Category: News

Ever since it was first announced, players have been patiently anticipating the next arcade revision to Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-. Fortunately, it looks like they won’t have to wait much longer, as Arc System Works recently announced the patch will be applied on March 19.

Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN-‘s ver.1.10 update brings with it the three previously console exclusive characters–Sin Kiske, Elphelt Valentine, and Leo Whitefang–as well as a plethora of system and balance changes.

Our previous report covered a handful of adjustments that were present during location tests, but details on what will be included in this final release have yet to be divulged. Similarly, there is still no word on when this update will arrive on consoles.

Source: Arc System Works via Ho-chan

The previous generation releases for Mortal Kombat X will be delayed to this summer, according to reports from VideoGamer.

While we received some exciting news regarding a playable Jason Voorhees earlier this morning, these unfortunate details regarding the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions of the upcoming title creates a weird inversion on the “every cloud has a silver lining” idiom.

NetherRealm Studios’ Ed Boon made sure to point out soon after Mortal Kombat X was revealed that his team is focusing solely on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One releases, and today’s statement mentions that development on older consoles is being handled by High Voltage Software. This studio was previously responsible for bringing Injustice: Gods Among Us to PC.

These details come shortly after the Amazon listing for these past platforms was updated with a June release date.

Mortal Kombat X will still release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on April 14.

Source: VideoGamer via GameSpot

Jason Voorhees, star of the classic Friday the 13th horror movie franchise, will be playable in Mortal Kombat X as a guest character.

NetherRealm Studios has revealed that the machete-wielding killer will be one of four downloadable characters included in the game’s Kombat Pack, which will include another guest fighter and two classic cast members from the Mortal Kombat franchise.

This bundle will also include the Samurai Pack, consisting of three new character skins–Ronin Kenshi, Samurai Shinnok and Jingu Kitana–as well as costume packages with each additional playable character. Those who buy the Kombat Pack will also gain early access to future content.

All of this is included with the various special editions of Mortal Kombat X or as a separate purchase for $29.99.

Mortal Kombat X launches on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on April 14. In the meantime, check out the quick teaser for Jason below.

Source: NetherRealm Studios via Test Your Might

While official confirmation that Johnny Cage will be playable in Mortal Kombat X arrived just this morning, we already have some great gameplay details regarding his variations courtesy of Polygon, who sat down with the game at Game Developers Conference 2015.

First up, A-List Johnny Cage is able to charge a variety of both normal and special moves, increasing their damage while at the same time lengthening their start-up.

The Fisticuffs fighting style, on the other hand, outfits Mr. Cage with a pair of brass knuckles. A power-up unique to this variation pushes the damage of certain attacks higher and grants access to different combo opportunities.

Finally, Stunt Double gives the veteran a spectral image that performs his signature attacks for him, perhaps similar to the way Kenshi handled in 2011’s Mortal Kombat, and limits him to one horizontal fireball instead of the arcing duo for which he’s come to be known.

But don’t worry, Johnny’s iconic slide and groin-punching attacks will be available across all three variations.

For a deeper look at how the story begins, be sure to give some love to Polygon’s original article.

Mortal Kombat X is scheduled to release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on April 14.

Source: Polygon via Test Your Might

With the competitive season now in full swing, multiple tournament weekends are starting to arrive and complicate already busy schedules. In order to help spectators at home get the most out of their viewing experiences over the next few days, we’ve decided to break down two upcoming events, along with streams and adjusted schedules for folks outside of the regional time zones.

Nine States Tournament 2015 – Fukuoka, Japan

Hosted by Fukuoka Gamers Club, this year’s installment of the Nine States Tournament has received some added spotlight thanks to its inclusion on the Capcom Pro Tour. As a ranking event, high placers will be rewarded with points towards their overall circuit position, giving them an early edge in the standings.

This has, as you would guess, brought a ton of Ultra Street Fighter IV talent out of the woodwork, including Infiltration, Poongko, BIGDANMUL, Pugera, NISHIKIN, Akimo, Amiyu, MIzoteru, Michael-tan, Dunhill, and Fukuoka Gamers Clubs’ own Pepeday.

While all of the main tournament action is scheduled for Sunday, the event will also be home to a special 5-on-5 team tournament the day before. The full schedule can be found below.

Folks watching at home should be sure to tune into Tough Cookie TV, as they will be the main and only broadcast for this event.

SXSW Gaming Fighters Invitational – Austin, Texas

Here in the states, however, the action is scheduled to begin a day earlier with SXSW Gaming’s Fighters Invitational. The first of its kind, this high-stakes competition will bring together sixteen of the world’s top Ultra Street Fighter IV players, all of whom will be vying for a portion of the $20,000 prize pool.

The players invited to compete in this event include Kun “RZR|Xian” Ho, Hajime “MCZ|Tokido” Taniguchi, Darryl “Snake Eyez” Lewis, TSC|Sanford Kelly, Eduardo “EG|PR Balrog” Perez, Long “pH|LPN” Nguyen, Kenneth “EG|KBrad” Bradley, EG|Yusuke Momochi, Du “TL|Nuckledu” Dang, Ryota “Kazunoko” Inoue, EG|Ricky Ortiz, Ryan “Prodigal Son” Hart, EG|Justin Wong, DL|Hamad Akbar, Bruce “AVM|GamerBee” Hsiang, and MCZ|Daigo Umehara.

