear to be a non-issue at the event.
You can read the entire interview, with many more subjects covered, at Glixel.com! Injustice 2 officially arrives for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One right about now - May 16th!
Register to share your thoughts about this interview and much more on the DC Universe Injustice forum! You never know how your response might influence the future! Support the kommunity by liking & sharing stories via @MK_Online and Facebook!
Injustice 2 isn't officially available until Tuesday, May 16th -- but as often happens, some discs have begun to trickle out early to fans across the globe. As a result, we now know six Premier Skins await in the DC Comics fighting game sequel!
GameSpot reports news of the Premier Skin selection via Peruvian fan @brunodelVillar., who shared screenshots from his copy.
Along with announced Ultimate Edition bonuses Reverse-Flash (Flash), Powergirl (Supergirl) and John Stewart (Green Lantern), there are three more swap-out characters: Mr. Freeze (Captain Cold), Jay Garrick (Flash) and Vixen (Cheetah).
Taking advantage of the similarities between superhero abilities, Premier Skins map new characters to existing playable models to expand the DC roster! Ultimate Edition gets you three options out of the box, with in-game micro transactions selling bonus content as you play.
Each Premier character will unlock an all new costume design and voice acting, hopefully capturing the personality differences of each new hero, or villain! [Note: Downloadable characters in Fighter Pack 1 will have all of this, plus all new moves and gear options.]
While most of the revealed characters make effective use of gameplay options already available, Vixen fans may be disappointed to learn she'll share a moveset with Cheetah, rather than arriving as a fully formed downloadable content character.
Remembered as one of the last standing heroes during the Justice League Detroit era; Vixen has become a star of animation and live-action via The CW. Drawing her powers from harnessing Earth's morphogenic field; Vixen can mimick the abilities of any animal on the planet -- not just felines! The net result means Cheetah's speed and slash style will leave Vixen significantly lacking on animalistic attacks!
What do you think of Premier Skins? Register to harness your human language skills and share your thoughts on the DC Universe Injustice forum! Special thanks to ]{0MBAT for alerting us to the skins reveal! Be a hero and submit a newslead if you think you've found something MK Online should report!
What would Mortal Kombat be without its legendary cast of fighters? Everyone has their favourite characters - their go to choices year after year, game after game. Like the series itself, these iconic warriors are constantly evolving to look, play, and be different. It's one of the things that makes Mortal Kombat unique! A constant state of flux you won't find in many other successful fighting game series!
In 2017, Mortal Kombat celebrates its 25th Anniversary! The last quarter century of kombat has cast a long shadow over arcades, consoles, handhelds, mobiles and more - giving us plenty to consider as we summon fans from around the globe to participate in an annual tradition!
The yearly character tournament has become a living document of the reboot era. We've celebrated the klassics, speculated about the future, and welcomed a new generation of kombat icons! In 2017, we're still seeing the series evolve in Mortal Kombat X Mobile and Injustice 2. We'll be thinking about it all as we ask the eternal question in this very special year: Who is the Supreme Mortal Kombat Champion?
You will decide the answer as the ultimate fan voting tournament returns to Mortal Kombat Online! We invite every fan who loves the series to vote and comment on daily match-ups as we whittle our way to a final champion! We're doing things slightly different this year! Read on to learn more about how the 25th anniversary tournament and visit the Fan Koliseum to share your votes and thoughts on each battle!
Like all previous years, the tournament will assemble sixty-four kombatants in a single elimination bracket. The top sixteen characters based on previous results will be seeded at the ends of each rung. Each result will be determined one fight at a time by regularly unlocked updates to the MK Online User Poll [located top left]. This means it's up to you to determine which character will defeat their opponents to emerge Supreme Champion!
Unlike previous years, the first week of the tournament will feature a Wildcard Tower! This will give fans the power to decide which character is granted special entry as he or she endures a survival battle to avoid relegation! Appearing in order of cumulative rank, the lower characters will have to win more matches if they're to claim the wildcard!
