Midway has announced today that they have bought Paradox Development, developers of Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. Midway President and Chief Executive Officer David F. Zucker commented, "The Paradox team's expertise in the fighting genre is an excellent fit with Midway's product strengths and will help us extend the Mortal Kombat franchise into the action-adventure genre and release a highly engaging title in the Mortal Kombat universe annually."

Check out an article on Total Video Games here, and the original press release here.

GameSpy has done a Q & A interview with Herman Sanchez, the guy responsible for a lot of the voice acting in Mortal Kombat: Deception as well as older Mortal Kombat games such as Mortal Kombat 4 and Deadly Alliance. From the interview:

GameSpy: When did you first realize that you had a cool voice?

Herman Sanchez: It kind of hit me early. Not that I had a cool voice, but early on other people would tell me that I had a distinct voice. Let me just say that puberty hit me early. It's actually genetic; I have the same deep, resounding voice as my dad.

Aside from his personal life, Herman also talks about how he first got involved in voice acting for Midway, other games he's been involved in besides Mortal Kombat, what it's like to do voice acting, and a broad range of subjects. Click here to read the full article.

1UP.COM has started their 2004 Awards Nominations, with Mortal Kombat: Deception being nominated for top fighting game this year. The winners in each category will be determined by the gamers and theirs votes, with all voting being done on-line through 1UP.COM. The results will be posted on January 6, 2005.

To cast your vote, head on over to the 2004 1UP Awards Nominations site, which you can get to by clicking here.

GameSpot posted some pretty nice footage of Raiden's appearance in Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict. You can see our favorite God of Thunder using the Staff weapon, his Torpedo move, and various weapons - some of which are lightning-oriented. You can also see the code for "God mode" being used - there isn't a more appropriate character than Raiden to use this code for.


Click here to download the video, and look for "Gameplay Footage 5". You must be a GameSpot Basic member to get it, registration for this type of account is free. A huge thanks to MK Online forum user Cartmansp for the word!

You've konquered Mortal Kombat: Deception. You've lived the game, challenging all who would oppose you. Your superior form as a kombatant is known throughout the ranks, and now is the time to prove yourself. Mortal Kombat Online is proud to announce our first Mortal Kombat: Deception Online Tournament! Beginning December 6th, 2004, Mortal Kombat Online will be hosting two online tournaments for X-Box Live and PlayStation 2 Online. Think you have what it takes to annihilate the legions of challengers set before you? Better hope so, because the Grand Prize for the tournament is your very own copy of Mortal Kombat: Deception, autographed by Ed Boon and other members of the Mortal Kombat development team!

SIGN-ups are now over. Thanks for SIGN-ing up, and stay tuned for details!

MortalKombatOnline.com's MK: Deception Online Tournament!

December 6th, 2004

Tournament Rules and Regulations

• To be eligible for the tournament, you must complete a tournament registration by Monday, November 29 2004. Late forms will not be accepted. Please be sure that you're signed in to your Mortal Kombat Online account, and that your Mortal Kombat Online profile accurately reflects your Mortal Kombat: Deception Online User Name, before you click to enter the tournament!
  
• Entry is limited to the first 100 users for each system.
• Two separate tournaments will be conducted for PlayStation 2 users and X-Box users.
  
• Due to compatibility issues, the tournament is open to users of the NTSC release only.
  
• The tournament will be single elimination style, with the winner advancing to the next bracket.
  
• Mortal Kombat Online will generate a random tournament ladder based on the number of entries received.
  
• Each pair of entrants will be responsible to schedule their match within the time schedule given. This time schedule will be e-mailed to eligible users 48 hours before the tournament begins.
  
• Upon completion of the match, the winner is responsible to report the results to Mortal Kombat Online (the results will consist of both entrants names, which characters were used, the results of each round, and what (if any) finishing moves were used.
  
• Failure to report match results will eliminate both opponents from the tournament.
  
• In the event that conflicting results are sent in (for example, both contestants claiming to have won the match), both users will be disqualified.
  
• No-Shows will result in an automatic loss.
  
• Disconnects will be counted as a loss.
  
• A second tournament will be held at a later date, to be announced.
  