With such a refined group of players gathered from all across the globe, this event is sure to provide some ridiculously hype moments. You’ll find a full schedule below and, if that’s not deatiled enough, a down-to-the-match timeline can be found through the event’s official website.

Spectating this tournament in person is completely free of charge if you register for a guest pass, and a stream will be provided through Twitch.

With these stacked tournaments on the horizon, how do you think they will play out? Let us know in the comments!

Sources: Fukuoka Gamers Club, Beast of the East, Capcom Pro Tour, SXSW Gaming

Yesterday, we reported that a recent listing on Amazon had all but confirmed the fact that renowned film star and revered patriarch of the Cage family, Johnny himself, would be playable in Mortal Kombat X when it hits shelves next month. This morning, our suspicions have been confirmed true thanks to a new trailer for the upcoming title that shows off some game play not only for previously announced contender Cassie Cage, but for her pops Johnny and her mother Sonya Blade as well.

From what we can see in the footage, Johnny seems to have retained a good deal of the kit that he has come to be known for over the years including his Shadow Kick and his Plasmic Bolt. We also get to see Sonya break out a handful of her signature moves and Cassie, following after her parents, displays her expertise with dual pistols as well as a selection of special moves of her own.

The trailer also offers a quick glimpse at how the Cage family interact with one another within the game’s expansive story mode, and it looks like we can expect a good deal of comedy from the three of them.

To check out these three fighters in action, take a look at the trailer below. Be sure to stick around until the end to see what may be the most gruesome Fatality revealed so far.

Mortal Kombat X is scheduled to launch for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC on April 14.

Source: Mortal Kombat

Earlier tonight, Arc System Works released details for their next Guilty Gear Xrd -SIGN- console patch. While not the massive update that adjusted gameplay in arcades, ver.1.04 fixes a variety of bugs present in the console version and adds a few improvements to the game’s cross-play and online modes.

According to the news, balance changes will arrive on consoles later this year along with support for Arc System Work’s tournament app. The developers have also worked out a way to correct issues the PlayStation 4 version has with searching for ranked matches, but are unsure if it will be ready in time.

You’ll find a full breakdown of the patch’s details below, courtesy of Dustloop’s Sourenga. Fans should expect this to arrive sometime in March.

Source: Arc System Works via Sourenga

Photo courtesy of Robert Paul

Although he was supposed to have stepped down from his position in January, Apex co-creator Johnathan “Alex Strife” Lugo is reportedly still very much involved with the popular tournament series, and may even resume business duties in the near future.

These details come courtesy of The Daily Dot’s Michael Hathaway, who was relayed this information by numerous sources close to the organization. According to his report, Apex’s internal plans aim to keep chief executive Cristin “Crismas” DeSaro on as their public face while Lugo works behind the scenes in a role geared more towards financial matters like sponsor relations.

Numerous accusations of harassment were leveled at Lugo a little over a week before Apex 2015’s doors were schedule to open, forcing the community to take a long look at the main heading up their largest annual tournament. A statement released shortly after his misconduct came to light mentioned that he would be “stepping down from his duties,” though his status as owner was left up in the air.

Despite this, Apex 2015 turned out to be a shining beacon of the Smash scene’s spirit. Venue issues forced a mad scramble to salvage the weekend’s events, but a last-second change of scenery gave the community two days of high-level competition they can all be proud of.

This news, however, could very well dismantle whatever good will was accrued during that event. In the event Lugo truly remains at Apex, community members will once again be forced to make a decision as to whether or not they should continue supporting the tournament series.

Source: The Daily Dot via Alex Jebailey

It’s interesting to watch how character designs change from one version of a game to the next. Over time, as technology advances, characters naturally gain higher resolution models, but they often pick up plenty of small changes along the way that help them stand out from their peers.

This sort of evolution may be most apparent in the case of Mortal Kombat’s male ninja cadre. What began as a group of fighters who differed only by way of special attacks and the color of their garb have become a variety of drastically different entities who, while still associated with their trademark colors, could easily be told apart if they were to show up side-by-side.

We’ve watched a similar change occur in the series’ female ninjas over the years, with Mileena, Kitana, Jade, and others all receiving tweaks to make them more than just recolored sprites that happen to wield different weapons. These differences have become even more pronounced in Mortal Kombat X, with Kitana and Millena taking on rather drastic design overhauls and Jade out of the picture completely.

While Kitana’s design in the 2011 version of the game was easily her most distinct up until that point, her latest update goes even further, allowing her to come off as both more elegant and deadlier than ever before.

As characters evolve, so too does the world of cosplay, which brings them outside of the game world and into our own. Even though we won’t be getting our hands on Mortal Kombat X for another full month, fans of the series are already bringing some of these new character designs to life.

Brazilian cosplayer Ju Tsukino reently put together an impressive take on Kitana’s new look, which she showed off earlier this week on Instagram. Though she has only posted a couple of pictures of the final result, it looks to be incredibly accurate. Check out her work below and let us know what you think.

This is the first test a few days ago. Now is tottaly done and I want photos *.* #mkx #cosplaywip #mortalkombatx

A photo posted by Ju Tsukino (@jutsukino) on Mar 9, 2015 at 2:16pm PDT

Source: Ju Tsukino