Previous winners Noob Saibot and Fujin have been seeded at the top and bottom positions of the bracket, with the remaining Top 16 distributed at the remaining ends. This year, the field is loosely divided to take inspiration from eras of Mortal Kombat: The tournament origins, the klassic arcade sequels, the home console era, and Mortal Kombat X!
Criteria for voting is completely up to you, but as its the 25th Anniversary, we recommend combining assessing the iconic and recent incarnations of each character! [Note: We always encourage voting for characters, rather than against them.]
Voting is key to the process, but we want to know your opinions as well! Get creative and show your support of a favourite character by adopting forum avatars and custom signatures! User Settings will allow you to select from hundreds of character avatars in the User Icon Library, or upload your own. You can show your support by posting in the Fan Koliseum - the home of fantasy fights and kommuntiy forum games! Above all else - get involved and have fun getting back to Mortal Kombat after a year of Injustice!
To be eligible to vote, you must be a registered member of Mortal Kombat Online. Users must adhere to forum and account rules and a basic code of conduct. Users found registering multiple accounts, or attempting to ballot stuff, will be disqualified and banned indefinitely. New accounts may face voting restrictions, but should be encouraged to share their thoughts on the forums to unlock voting privileges.
To be eligible to vote, make sure you've registered to Mortal Kombat Online and visit regularly to stay up-to-date with the latest poll battle. You can discuss all the tournament match-ups and voting in the Fan Koliseum. We want this to be a massive event, with every self-respecting MK fan having their say in the overall tally! Follow us @MK_Online and like us on Facebook to help spread the word to the entire fanbase! There can only be one Supreme Mortal Kombat Champion - only the strongest will survive!
Injustice 2 won't officially arrive for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One until next week, but you can get a jump on the battle right now thanks to the all new Injustice 2 Mobile app!
Free to download via Google Play, the newest NetherRealm Studios app completely reinvents the mobile superhero fight experience with all new mechanics, story mode, and unlockable gear that translates to the console game!
Watch the trailer above to get a taste for the new story and game. Learn more about the mechanics of Mobile and Console versions by checking out the Everything You Need To Know trailer!
Will you take on the burden of justice wherever it may present? Register to comment on the new and old apps on the DC Universe Injustice forum! Injustice 2 is officially released for consoles May 16th!
It's almost hard to believe that this is the year Mortal Kombat celebrates its twenty-fifth anniversary!
From humble beginnings of seven playable digitized fighters, two legendary bosses, and one secret character -- the franchise now boasts more than seventy main characters appearing in games, comics, film and television!
For almost twenty of those years, Mortal Kombat Online has bared witness as the internet's most visited MK fan destination of all time! As a supplier of information and digital record; we've watched and documented the many changing phases of the games -- as well as the reactions of fans across the globe!
MK Online was here in 1999 when you wondered if Reiko could really be Shao Kahn. In 2002, Hsu Hao became one of your most talked about new characters. In 2006, you wondered who could possibly survive Armageddon when Blaze returned. 2008 provoked your rage when the DC Universe invaded for the first time. In 2011, it all began again as Warner Brothers took control of the franchise, and the klassic trilogy was reborn.
The unshakeable constant that's excited fans throughout all these many years has been the characters!
Every one has their favourite fighter and they're eternally evolving with every appearance. They look different, play different, and have new goals in almost every game. This endless sense of change has always given fans ammunition to fiercely debate which character is the best. That's why, on the 20th anniversary of the series, MK Online finally set out to ask the question: Who is the Supreme Mortal Kombat Champion?
As an annual tradition, the tournament now invites every fan to vote in what has become a living document of the series, and a Kombat census. Opinions evolve as we go through a cycle of: Year of speculation, year of release, year of new content, year of reflection. These perspectives change how we view the series and its characters, but the question that tests them remains the same. Here are some of the things we've learned so far in the reboot era...