• Official Prize List:

// Xbox Live Tournament\\

Grand Prize Winner - Autographed Copy of Mortal Kombat: Deception by Motal Kombat Development Team for Xbox Video Game System.
2nd Place - Collector's Mortal Kombat Online Ballcap, and a one year subscription of Mortal Kombat Online Flawless Account.
3rd Place - Collector's Mortal Kombat Kombat Online Ballcap

//PS2 Online Tournament\\

Grand Prize Winner - Autographed Copy of Mortal Kombat: Deception by Mortal Kombat Development Team for Playstation 2 Video Game System.
2nd Place - Collector's Mortal Kombat Online Ballcap, and a one year subscription of Mortal Kombat Online Flawless Account.
3rd Place - Collector's Mortal Kombat Kombat Online Ballcap

GameInformer has updated with some new pics for a whopping total of 64 images of MK: Shaolin Monks. The images, 51 screenshots and 13 pieces of concept artwork, are only available to Game Informer Unlimited members. Pictures of returning favorite characters Kitana, Mileena, Jade, Baraka, Raiden, Sub-Zero, and Scorpion are available, as well as sketches of some returning and brand new arenas. To see the new images, you must register for a Game Informer Unlimited account, and enter either your GameInformer Subscription number or your GameStop ValueCard Customer number.

IGN has recently unveiled their 2004 Holiday Buyer's Guide, where they name their top ten best buys for each system this holiday season. In the category of Playstation2 games, one of the picks was Midway's Mortal Kombat: Deception! From the article:

Ed Boon and company did an outstanding job this year with its sixth deadly fighting extravaganza, Mortal Kombat: Deception. Easily the best offering in the franchise thus far, Deception does a wonderful job of expanding on the mechanics first explored in 2002's Deadly Alliance, with a myriad of new features, includes, and tweaks that make it one of the hottest buys of this holiday season.

Make no mistake about it, Mortal Kombat is absolutely huge, and Deception's online component is easily the best of its kind on PlayStation 2, and will likely stand as the game's primary replay pillar. For single-player fans that are just looking to enjoy solo action, there's plenty for them to enjoy here, too. The extensive adventure mode known as Konquest, for example, is bigger than most other standalone adventure games on the market. While the gigantic list of unlockable secrets and a much more balanced fighting system gives players more than enough to do on those lonely weekend evenings. Sure, it may not be the best technical fighting game ever invented, but it sure is a hell of a lot of fun, and isn't that all that matters anyway?

To see all of their picks for the Playstation 2, click here. To see the Buyer's Guide in its entirety, click here.

Our thanks to forum member blackcyborg for the heads up on this news story!

Hot on the heels of Team X-Box's preview of Epic Games's Unreal Championship 2, GameSpot has posted a new preview of Unreal Championship 2 which gives more details concerning the game, especially concerning the inclusion of Mortal Kombat's thunder god, Raiden! From the article:

Our demo of the game consisted of looks at the Remnant and Praxis levels (a ruin and a space station, respectively) for updated looks at how the gameplay and graphics are coming together. In addition, we got a quick overview of the multiplayer modes. The two levels offered the expected sweet visuals, but more importantly, they featured architecture that is tailor-made for performing the crazy acrobatic moves that are a key aspect to the experience. As for the multiplayer games, Epic is pulling out all the stops by offering a mix of the expected modes, like deathmatch, team deathmatch, and capture the flag, along with some unique new modes, such as "Overdose" and "Nali Slaughter." Later in the demo, we were able to get our hands on Raiden to try him out against a good selection of foes. The MK thunder god handles well and can mix it up nicely with the UC2 crew. While not as tough as Skaarj, Raiden can take a fair amount of punishment, which puts him in the midrange of the fighter's roster. His unique weapons are pistols, but in a nod to his powers, the guns are electrically generated and fire charges of lightning that look pretty cool.

The graphics continue to be tight, and they show off Epic's proficiency with the Xbox hardware. The varied environments we've seen are rich in detail and run an inventive gamut of locales. You'll see space station interiors, ruins, and seemingly benign outdoor locations that serve as backdrops for the intense carnage the game is known for. But while you'd think the character models may suffer some due to the attention lavished on the backgrounds, that's anything but the case. The eclectic roster of fighters in Unreal Championship 2: The Liandri Conflict, including the familiar races from the series, all look stellar. Newcomer Raiden ends up fitting in nicely with just a slight tailoring of his outfit, which ends up giving him a trimmer look. His animations are looking good, and his weapons look suitably cool. Epic's nod to Raiden's arcade moves are smart choices that fit the action. As a result, you'll be able to execute his Superman torpedo rush at opponents as well as his "shocker" fatality, wherein he explodes his foe using electricity.

