NetherRealm Studios has officially revealed Mortal Kombat 1–a narrative reboot of the acclaimed fighting game franchise–and mixed with all of the new details is an interesting nugget: Action movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme will be available as a downloadable skin for longtime MK character Johnny Cage.
The Van Damme skin will be part of MK1’s first Kombat Pack, which will also include six playable characters and five Kameo Characters–which are a separate roster of characters that are selected to assist a player during a fight, a la the original Marvel vs. Capcom. While the rest of the Kombat Pack will be released after launch, Johnny-Claude Van Cage (not his real name, we promise) will be available on day one.
The inclusion of Jean-Claude Van Damme is a novel callback to Mortal Kombat’s history, as the game was originally conceived as a companion video game to the Van Damme movie Bloodsport before the idea was scrapped. Ideas and assets from that project were repurposed, and the original Mortal Kombat was born.
The Kombat Pack featuring Van Damme will be included in both the Premium Edition and Kollector’s Edition of Mortal Kombat 1. The Premium Edition will cost $110 and also include three days worth of early access and 1250 Dragon Krystals–which are the game’s premium currency. The Kollector’s Edition will cost $250, and it includes a steel case, art prints, the Kombat Pack, 2,700 Dragon Krystals, and a “16.5-inch Liu Kang sculpture designed by Coarse [that comes with] an inspired Liu Kang in-game character skin.”
Mortal Kombat 1 will launch September 17 for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Those who purchase the Premium or Kollector’s Editions will be able to access the game September 14, and those who preorder will receive Shang Tsung as a playable character, as well as access to the game’s beta test in August.
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