For the 20th anniversary, MK Online put the call out to fans far and wide. It was time to determine not just a champion - but the greatest character of all time! This was the introduction of the Supreme Tournament format, which features regularly updating vote-off polls between two characters. The response was massive and sincere!
To determine the sixteen top seeds that appeared at the ends of each bracket, an internal staff vote of the most iconic characters was held before the tournament. This marked the first and only time Scorpion would figure prominently into the top ranks, seeded #2. Fans and staff agreed more closely on the character who would be crowned the greatest of all-time: Sub-Zero cooly endured cult opposition to go from #1 seed to Supreme Champion!
Ermac was the underdog runner-up, having gone from cult hero, to bona fide fan-favourite after being fleshed out in Deadly Alliance, and fully reintroduced in Deception. His initial reveal in 2010 had provoked mixed reactions, but by the next year, fans had fully embraced his new style.
Ermac's rise stalled MKII cult favourite Smoke in a final eight that consisted entirely of first gen characters -- all of whom had developed in popularity. Kung Lao, Kitana and Noob Saibot enjoyed strong runs to the finish. Raiden endured to the Semi Final despite a strong backlash against his portrayal in the 2011 reboot. His role as a catalyst for the new timeline left him looking the fool in many fans eyes, but the all-time context of the vote helped some put that aside.
The arrival of Skarlet as a new DLC character who featured in that year's Komplete Edition, as well as the surprise reference of Tremor in the portable Vita version, meant a wildcard vote was held before the tournament.
Given a choice between omitted Trilogy characters Chameleon and Khameleon, fans narrowly chose the Nintendo exclusive feminine version. In the tournament proper, she was no match for Baraka in the First Round. Khameleon fared even worse than Tremor, despite the noted controversy of his selection. Tremor would not be the last surprise entrant into the tournament that fans would question.
Three years before the United State Presidential election would make Russian electoral scandals the talk of the town; the scruples of European voters came under scrutiny in one of the most controversial Supreme Champion results of them all!
NetherRealm Studios had recently released their first exclusive DC Comics fighting game [Injustice: Gods Among Us], and fans weren't necessarily expecting to see the tournament return again for another year. This meant voting saw a decline, and opportunistic fans saw the perfect opportunity to elevate Smoke: now classified a European Enenra courtesy of retcons introduced in the 2011 reboot.
Smoke was very nearly eliminated in the final eight, scraping past popular shadow wraith Noob Saibot with less than 1% advantage! Scorpion was a minor challenge in his only Semi Final appearance, bolstered briefly by the disappointment of his Round 2 elimination the previous year. He was a narrow winner against Sub-Zero in a Round 3 upset! Kitana had an even closer shave in the Quarters, bowing out with Kung Lao the same time as last year. Sonya Blade rounded out the list with the help of a good draw.
Time had also helped heal the damage done to Raiden by the 2011 reboot. A strong traditionalist sentiment maintained during the Injustice year helped Raiden scrape through some difficult lies. Rejection of Ermac's success the prior year helped lead Raiden to a surprise Semi Final victory, but the European contingent supporting Smoke proved too strong.
A smaller, but similar movement from South American fans helped push Jade into the Top 16 ranks. Kabal broke through to the seeds as well. The two new seeds bumped out the previous year's staff voted choices of Mileena and Jax.
No longer topical, Tremor was dropped from the tournament in favour of Chameleon. He was a shock victor over the fading star of Deception boss Onaga, but suffered a brutal defeat at the hands of Shao Kahn! In her second year, Khameleon performed even worse than before, crushed by Kitana. The decline wouldn't come anywhere near the indignity of Daegon's defeat - a record low 9.3% against Noob! These numbers were set to become more important in the coming year...
A Jim Lee designed Scorpion had given fans something new to talk about while Injustice ruled the news channels, but they were more than ready to speculate about a new Mortal Kombat in 2014!
