Mortal Kombat 1 has finally revealed a full official trailer featuring the Jean-Claude Van Damme collaboration, including some quippy dialogue and gameplay. The trailer follows up on all of the buzz built by Ed Boon’s recent appearance on the popular YouTube show Hot Ones.
Mortal Kombat 1 launches onto PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation and Xbox on September 19th, 2023. You can watch today’s new trailer on the official Mortal Kombat YouTube channel:
Hardcore fans of the series know that Jean-Claude Van Damme has a long history with the franchise, and having influenced it, the collaboration couldn’t be more appropriate and satisfying. It certainly makes more sense than some of the more outlandish collaborations, and it includes both voice lines and a skin, making this a must-have.
Despite using one of the longest flashback sequences in cinema history, Jean-Claude Van Damme’s Bloodsport remains a hugely entertaining movie. It’s an excellent time capsule of the 80’s, features some neat martial arts scenes, and is known for inspiring Mortal Kombat in many ways.
Jean-Claude Van Damme remains an icon with plenty of charisma, and that personality does come through in today’s trailer. There’s even some self-deprecating humor here, mentioning Van Damme’s agent.
It’s a shame that the collaboration took so long, but it did seem to give the franchise plenty of time to ponder all of the optimal one-liners Van Damme could have. Of course, some might feel a little too on the nose, like the nod to Kickboxer and Street Fighter, both of which Van Damme starred in.
The cosmetic looks great, with visuals that resemble Van Damme’s classic look enough. Also, you can’t help but notice the splits during one of the attacks. His collaboration is long overdue and a massive win for the franchise, and there couldn’t be a better time than this rebirth of the timeline.
You can read more about Mortal Kombat 1, NetherRealm Studios, and other upcoming fighting games by following our news section.
