Mortal Kombat X Executive Producer Shaun Himmerick (@lover_of_tacos) has been fielding questions from fans via social media micro blogging site Twitter. The result is a raft of new details about the April 14 release, including character "unreveals" and DLC specifics.
Another 2nd Generation Fighter Coming
From the outset, Mortal Kombat X has touted the potential for two generations of kombatants to do battle across a 25 year timespan. So far, that distinction has belonged to Cassie Cage, but Himmerick promises at least one more "son or daughter" will make it to the final roster.
The tie-in comic books have already thrown up two convincing next gen candidates: Takeda - Scorpion's apprentice and son of Kenshi, and Jacqui Briggs - kickboxing junior Olympian and daughter to Jax. There's no reason to think both can't find their way into the final playable roster, but equally there's no guarantee it's either of them.
Goro Lives Day 1 & Beyond
There will be no escaping Goro come April 14th! The executive producer confirmed Goro will be playable from Day 1 and fully available for on and offline modes.
While Goro is being touted as a pre-order bonus for all versions (including digital) -- the four-armed Shokan will also be available to players beyond the incentive period. Furthermore, Himmerick confirms Goro is not part of The Kombat Pass.
More info on Goro and his kin below. Read on!
The Kombat Pass
Fans who've pre-ordered Mortal Kombat X Kollector's Editions know to expect The Kombat Pass among their swag of bonuses.
As widely speculated, this functions similarly to previous NetherRealm Season Passes - guaranteeing the player 4 additional characters post-release and 15 character skins.
This time around, two of those downloadable characters will be "iconic" guest fighters. Ed Boon has been teasing a reprieve for 2011 near-miss Sweet Tooth, raising fresh questions about console exclusives in the process. Boon told IGN there was a chance for more than one console exclusive fighter, last August..
God of War mascot Kratos appeared as a PlayStation exclusive in Mortal Kombat (2011), later joined by Season Pass download and Nightmare on Elm Street slasher: Freddy Krueger. NetherRealm's 2013 DC Comics fighter Injustice: Gods Among Us included a soft crossover appearance by Scorpion. As in those previous examples, guest characters may not feature alternate costumes.
Alternate Skin Downloads Begin at Launch
While guest characters won't necessarily have their own alternate costumes, there will be plenty of new skins to download - three at a time, in fact!
Himmerick acknowledges the first pack of skins will come on launch, with subsequent skin packs arriving in conjunction with Kombat Pass characters. The packs will also be available for purchase, offering a wide array of inspirations, from klassic designs to more unusual sources - like the "Cold War" Scorpion skin advertised for some versions of the Kollector's Edition. Kollector's Edition bonuses - such as the Coarse designed "Gold" Scorpion - will also become available at a later date.
As has become a NetherRealm Studios tradition - compatibility patches will also provide players with free character skins! You really won't have any shortage of options for a night out kicking arse!
Characters Won't Wear Others' Skins
There may be an abundance of character skins to swap out, but Mortal Kombat X won't be a Buffalo Bills' dream! With a lot of fan theories revolving around presumed character redundancies, the thought of including omitted characters as skins has been floated a lot. Himmerick didn't rule the possibility out completely, but did note a "big deal" character like Kintaro would not be considered for a Goro skin.
While Injustice: Gods Among Us did eventually use skins to create new characters [eg; Professor Zoom, John Stewart] -- it also demonstrated NetherRealm's keen ability to craft unique play styles for similar characters. A feat they should be capable of bringing to MKX, should circumstances require.
Even so, Mortal Kombat X will have more skins than Mortal Kombat (2011) and a few less than Injustice. As already recapped, that's still a whole lot of skins - more than enough to get Reptile through puberty and beyond! [Lizard joke!]
Another Character Reveal in February
According to Himmerick, NetherRealm Studios will be squeezing the month of February for all its worth. At least one more character should be revealed before the end of the month! Likewise - we can expect more information about the mysterious story line that takes the series across twenty-five years.
Invitation Only - The Deadpool Updated
In a blatant act of gimmick infringement, Executive Producer Shaun Himmerick has horned in on the Ed Boon Who's Next? Character Deadpool striking no less than four fighters definitively off the record! Click the link to find the full list of doomed souls.
Other Stuff We Already Knew
Sadly, not every website ore random dude on Twitter (or YouTube) is created equal. With more uncredited sources than ever before - a lot of disinformation and doubt seeps into the kommunity. Himmerick was happy to set a few folks straight, reiterating details that have been lost in the shuffle since E3, or that we'd already assumed.
Among the key points:
- Character select screens seen in demos aren't final.
- Players won't need PlayStation Plus to play Faction Wars etc.
- CPU characters will sometimes wear alternate costumes.
- No DC Universe guest characters [full story].
= Single Fight mode returning.
A big special thanks to MKOmmunity forum user Lord_Greyjoy for compiling many of the juiciest tweets! Register to join the kommunity and follow updates on the Mortal Kombat X forum!