Sequel speculation influenced this year's tournament selection enormously, with the 2011 reboot putting heavy emphasis on Mortal Kombat 4 as its likely follow-up. MK Online staff kept bracket options fluid in anticipation of an announcement at that year's E3, even delaying the tournament until the final day of May!
D'Vorah, Ferra/Torr and Cassie Cage were controversially incorporated into the First Round to reflect their E3 reveal with Mortal Kombat X! This was the first time the Supreme Champion tournament would capture early reactions, and enthusiasm for the new characters was immediately evident, if appropriately measured. Visually dynamic insect queen D'Vorah toppled Sindel, while mystique helped Ferra/Torr take out Moloch. With less instant appeal, and a tough draw, Cassie Cage couldn't topple Johnny -- the man later revealed to be her papi!
Because of the ambiguity surrounding his unconfirmed identity, Kotal Kahn was the only reveal omitted. Theories that the teal skinned Aztec warrior might be a reincarnation for Shao Kahn proved false, introducing the concept of "Kahn" as a title, once clarified. No more new characters were revealed during the First Round, leaving the rest of the tournament to be tinged by reaction and excited anticipation.
Kenshi had joined the Top 16 seeds after a strong performance the prior year, but found himself swept away in the first gust of Fujin fandom that was sponsored by belief MKX would retell MK4. The Wind God made it to the final eight, bested by eventual tournament winner Ermac! The 2012 Runner-Up was spurred to the championship by hopes he could have a bigger role now that Shao Kahn had died, and he no longer needed to play enforcer. It was his development as a sage-like influence on Kenshi that had led to his elevation as a fan-favourite, and that's what many were counting on!
Shang Tsung was the big surprise finalist, with some hoping the ambiguity of his demise in the 2011 reboot left the door open for a big return. Sub-Zero reached the final as one of the few confirmed returning characters. He suffered the indignity of being killed by Scorpion in the announcement trailer. Kitana became the instrument of elimination for intense anti-mascot sentiments, executing Scorpion in the third round. Noob Saibot remained strong as a Semi Finalist, helped along by fervent speculation about the identity of the Sub-Zero in the initial trailer.
Unbelievably, the First Round claimed Mileena, Kabal, Kano, Liu Kang, Jax and Goro. Some were victims of a difficult draw, positioned against other fan-favourite characters. Others were swept up by the wave of enthusiasm for what new and extreme changes awaited in Mortal Kombat X. The game's April release the following year would shape the next tournament...
The release of Mortal Kombat X generated record sales numbers, and pushed MK Online to a site traffic record well beyond 2 million hits in one day! The new game introduced a whole new style to the series, with some of the best new characters since Deadly Alliance!
Improvements to existing character designs, plot and gameplay helped bring fresh perspective. Evergreen characters like Sub-Zero, Kitana and Raiden maintained their strong positioning. Mileena was thrust all the way to the Semi Finals, boosted by her prominence as heir to Shao Kahn's throne. She was eliminated by Kenshi, who was successfully elevated from downloadable content to main playable roster. Some may even say he was the rightful champion of this year.
For some fans, it was absence that became the focus. The speculation phase that dominated the previous year carried through to Mortal Kombat X's release, boldly announcing the DLC era. Fujin was widely expected based on the retelling of MK4, but the Wind God was only found in Story Mode cameos. This fueled a highly motivated, organized effort to push him to the championship in a year we hoped to see an MKX character on top.
Most of the new characters fared well. Enthusiasm for D'Vorah and Ferra/Torr was challenged after their debut the previous year, but the arrival of Kotal Kahn confirmed one of the strongest new entries into the series. Round 3 saw Kotal only narrowly defeated by Shao Kahn. Returning seed Sonya Blade also narrowly exited in the Third Round, beaten by newcomer Erron Black!