Unreal Championship 2 will be released for the X-Box in March. To read the article in its entirety, click here.

Our thanks to forum members kingjolly and CAMK for the heads-up on this news story!

Team X-Box posted an interesting news article on their site, concerning the upcoming FPS for the X-Box, Epic Games's Unreal Championship 2! As a result of Midway Games's publishing this title, a very familiar character from the Mortal Kombat universe is making a guest appearance in the game! From the article:

But without a doubt, the most interesting surprise was the unveiling of the secret Mortal Kombat character that will make his way into a crossover that blends the fighting and shooting genres; and the winner is… Raiden!

Yes, the Thunder God has been selected to venture into the Unreal universe and his selection makes sense when you consider he has always battled in the Mortal Kombat tournaments when the Outworld and Earth realms merged.

Now that the Unreal and Mortal Kombat universes are melding into one, he once again must put his own immortality to risk by transforming into a mere mortal to compete in The Liandri Corporation tournament.

His incorporation comes together with Raiden's voice actor and the option to swap the Unreal host with the classic Mortal Kombat announcer, providing a nice MK touch that will be welcome to fans of the fighting franchise. Mike Capps, Lead Designer of UC2 and President of Epic Games, also revealed that the incorporation of the character, as well as other Mortal Kombat elements, were implemented with the input of Ed Boon.

Note that Raiden's inclusion in UC2 was known as far back as Midway Gamer's Day, where we got a picture of his silhouette on the UC2 character select screen, along with another mysterious kombatant's. However, this is the first official confirmation we have seen regarding Raiden's presence in Unreal Championship 2. We'll keep an eye on this game, and as we learn more, we'll report it here.

To see the Team X-Box article in its entirety, click here. To see the previous MK Online news article with the UC2 screenshots, click here.

Our thanks to forum/chat member CAMK for the heads-up on this news story!

MortalKombatKontroller.com, the official site of the Mortal Kombat: Deception controllers, has updated with pictures of each of the 6 MK:D controllers available - Scorpion, Sub-Zero, and Baraka on both the Play-Station 2 and X-Box consoles, respectively. The X-Box controllers will actually have animated holograms on them, and a demonstration of this is available on the site. You can also buy the controllers through the site or at the retail stores mentioned there!


Thanks go to MK Kool for the news!

Spike TV has announced the nominees for its upcoming Video Game Awards 2004, and Midway's Mortal Kombat: Deception has garnered a nomination for Best Fighting Game! It faces stiff competition this year from other games such as Dead or Alive: Ultimate, Def Jam: Fight for NY, Fight Night 2004, and WWE: Smackdown! Vs. RAW. The Video Game Awards 2004 winners are decided by vote, so be sure and make your voice heard!

The Video Game Awards 2004 will be aired live on December 14th at 9 PM EST, hosted by Snoop Dogg. To cast your vote, go to the VGA 2004 website, which can be located by clicking here. (Warning: the site requires Macromedia Flash Player.)

Our thanks to forum/chat member DECEPTION for the heads-up on this news story! In addition, we at MK Online would like to extend our congratulations to the MK: Deception design team on this achievement!

The future bodes well for Midway Games, who has added three new important members to their internal product development team, all of them top industry leaders.

• Scot Bayless, VP, Midway's Chicago studio. Notable achievements: James Bond 007 franchise, Daytona USA, Microsoft Flight Simulator
• Denise Fulton, Studio Head, Midway's Austin studio. Notable achievements: Deus Ex: Invisible War, Thief: Deadly Shadows, NHL 2001
• Stephan Martinière, Visual Design Director, Midway's Chicago studio. Notable achievements: Myst, special effects on feature films such as Star Wars Episodes II and III, I, Robot, and The Fifth Element.

Read the entire press release here.

As November 19 draws nearer and nearer, game stores (and their respective web sites) the world over prepare for Mortal Kombat: Deception. As was reported earlier this summer, in France the game will be called Mortal Kombat: Mystification due to translation issues (namely, "deception" happens to be a word in French which means "disappointment"). The City Disc Website - a European music/game store - has posted the box art for the French MK Mystification.



You can check out their product page for the PS2 version here, and the X-Box version here.

