Author: Ian "iantothemax" Walker

To say Mortal Kombat X’s arrival on Steam has been bumpy would be a bit of an understatement.

The port, which is being developed by third-party studio High Voltage Software, launched on PC last night, taking advantage of a brand new system that would allow players to download a small portion of the core content and play earlier than normal while the full game streamed and installed in the background. According to numerous reports, however, the additional packages didn’t show up until hours after Mortal Kombat X officially launched, leaving many unable to move past the main menu.

These additional packages–which by some estimates weigh in at over 30 GB–made the scene sometime later, but have still not corrected the initial problems encountered by players, even after a complete reinstall. At this time, full characters such as Scorpion and Sub-Zero, story mode, online play, and numerous other features are reportedly unavailable, leaving folks who purchased the PC version scratching their heads.

Though not involved heavily with this port, lead developer NetherRealm Studios has released as statement on the matter, saying that they are in touch with Steam and working on a solution. Updates are expected to drop through Mortal Kombat X’s official hub, so stay tuned for more details.

Sources: Kotaku, NeoGAF, Steam

We’ve all been there: you spend hours trying to beat your buddy in a game of Mortal Kombat, finally see their character helplessly dazed before you, and feel an immense desire to seal the deal by ripping them limb from limb.

But, oh no! You forgot the fatality inputs!

Rushing to the pause screen, you leave yourself with scant few seconds to pull off the motions necessary to complete the nasty finisher, allowing your opponent’s body to unceremoniously flop to the ground as a testament to your failure. You may have won the match, yes, but the embarrassment of this missed opportunity will haunt you forever.

If you recently picked up Mortal Kombat X and found yourself experiencing flashbacks to those dark periods of adolescence, never fear, because NetherRealm Studios has including an option for easier fatality inputs in their latest title that’s sure to do just the trick.

Of course, you can access them through the game’s Krypt by collecting currency during your time training up your skills, but why do that when you can drop some extra cash into your PlayStation Network or Xbox Live account and receive them immediately? Both online platforms are currently offering downloadable content that unlocks easy Fatalities in increments of five for a measly dollar or thirty for the reasonable price of five bucks. What a steal!

Oh and, fun fact, if you still can’t quite get the hang of Fatality inputs when these easy methods run out, you can always buy more. Yes, you read that right…they’re disposable.

All joking aside, this isn’t the worst use of microtransactions we’ve seen in the video game world or even in the fighting game genre (don’t worry Street Fighter x Tekken, we’re not gonna go there), but it’s still a little weird to see tactics like this make their way to the console market. I’m eagerly awaiting what they will think up next.

Special thanks to Jeff Gerstmann for bringing this to our attention.

Today, Razer announced the addition of Carl “Perfect Legend” White to their small but strong fighting game division.

A two-time Evolution champion, he’ll be in perfect company with new teammates Kun “Xian” Ho, Keita “Fuudo” Ai, and Hiromiki “Itabashi Zangief” Kumada, all of whom have also found success at the largest fighting game tournament in the world. Unlike the others, however, White is the first American to join Razer’s ranks.

With Mortal Kombat X only a few days from launch and ESL’s Fatal 8 invitational set for this weekend, the organization appears to be diversifying their ranks to accommodate the upcoming game and the high-level competition that’s sure to follow.

Will White’s prowess in previous NetherRealm titles transfer to this new arena? Only time will tell, but this sponsorship means we should be seeing a lot of him over the coming year.

Source: Razer

During a closed press conference for the arcade release of Dissidia Final Fantasy, Square Enix announced that they have pegged Tecmo Koei’s Team NINJA to develop the upcoming title, which is set for release this fall.

Known for their work on the Dead or Alive series, Team NINJA will be heading into a rather different arena with Dissidia, shifting from one-on-one matchups to three-on-three arena battles featuring classic Final Fantasy characters like Terra Branford, Cloud Strife, Lightning, and newly revealed Final Fantasy Tactics protagonist Ramza Beoulve.

Square Enix also took the time show off Dissidia’s arcade cabinet, which sports a twin-stick design and traditional PlayStation directional and face buttons. Development is being built on PlayStation 4 hardware with help from Sony Computer Entertainment themselves, who hope to see the title ported to home consoles after at least one year in arcades.

Public testing is planned for various locations throughout Japan on the weekends of April 17 and 24, during which more footage is sure to surface.

Gematsu has translated a variety of gameplay details from multiple sources, so be sure to read their report for more information.

Sources: Games Talk, Inside Games, Famitsu, Gematsu, Doki Doki Kusoge, video courtesy of Square Portal

Although it’s been some time since Steam offered a great sale on fighting games, they are currently offering a trio of King of Fighters titles for under $20, half-off their regular collective price.

The bundle in question includes King of Fighters ’98 Ultimate Match Final Edition, King of Fighters 2002 Unlimited Match, and King of Fighters XIII, providing a nice cross-section of the extensive franchise for folks who either want to renew their love of SNK’s classics or jump into them for the first time.

Each game is also available at a discounted price alone if you happen to own one or two already.

This deal will be available through Saturday, April 11, at 9 AM PDT, so be sure to take advantage of the sale as soon as possible.

Source: Steam, tips via Anne and desmond_kof

This weekend, New York University’s Game Center is prepared to put on yet another installment of their Spring Fighter event series. Much like past installments, this year’s will bring together fans across a number of titles to compete in the games they love and shine a light on the history of the fighting game community.

In addition to tournaments for Ultra Street Fighter IV, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-, Super Smash Bros. Melee, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, Lethal League, and Killer Queen, the festivities will also host a special discussion between Seth Killian and John Choi, both veterans of the scene who are sure to provide some fantastic insight into moments from their collective past.

While Spring Fighter regularly draws out some amazing competition, the stakes have risen considerably this year with with NYU Game Center’s offer to fly the Ultra Street Fighter IV champion to Evo 2015, giving them the opportunity to visit the largest fighting game tournament in the world and work towards a qualifying spot at Capcom Cup 2015.

Spring Fighter 2015 is scheduled for this Saturday, April 11. More details on attending can be found through the official website, and a stream will be provided by Team Spooky’s Arturo Sancehz for those who aren’t able to be there in person.

Source: NYU Game Center