Comic books had an influence on this year's tournament, too. The Mortal Kombat X tie-in series expanded the backstory to include a wide array of omitted characters. Topical comic book references helped characters like Reiko, Havik, Shujinko, Hsu Hao and Jarek maintain a presence. With Tremor now making his fighting series debut as downloadable content, the comics also fueled Special Forces character Tasia to make a controversial tournament debut. Khameleon was granted a reprieve by an easter egg appearance in Mortal Kombat X Mobile, while Chameleon made an unimpressive return against Sub-Zero. The threat of relegation now becomes a permanent part of the Supreme Champion tournament...
Kombat Pack 2 and Mortal Kombat XL made the game of the past year even bigger, adding Bo' Rai Cho and newcomer Triborg to the massive roster.
Sub-Zero and Raiden were the top two ranked and seeded characters in the fifth year. Despite an upstart win in 2015, Fujin's past record kept him anchored in the lower portion of the Top 16. Despite the final pressing of the komplete game, fans who'd eagerly watched for cryptic signs in pre-release began seeing messages that simply weren't there. Thus, the wide-eyed hopes of DLC optimists maintained fervent response for a character who would never become playable.
Mileena, Kenshi, Johnny Cage and Sub-Zero continued to ride their MKXL glow, while Ermac bounced back from his shocking First Round defeat to DLC hotshot Goro the previous year!
None of the MKXL stand-outs from the actual game could compete with the hopes and dreams of Noob Saibot fans. The frequent finalist of past years finally became a Supreme Champion despite little to no real follow-up of his demise in the 2011 reboot. His Chaosrealm shadow Havik, who played a significant role in MKX comics, had one of the big runs of the year, as well. Disproportionately so, earning big wins in the First Round elimination of Scorpion and Second Round exit for newcomer Takeda.
Results from the past year's tournament saw Erron Black replace fallen klassic boss Shao Kahn in the Top 16 ranks. With the year hinging on the announcement of Injustice 2, his exit from seeding allowed for the controversial introduction of Mortal Kombat vs DC Universe hybrid Dark Kahn into the Supreme Champion rankings. Technically a Mortal Kombat character; the boss was the fusion of Shao Kahn and Darkseid - a nod to NetherRealm's renewed DC Comics focus. Tasia returned to the tournament for a second year as well, easily defeated by newly minted DLC Bo' Rai Cho. A character who may receive more support when the next Mortal Kombat game comes around.
2017 Supreme Mortal Kombat Champion Finalists:To be decided by your votes!
The next Supreme Champion tournament is nearly upon us!
Injustice 2 has dominated the headlines for the year thus far, but the 25th anniversary of Mortal Kombat should lend a nostalgic perspective to the entire event, and yet bring surprising news.
This year the tournament bracket will be roughly divided into four sections reflecting different periods in the twenty-five year span of the series timeline! Drawing inspiration from Mortal Kombat, MKII-MK3, Deadly Alliance - Armageddon, and Mortal Kombat X, we'll see an eclectic mix of characters from all eras return to battle it out for fan supremacy!
Results from the previous years have once again changed the Top 16 ranks! These are the only fighters guaranteed entry into this year's draw, positioned at the ends of each bracket. For their results in recent years, Noob Saibot and Fujin will be our top two seeds despite being ranked #2 and #5, respectively.
We've already seen Sub-Zero revealed as an Injustice 2 guest fighter in Fighter Pack 1, with Raiden teased in the same trailer. As our most contemporary reference, how will the ripples of this new invention effect the fighters surrounding? Will speculation and wishful thinking once again overwhelm the legacy of Mortal Kombat X as downloadable content dominates the conversation?
To date, there have been no repeat winners of the tournament. Will the milestone of a quarter century of Mortal Kombat bring special renown to a chosen warrior? Times change! The only way to know what happens is to be in the Fan Koliseum this month when we ask the annual question: Who is the Supreme Mortal Kombat Champion? Vote and comment on regular polls to keep the flame of kombat burning!