The guys over at ConsoleGold, who recently put together a timeline of the history of the Mortal Kombat franchise leading up to MK: Deception, have updated with the first post-MKD interview with series creator Ed Boon. The interview focuses on the success of the game, which was released last month, and provides insight into how Ed Boon feels about the impressive sales of Mortal Kombat: Deception over its predecessor MK: Deadly Alliance, which was released in November of 2002. From the interview:

I suspected the game would do well but as far as HOW WELL, yes I am surprised. Deadly Alliance has sold over 3 million units which was more than I would have guessed. So when I heard that Deception was selling 35% faster than Deadly Alliance did I was very surprised. When we started Deception, our goal was to do the unexpected. We really wanted to add much more (unexpected) content to Mortal Kombat, rather than just make Deadly Alliance 2. With Deception being the fastest selling Midway game in history we feel like we made the right choices.

The interview also contains a few comments from Ed Boon regarding the next action adventure game in development, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. When asked if this title, which is slated for a release in Fall of 2005, would be a prequel Ed stated:

Its not a prequel to MK1 but it does take place before Deception. Shaolin Monks takes place between MK1 and MK2 and it stars Liu Kang and Kung Lao. It’s an action adventure game that has a very elaborate kombat system and allows for 2 players at the same time. The game is coming out in the fall of 2005.

To read this interview in full click here. Special thanks goes out to that man in black for the heads up.

While the exact phone type/provider is unknown as of right now, THQ Wireless has updated their site that the original Mortal Kombat is available now as a Java game. Since most of their other mobile phone games have some kind of screenshot included on the site, it's likely that pictures of Mortal Kombat may appear soon there as well. Click here to check out their Mortal Kombat section, and here to read the original press release.

Cincinnati-based online game developer Games Inc. has issued a press release announcing that they are teaming up with Midway Games to bring online and wireless versions of several classic Midway games, including Mortal Kombat! The press release mentions that the ports of Mortal Kombat and other games will be "individual and multi-player online tournament and league versions". From the press release:

CINCINNATI, Nov. 3, 2004 (PRIMEZONE) -- Games Inc. (OTC BB:GMSI.OB - News) will launch new Online and Wireless versions of many of Midway Games Inc.'s (NYSE:MWY - News) classic Arcade Game titles. Games will distribute these classic titles through their own Web properties, adding to their other branded games offerings.

Roger Ach, CEO of Games Inc., welcomed the Midway addition, saying, ``Midway's Classic Arcade games will be another important component of our goal to make Games, Inc. the centerpiece of Branded Online multi-player and single-player content. Midway and relationships such as this, serve as more examples of how Games is focused on executing its business plan to strengthen our Branded Online multi-player and single-player content and build shareholder value.''

These games are currently under development by Games, Inc. and the initial titles will launch in early January, subject to the execution of a definitive agreement. Games, Inc. expects the Midway properties to be immediately accretive to earnings in the quarters after launch.

The press release does not mention which MK games will be ported over. We'll be checking up on this development, and as we learn more, we'll be sure to report it here!

To read the press release in its entirety, click here.

IGN, hot on the heels of last week's official announcement, Midway Games has supplied them with a total of thirteen new screenshots from the up and coming Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. From their article:

Slated for fall 2005 on Xbox and PS2, this new action-adventure game could finally bury our nightmarish memories of MK: Mythologies. With its crisp graphics, single or dual-person 3D play, and with a focused, capable team behind it, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks promises the kind of fun many gamers for years have hoped to have with the MK license. And it looks as if Midway is giving Boon's team a real chance to flesh out the game by giving them time and resources. Here's hoping for an excellent new start.

To view these screenshots head over here. Special thanks goes out to Mortal Kombat Online member DECEPTION for the heads up!

To further emphasize Midway's strong resurgence in the gaming industry, CNN/fn has interviewed Ed Boon, creator of the Mortal Kombat series. The interview covers a broad range of topics, from the history of Mortal Kombat's violence to the impact that Mortal Kombat: Deception is making for Midway Games.

To download the interview, click here (Windows Movie File - 18.9MB).

The MK: Deception U.K. Site is now up, at the same place they had the Deadly Alliance site 2 years ago: http://www.itsinusall.com/.

The site pretty much links to the official MK: Deception site, at http://www.mkdeception.com. However, on the site, you will find some very cool wallpapers, exclusive pictures, and some information about some upcoming European MKD tournaments (all the way from October 31 to December 3rd). Also on the site you will find mention of the European Release Date: November 19th, 2004.