The latest issue of Official XBox Magazine hitting news stands August 1st will be showcasing Midway's upcoming Mortal Kombat: Armageddon as its cover story! This issue, which has already reached some subscribers, goes in depth into the game and releases new information about the game, especially things that have changed since E3. These include:

• The character select screen has changed. Instead of being a rotating grid with two sides, all 64 viewable characters are on one single grid reminiscent of Mortal Kombat: Trilogy. In addition, Noob Saibot and Smoke are separate characters, and "Inferno" Blaze is a playable character.
• The secret minigame mode that had been secret until now has been revealed as Motor Kombat, an up to eight player cart racing game. The playable racers are Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Bo'Rai Cho, Jax, Raiden, Kitana, Mileena, and Baraka. (UPDATE - Cyrax and Johnny Cage are also available. Thanks for the correction, Casselman!) The characters are capable of using their own special moves during the match (Sub-Zero freezes cars, and Bo'Rai Cho can cause cars behind to slip on his puke, for example), and can even knock cars into course deathtraps. The minigame is playable alone, via online with eight people, and with up to four people with split-screen.

In addition, the article briefly discusses the first next-generation Mortal Kombat. Not much is said, however, other than Ed stating his intention to make the next game a clean slate, saying, "We always feel an obligation to carry something over, but [with] this one, we're going to draw a line and say, here's a new Mortal Kombat... there's a going to be a very clear line drawn that a lot of people won't cross." Ed also hinted that he would love to see a Mortal Kombat vs Street Fighter, but stresses that there are no plans and it's not in the near future.

If you're an OXM subscriber, this issue should be making its way to you any day now. If not, keep an eye out on newsstands as this issue should be hitting around August 1st!

Our thanks to everyone who sent in News Leads about this news article!