Premier Skins are the next phase in NetherRealm Studios' content strategy, increasing the playable roster by mapping basic character traits to existing models. Fans who purchase Injustice 2: Ultimate Edition will gain access to three new Premier Skin characters, including the Reverse-Flash!
The character render, releaed by Ed Boon, shows the Injustice 2 version isn't quite your father's Reverse-Flash. Clad in iconic yellow, the design sensibility smashes the plated NetherRealm aesthetic with black highlights introduced by The CW television show, where some fans will know him from.
For those who don't: Despite the name, Reverse-Flash doesn't run backwards, and he isn't unfathomably slow! Any trick The Flash can conceive for good -- this guy can reverse engineer for evil!
Also known as Professor Zoom: Eobard Thawne is a dissident from the future of the 25th century whose study of our era's hero allowed him to master speed powers similar to The Flash!
Known for his time travelling antics, and general corruption of The Speed Force; the villain known as Reverse-Flash has done everything from murder Flash's family, to getting plastic surgery to make himself look exactly like the man beneath the crimson cowl - Barry Allen!
Having debuted in The Flash #139 in 1963, he isn't one of the Silver Age Flash's oldest villains -- but he's certainly one of the most enduring!
Even when Barry Allen was thought dead after the universe-shattering Crisis on Infinite Earths, Professor Zoom returned to bedevil Green Lantern and Barry's nephew Wally West! When Barry escaped the Speed Force to return to the world of the living amidst the Final Crisis, his evil shadow was right behind him, generating a negative charge that threatened the lives of all speedsters!
You can still find him running around the Rebirth DC Universe, currently entangled in the mystery of the smiley face button! [Flash Fact: The button bares a striking resemblance to the one worn by The Comedian in Watchmen. It's all much more ominous than it sounds!].
Deluxe and Ultimate Editions of Injustice 2 will both give fans access to the hotly anticipated Powergirl Premier Skin (for Supergirl). Only Ultimate Editions will contain Reverse-Flash and John Stewart (Green Lantern) with purchase. All pre-orders should receive download codes for playable bonus villain Darkseid.
Even if you haven't picked up one of the premium editions, you'll have plenty of rogues to battle when Injustice 2 arrives on May 16th! Gorilla Grodd, Captain Cold, Cheetah, Deadshot and many more join the playable roster on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One! Will you fight against them - or with?
Injustice 2 is just a week away from its global release for Playstation 4 and Xbox One! We know most of the characters, the basic premise, and even the first wave of DLC characters! The latest trailer hones in on all the things you'll want to know about the Injustice experience! Watch:
Fans will recognize many equivalencies between features of Injustice 2 and NetherRealm Studios' previous fighting game: Mortal Kombat X. There are plenty of new features to take in, though, as the heroes and villains of the Injustice DC Comics universe make the first native leap to the current console generation.
Story Mode takes players back to the divided world of Injustice: Gods Among Us, where hatreds between Superman and Batman continue, and new forces emerge. The story will progress as players make life and death decisions with a replenished roster of new and returning characters, including boss Brainiac and the villains of The Society.
Fans know the all new Gear System will allow them to unlock armor and costume attire to customize the appearance and stats of their favourite fighters. These unlocks will be achieved through a variety of modes, including Multiverse Mode -- an adaptation of The Living Towers of Mortal Kombat X. Online challenge modes will also adapt the Invasion Mode to unite players in guilds against regular threats.
All new Injustice Mobile Go will adapt the console game in increasingly elaborate ways, taking Story Mode and new gameplay into the streets wherever you go! Playing mobile challenges will even unlock Gear content for the console version!
If you've pre-ordered you'll receive Darkseid as a downloadable timed exclusive character. Depending on the edition you purchase, you'll also gain access to a variety of features, including Premier Skins that bring Powergirl, Reverse-Flash and John Stewart (Green Lantern) into the fight!
