It has begun! Mortal Kombat X is officially available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC! You should be able to find it available in all major stores, and can expect your pre-orders to start arriving! Superb!

PLAYLIST - Announcement Trailer - Kollector's Edition Trailer - MKX TV Spot - Kombat Pack Trailer - MKX Next Trailer - Story Mode Trailer - Gameplay Trailer

As is so often the case, the game has found its way out through various channels, but today is unmistakably special. Mortal Kombat Online has received hundreds of excited messages throughout the day and night, from fans attending midnight launches and special events around the globe! We've enjoyed sharing the moment with you and tens of thousands of others following on Twitter!

It's been an incredible journey to what is shaping up to be one of the biggest Mortal Kombat's of all time! It began, as these things often do, in rumor and innuendo - some rumors stranger than others. A year ago, Kitana & Mileena voice actress Karen Strassman have us the first legitimate sniff at the sequel many of us close to the games were already anticipating.

The kountdown got serious in May, leading the unveiling of a reworked dragon logo for a new generation. Pre-game material got us asking who's next? before it all fell into place with the Mortal Kombat X Announcement Trailer. The flood began from there, with one of the quickest box art reveals in memory! While some fans got distracted by trailer soundtracks - we marvelled at what proved to be a trailer that told us a surprising amount! A trailer that started a global phenomenon, became one of YouTube's most watched of 2014, and even picked up KeyArts awards praise!

E3 2014 started with a bombshell reveal during the Sony Press Conference - introducing us to newcomers Kotal Kahn, D'Vorah & Ferra/Torr at the beginning of our massive event coverage! The new wave of characters arrived in time to make a splash in Mortal Kombat Online's annual Supreme Mortal Kombat Champion tournament - a prelude to their acceptance as new icons!

Characters have always been important to the Mortal Kombat promotional cycle, and while Warner Brothers have favoured keeping fandom's trusted sources at a distance, we enjoyed the unveiling of many characters. Trailers introduced: Raiden, Kano, Quan Chi, Kitana & Kung Lao, Reptile, The Cage Family, Briggs Family & Shaolin Monks. With each trailer, we gained a greater understanding of a Mortal Kombat that was still very familiar, yet becoming ever different.

The Story Mode loomed large over speculation, clearly informing a lot of the changes sweeping kombat. For the first time in years, Mortal Kombat returned to comic books, embracing the always important medium to expand the saga beyond the games! A partnership with DC Comics the benefit of Warner Brothers' ownership - one of several.

Yes, even while the game grew and excited our anticipation - there were key developments outside the game, as well! Mezco Toys blew us away with Wave 1 and Wave 2 of their sophisticated new toys. Rubies got us all talking with their Halloween costume previews. Scenes from a new live-action series also show promise, with new fighters like Ferra/Torr making the crossover soon.

Mortal Kombat X is here and the fun's just getting started! You've already set new records for Mortal Kombat Online's highest single day of traffic. Stick with us as we anticipate the onset of new downloadable content, on-going challenges in Mortal Kombat X Mobile, online battles via Gameplay & Matchmaking, the 2015 Supreme Mortal Kombat Champion voting tournament and more!

Who's next? Register to immortalize all your experiences on the Mortal Kombat X forum! Support the site by liking and sharing updates via @MK_Online, Facebook & YouTube! #FRIENDSHIP!

In a shocking turn of events, Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon has become embroiled in a violent fight with beloved late night TV doyen Conan O'Brien! The battle was captured live by #STREAMCOCO, where Boon -- accompanied by spunky sidekick Tyler Lansdown -- was heard to bully and shout abusive commands at O'Brien. O'Brien was visibly sick and frequently dizzy throughout the clip. Watch the archive below:

Watch live video from teamcoco on Twitch

This was, of course, a special Mortal Kombat X live stream by Team Coco. Ed and Conan battled as Scorpion & Kung Lao respectively, testing their luck with kombat modifiers, including random fatalities, random dizziness and poison meteors.

[Related Topic: Conan Clueless Gamer Mortal Kombat X Super Bowl Showdown]

Mortal Kombat X is already filtering out for PlayStation 4, Xbox One & PC! Register to discuss it all on the Mortal Kombat X forum! Find and issue challenges on the Gameplay & Matchmaking forum! Support the site by liking & sharing via MK_Online, Facebook & YouTube.

Mortal Kombat X inspired a flawless victory last week at the NASCAR XFinity Series O'Reilly Auto Parts 300!

The Texas Speedway win was a career first for Joe Gibbs Racing driver Erik Jones, who took pole position in the No. 20 GameStop Mortal Kombat X Camry. It was Jones' ninth start in the NASCAR minor league. Quick pit stops and a strong coaching crew are credited for helping the eighteen year old hold top five throughout the 200 lap race. NetherRealm Studios' resident petrol head Rigo Cortes was there taking photos.

Congratulations to everyone involved in the April 10 win! Dig NASCAR XFinity? Like Mortal Kombat? Register to discuss both with fans on the Mortal Kombat X forum! Spread the success by liking & sharing stories via @MK_Online & Facebook.

With the release of Mortal Kombat X around the world, the spectre of micro-transactions has reared its head. Fans struggling with elaborate input sequences will be able to purchase "Easy Fatalities" DLC packs to simplify the process. It confirms long running speculation about monetization in the 2015 fighter, beyond the standard bonus content.

Screenshots via Luke Plunkett, Kotaku

More traditional modes of download content in Mortal Kombat X include: 4 Additional Characters, Playable Sub-Boss Goro and Bonus Character Skins. Fans can also unlock all items in The Krypt via $22.99 DLC.

How do you feel about MKX micro-transactions? Register to tell us your thoughts on the Mortal Kombat X forum. Celebrate the official release by liking & sharing stories via @MK_Online, Facebook & YouTube.

Fans who've ordered the limited edition version of Mortal Kombat X can look forward to a GameStop exclusive download of Kold War Scorpion. The new trailer shows this fan created design in action:

Kold War Scorpion is the work of MKOmmunity artist fear-sas, whose unique painted visions took the web by storm during Mortal Kombat X's development. See his original design artwork in a previous feature.

Other DLC bonuses include a Kollector's Edition Gold Scorpion designed by Coarse [full story], and the universal pre-order bonus: Goro. Future download skins include the Samurai Pack and 4 extra characters in The Kombat Pack.

Fans can gain $5 toward the purchase of Mortal Kombat X when they trade-in any PS4 or Xbox One game while purchasing at GameStop. Visit GameStop for details.

EDITOR'S NOTE When bonuses are location limited, it's not a bad idea to play with high concept alternatives for iconic characters. Something seems to have been lost in translation in Kold War Scorpion, though. Even the artwork shown at the end of the trailer differs significantly from the mask-centric playable skin. Character-driven designs are preferred, but this undermines the concept. The seemingly permanently over lit mask is a bit of let down, as well.

Mortal Kombat X officially arrives for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One & PC this coming Tuesday, April 14th! Register to share your thoughts on the MKX Forum, and submit & discuss fan kreations in the Fan Submission forum!