ESL Announces Details of Mortal Kombat X Pro League Season Two

ESL has released more details for the upcoming second season of the Mortal Kombat X Pro League. Beginning with a preseason starting on Oct. 18, 2015, the season will run through the end of the year with finals sometime in early 2016.

The format for season two will remain the same, "with open signups on Sundays that will whittle down the field to eight competitors." Those eight will then play on the MKX Pro League show on NetherRealm's Twitch channel every Wednesday. 

The regular season will begin on Nov. 1, and will feature weekly prizes of $1,000 with the finals of season two offering up a $100,000 pot. Check out ESL's important dates and times for season two after the jump.

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New Mortal Kombat X Patch Corrects Bugs, Fixes Takeda and More

The most recent update to Mortal Kombat X has been released, and it is relatively short. The first update to the game since the major changes set in place at the end of August 2015, the patch has mostly been used by NetherRealm to correct glitches and bugs that were either a result of that version change or that have been found since.

The biggest fixes in the patch are to Takeda, who had several of his strings reduced in advantage to prevent him from being able to perform blockstring infinites on certain characters. Quan Chi and Predator also had bugs that allowed them multiple instances of a move on the screen at the same time removed.

Overall, it's good to see NRS is not rocking the boat much since the big update, and correcting any problems that arise from it.

New Characters, Other Content Coming to Mortal Kombat X in 2016

It looks like Mortal Kombat X players will be getting new content, but not for roughly four months. After players speculated about Ed Boon's tweet on Sept. 2, NetherRealm has released a statement saying that new MKX content will be coming after the new year:

"The new content will include four new playable characters, skins and a new environment, all of which will be available in the first half of 2016." 

While the content is months away, players will undoubtedly be happy to see the game continue to be supported by NRS as it reaches its first anniversary.

Ed Boon Teases New Characters for Mortal Kombat X

Ed Boon loves to be cryptic on Twitter, dropping both hints and red herrings to followers about upcoming events and characters for his Mortal Kombat series. He hinted at Tremor becoming part of the MKX cast long before the game even came out, and has teased about the story mode cast becoming playable as well. 

Now, Boon has done it again, posting a tweet with the question, "Tomorrow?" and a picture of four shadowed figures. On the picture it simply reads "Who's Next?"

Are these four characters the formerly unplayable story mode cast such as Rain and Baraka? Are they four characters—new and old—that will make up Kombat Pack 2? Or is Boon simply messing with his audience again? Only time will tell.

Option Selects Gone? and Other Changes in New MKX Update

NetherRealm Studios has posted the list of changes coming to Mortal Kombat X in the next couple days, and it is rather extensive. Along with changes to each character designed to try and make every variation more viable, there are four specific fixes designed to remove option selects from the game:

- Removed the ability to add extra inputs while doing a normal attack 2in1 cancel which allowed some characters to have the special move cancel only occur on hit / block
- Removed the ability to have some specific input timings on a 2in1 cancel so it could come out on block but not come out on hit on some normal attacks
- Removed the ability to option select execute a special move or throw reversal after block stun while still holding the block button
- Removed the ability to option select execute a wakeup non enhanced special move attack, wakeup throw, or wakeup backdash while still holding down the block button

NetherRealm has said this patch will be the last for the forseeable future unless an emergency arises. Hit the jump for the complete list of changes.

But that is not all the MK news for this week, apparently. Series creator Ed Boon hinted on Twitter that "BIG (new) MK news" will be released sometime later this week.

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PlayStation 3, XBox 360 Versions of Mortal Kombat X Cancelled

After delays pushed the last-gen version of the new Mortal Kombat game out of the original release window and then past the adjusted time frame, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has decided to end development of the title. In a statement on the Warner Bros. community forums, the company explained its decision:

After months of development, Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment has come to the regrettable conclusion that we cannot release Mortal Kombat X for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.  Please know our teams worked diligently to meet the quality standards set by the current-gen versions of the game.  We were not able to get the PS3 and Xbox 360 versions to the quality expected of a Mortal Kombat game and are very sorry for not being able to deliver the products as originally planned. 

The company also said that anyone who preordered the game will receive a full refund.

While a disappointing announcement for those who do not yet have a PlayStation 4 or Xbox One, the cancellation is not wholly surprising given that information about the game's development had stopped appearing in recent months. The PS3 and 360 versions of MKX were being created by High Voltage Software, the company that produced the PC port.

Sorcerer Quan Chi Glitch Allows Two Spells on Screen in MKX

A new glitch has been discovered in Mortal Kombat X that allows the Sorceror variant of Quan Chi to have more than one of his spells on screen at the same time. Following up on a video that was sent to them by someone who performed the glitch but had no idea how it worked, Ketchup and Mustard were able to figure it out.

According to the brothers, the glitch is started by casting Final Hex and then letting the buff run out. From that point, if Quan Chi casts another spell and waits roughly eight seconds into its duration he can then cast another spell before the first one has run out. Once two spells are on the screen, they each have an independent timer and players can cast any combination of his three buffs including duplicates.