Will you be playing Injustice 2 when it's released May 16th? Register to share your thoughts and experiences with the DC Universe Injustice forum! Discuss spoilers, revelations, Gear strategies and more! Support the kommunity by liking and sharing this story via Facebook and @MK_Online!
Injustice 2 won't officially be available until Tuesday, May 16th -- but fans can already anticipate post-release DLC with the reveal of the first three "Fighter Pack" characters! Watch the trailer unveiling below:
As widely speculated: Sub-Zero will represent the home team of Mortal Kombat as the first confirmed crossover character in Injustice 2. He sports a brand new design that adapts the classic garb of a Lin Kuei ice warrior, taking the blue theme to new extremes with colored hood and embellished armor!
Sub-Zero joins a first wave of characters that should please fans of The Titans: Starfire and Red Hood making their playable Injustice debut to popular request.
Red Hood is Jason Todd: The second Robin who was murdered by Joker during a quest to find his true mother. Resurrected around twenty years later, he took the Red Hood identity to began a new path as a gun toting vigilante using brutal tactics to challenge Batman and his notions of justice. The edgy, cult favourite character has long been at the top of request lists, and dominated in a Robins fan poll by Ed Boon. Starfire, a powerful Tamaran Princess, beat Black Manta and Constantine in another fan vote.
These aren't the only characters hinted at by the new trailer - and Mortal Kombat fans won't want to put all their hopes in Sub-Zero alone! A certain iconic thunder god seems to figure prominently into six silhouettes hinting at future Fighter Packs! Click the image below to enlarge.
Raiden stands out among the group on the right, while Black Manta looks set to go from Atlantis transition character -- to fully blown villain! Two choices that have us very excited about what's to come! Don't forget Darkseid -- the pre-order incentive who'll also be there to download when the game is released!
What do you think of the new reveals? Who's next? Register to share your speculation and thoughts on the DC Universe Injustice forum! Spread the word by liking & sharing this story via Facebook and @MK_Onlinetrong>!<p>
The king of mutants is dead, long live the king! Baraka is finally yours to control, leaping out Story Mode and into your hands thanks to the latest free-to-play challenge in Mortal Kombat X Mobile! Time to draw your blades and go for the kill now!
Unlocking Baraka means cutting through enemies in five tiers of challenges! Each tier consists of 12 battles, with the exception of the final 15-fight challenge! Tier 1 is a pitiful round of all Bronze Kards, Tier 2 a mix of Bronze & Silver, and Tier 3 an escalation to Silver Kards only. Only Outworld characters can enter Tier 4, before Tier 5 demands Liu Kang use his kung fu skill to defeat Baraka's Tarkatan savagery!
Join the Tarkatan horde by downloading Mortal Kombat X Mobile free-to-play from Apple Store, Google Play & Amazon Games! It's the only way to pit the 2011 guest fighter against his big screen nemesis: Jason Voorhees!
Will you carve a slice of Outworld in Baraka's name? Register to join the horde on the Mortal Kombat X forum! Support the kommunity by impaling like & share options via @MK_Online, Facebook & YouTube!
On the eve of the official release of Injustice 2; gaming website 
What would Mortal Kombat be without its legendary cast of fighters? Everyone has their favourite characters - their go to choices year after year, game after game. Like the series itself, these iconic warriors are constantly evolving to look, play, and be different. It's one of the things that makes Mortal Kombat unique! A constant state of flux you won't find in many other successful fighting game series!
For the 20th anniversary, MK Online put the call out to fans far and wide. It was time to determine not just a champion - but the greatest character of all time! This was the introduction of the Supreme Tournament format, which features regularly updating vote-off polls between two characters. The response was massive and sincere!
Three years before the United State Presidential election would make Russian electoral scandals the talk of the town; the scruples of European voters came under scrutiny in one of the most controversial Supreme Champion results of them all!
A Jim Lee designed 
The release of Mortal Kombat X generated 
The next Supreme Champion tournament is nearly upon us!
