As 2010 draws to a close we look back on a year that Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat Online have seen a great number of changes. It turned out to be a very eventful year for both the site and the gaming series we cover.

In April we witnessed the birth of Netherrealm Studios at Warner Bros. The Mortal Kombat team's years of dedication and hard work paid off when after being purchased by the entertainment giant they were granted their very own development studio named after the iconic Mortal Kombat series. We here at MK Online know the team will soar to new heights under this banner.

June was perhaps one of the most memorable months in the long history of the series. On June 8th, the community was rocked by the appearance of a project called Mortal Kombat: Rebirth, a new live action take on the series. At first it seemed like it was a legitimate project in development, as it featured notable Hollywood stars, but it turned out to be only a movie pitch. Whether or not we will ever see more on it, the video will not soon be forgotten and has even been commented on by members of Netherrealm Studios themselves. Just two days later, perhaps to quell rumors MK: Rebirth was Mortal Kombat 9, the official website and trailer for the game that will simply be titled Mortal Kombat were revealed. A return to the 2D plane and a recreation of the events of MK1-MK3, it was a time of great excitement for fans of the series.

Since that time we have been witness to one of the most polished and deep looking Mortal Kombat games in recent memory. With incredible attention to detail and a promise to bring the series back to the forefront of the gaming world, the game due out this coming Spring has impressed nearly every major gaming site. As coverage continues on into 2011, we will continue to unveil the roster and inner workings of this sure-hit game.

2010 was just as changing for Mortal Kombat Online as well. On Halloween we revamped our Staff, including the promotion of myself to Webmaster many new faces were added. I would like to thank my fellow staff members and everyone who continues to visit this site, making it the most visited MK site on the internet for another year. As some of you know, Mortal Kombat Online launched as MK5.org back in 1998 and Christmas is more than just a holiday to us, it is also an anniversary. This Christmas makes 12 years we have been online and we would again like to thank everyone who has contributed to this community over those last years. Please check out our About Us page if you aren't familiar with our history, it's a good read. We have ambitious plans for 2011 and I hope you will remain with us as we continue to grow.

In the spirit of the season, we are offering redemption codes for the recently released UMK3 on iOS. If you are interested in winning this prize, simply follow us on Twitter and retweet the contest announcement. We have several other prizes to give away as well as these codes, including official Mortal Kombat headbands, buttons, t-shirts and even signed copies of Mortal Kombat games! In addition: Posting in this thread will award you with 5 dragon points for your first post. See you on Twitter, and a very merry holiday season to MK fans everywhere!