The spell glitch has some bizarre side effects, as Ketchup and Mustard were able to discover methods allowing the chip damage buff from Final Hex to carry over even once it expired. It's unknown how effective this glitch can or will be in tournament play, but check out Ketchup's Twitch stream as they investigate the exploit more. A brief YouTube video by user Apocalypse UK showing the glitch can be found after the jump.

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Mortal Kombat X Sorceror Quan Chi Tutorial by Ketchup

Evolution 2015 Mortal Kombat X top 8 finalist PND Ketchup has created a 23-minute guide on the character that got him there, Sorceror Quan Chi.

Ketchup takes time to break down all of Quan Chi's spells in MKX, talking about the best ways to use each one. He also points out different situations where Quan Chi should and should not try to activate them, as well as giving different routes to maximize their effectiveness.

Check out the video after the jump.

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Predator Playable in Mortal Kombat X on July 7 for Kombat Pack Owners

Mortal Kombat continues its trend of extraordinary villains with the Predator for the latest game.

Mortal Kombat X Kombat Pack owners can get their hands on the tech-saavy alien hunter on July 7. Everyone else will be able to buy Predator as a separate character for $4.99 on a later date. Kombat Pack owners will also get immediate access to The Predator/Prey costume pack which gives Jonny the same attire Dutch, played by Arnold Schwarzenegger, wore in the first Predator film. Scorpion will be coated with infared heat throughout his body similar to how the Predator uses his optics. Jax will also snag the look of Dutch's friend George Dillon and will feature voice talent from actor Carl Weathers.

Netherrealm Studios will be showing off Predator on the upcoming July 6 Kombat Kast so tune into their Twitch channel!

Schwarzenegger

Footage of Predator in Mortal Kombat X Surfaces

Predator is the next DLC character coming to NetherRealm Studios' MKX, but he currently has only a loose release date of sometime in July. However, after it was revealed that Predator's data was present in the most recent balance patch to MKX, players knew it was only a matter of time before information about the character became public.

User Sonicdude20th on XboxClips has uploaded six videos of Predator from the game's challenge tower, showing all three variations: Hunter, Warrior and Hish-Qu-Ten. It is not clear what all defines each variation, but Hunter utilizes traps; Warrior features some kind of energy shield; and Hish-Qu-Ten comes complete with the Predator's shoulder cannon. The videos even feature one of the character's brutalities.

Ed Boon Hinting at Future Alien DLC for Mortal Kombat X?

Mortal Kombat series creator Ed Boon likes to throw not-so-subtle hints about upcoming projects onto his Twitter feed. He did it with the Kombat Pack characters, and he may once again be referencing an upcoming character with a pair of tweets in the last week.

After E3 2015, Boon posted what seemed at the time like a tongue-in-cheek joke about exclusives at the show:

E3 was great because we didn't have to show a new game. All I had to worry about was the secret room we were showing Terminator & Alien DLC.

While that post alone got the Internet rumor mill spinning about the possibility of both characters coming to Mortal Kombat X, Boon then added another tweet on June 24 showing a Blu-ray of the movie Alien on a store shelf. This only further suggested that fans may indeed see xenomorphs show up in MKX's future.

It should be noted, however, that neither tweet is proof of anything yet. And while the inclusion of Predator in MKX seems like a great opportunity to revive a famous comic and cinematic rivalry, it remains to be seen whether it will actually be happening.

New Mortal Kombat X Patch Brings Big Changes to Kitana, Others

The newest patch notes for Mortal Kombat X are live, and there are a lot of changes to many characters in the game. One of the characters to receive the most changes is Kitana, who got buffs on many of her moves and combos. In most cases, her moves are now much less punishable on block, which could mean big things for that character as the game moves forward.

There are also plenty of changes for Reptile, who received mostly damage buffs, and Goro, who received increases to on-hit advantage for some of his moves. Characters who may have come out worse in this patch include D'Vorah, Scorpion and Tanya, whose moves were adjusted after her release.

With CEO only days away, it will be interesting to see if Alex Jebailey allows this most recent patch to be used in the tournament. He is currently taking player feedback.

Top Four Footage of Mortal Kombat Cup UK Grand Final in London, England

Warner Bros. organized a special Mortal Kombat X tournament throughout the United Kingdom with the top four featured after the jump!

The Mortal Kombat Cup UK Grand Final took place in London, England's Gfinity Arena on May 30, 2015. It also served as one of the four qualifiers where players can get an entry to the grand finals. Other qualifiers took place in Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow, Scotland.

The finals were streamed and captured by English streaming group Unequalled Media. A F0xy Grandpa, Used for Glue, Undead Jim and Aixy were the four qualified players, and first place was given £3000 ($4600) while second place received £1000 ($1536).

Along with checking out the local tournament, make sure to check out the European coverage of the Mortal Kombat X ESL series below!

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Second Mortal Kombat X Downloadable Character Tanya to be Feaured in June 1 Kombat Kast, A Look at Klassic Skins Pack

Before she is available, Netherrealm Studios will be showing off Tanya in their upcoming Kombat Kast.

Tanya will be demonstrated by the NRS crew much like Jason in a previous Kombat Kast. Make sure to tune in on June 1 at 1 p.m. PST to see it live on NRS' Twitch channel.

Tanya will be available for season pass owners on June 2 with additional access to the Klassic Skins Pack which features Kano, Sonya and Liu Kang wearing their attire from the original Mortal Kombat. For those without the season pass, Tanya can be bought separately on June 9.

Video: Team Yomi vs. Team East Coast from Combo Breaker 2015

For those still looking for competitive Mortal Kombat X footage after the finals at Combo Breaker, Pig of the Hut has uploaded the five-on-five team battle between Team Yomi, based in Atlanta with players from around the U.S., and the East Coast that happened after the tournament was over.

The set is done Pokémon style, with each player having to win two out of three matches to eliminate the other competitor. The players were also not character locked. Pig apologized for sound issues in the video, stating he "didnt [sic] have a mixer and there was massive request to include the room audio."

Hit the jump for the teams and the video.

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Mortal Kombat X PC Version May 5 Update Intended to Fix Various Bugs

UPDATE: The patch has apparently been pulled due to save state erasure and other problems. If players are somehow able to still receive the patch, they should avoid downloading it until the issues have been resolved.

Following weeks of instability, the PC version of Mortal Kombat X has been updated to relieve owners of the issues they dealt with.

The latest update combines the Jason Vorhees content, available now for Kombat Pack users, aspects from previous console patches and major PC-exclusive bug fixes. Some of the features found on the patch include fixes for multiple causes of the game crashing, a save data bug, in-game problems and more. You can find the full list after the jump!

If you own the PC version of MKX, make sure to test out the game to see if the fixes work and if there are bugs still lingering!

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Friday the 13th's Jason Voorhees, Ultimate Horror Pack, Coming to Mortal Kombat X on May 5 for Kombat Pack Owners

The first character in Mortal Kombat X's Kombat Pack will be arriving next month.

Jason Voorhees of Friday the 13th fame will be the first playable character from the Kombat Pack on May 5. For $30, Kombat Pack users get a week in advance to try out the popular horror movie slasher. Jason will also be payable as a separate character on May 12 for an undetermined price and can be temporarily playable in a special Mortal Kombat X tower starting on May 5.

Jason is part of the overall Ultimate Horror Pack which includes additional themed costumes for Mileena (Vampiress), Reptile (Kraken) and Ermac (Pharaoh).

Jason is not the first playable horror movie antagonist to appear in the Mortal Kombat series. Nightmare on Elm Street's Freddy Krueger premiered as a downloadable character in the 2011 edition of Mortal Kombat.

NetherRealm Studios' official Twitch channel will premiere gameplay for Jason on May 4! Check out the reveal trailer below.

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Ed Boon Teasing Mortal Kombat X's Unplayable Story Characters Appearing as Possible Future DLC

While Mortal Kombat X released a week ago, the series creator has hinted at more chararacters beyond the coming four in the Kombat Pack.

On Twitter, Ed Boon was asked if unplayable characters featured in the Story mode will become available for players. Boon responded, "[You] mean like a 'story pack'?" The interest came out of the actions from a user who was able to replace playable character assets from the PC version with story mode fighters like Rain, Baraka and Sindel.

Before the tweet, Boon also teased during his visit to Twin Galaxies Live.

Developer NetherRealm Studios is known for providing more downloadable characters following their first wave of kombatants. Both Zatanna and Martian Manhunter were featured as additional downloadable content following the original four planned in Injustice: Gods Among Us due to fan demand.

While the availability of these characters is still up in the air, the teases are enough to let players anticipate what is to come.

Graphical Analysis Between Xbox One, PlayStation 4 & PC Versions of Mortal Kombat X by Digital Foundry

The latest Mortal Kombat's graphics for the major platforms gets dissected by the best analysis group.

Eurogamer's Digital Foundry inspected the Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC versions of Mortal Kombat X to discover the similarities and differences between builds. Much like most of Digital Foundry's Face-Offs, this edition includes high resolution screenshot comparisons and videos comparing the image quality while in motion and frame rate between the versions.

Interesting discoveries by analyst David Bierton include the horizontal resolution reduction on the Xbox One, subtle graphical improvements on the PC and stuttering found during FMV cutscenes on the XB1 and PS 4.

You can take a look at the full analysis here.

PC Version of Mortal Kombat X Modded to Have Rain, Corrupted Shinnok & More Playable

With Mortal Kombat X now available, people have been trying out much of the cast including characters not meant to be usually accessible.

A user by the name of XVermillion modded the PC version of Mortal Kombat X to allow characters Baraka, Sindel and Rain to be playable outside of their computer-controlled appearances in the Story Mode. XVermillion tricked the game by replacing character files with one of the Story Mode characters. These three characters feature their own moveset much like their iterations in the ninth edition of Mortal Kombat. These characters do not feature different variants.

The final boss version of Shinnok has also been modded to be playable. For him and the aforementioned three characters, videos will be available after the jump!

Series creator Ed Boon when visiting the Twin Galaxies Live stream hinted at the possibility of some of these characters coming in the future. Currently, Jason Vorhees, Tremor, the Predator and Tanya are the characters coming as part of the Kombat Pack.

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