The release of Mortal Kombat 1 rebooted the iconic fighting game franchise’s universe, and now post-launch content is steadily rolling out in the form of the Kombat Pack. The game series has a rich history of in-universe characters, constantly reappearing in new installments, but MK1‘s Kombat Pack DLC will only bring three returning characters. The other three will be guest appearances from other media, another series tradition of sorts, albeit a more recent one. The Kombat Pack began rolling out incrementally in November 2023, and is expected to continue beyond summer 2024.
Alongside the six new playable characters coming to MK1 in the Kombat Pack, five new Kameo Fighters will make their way into the game – Tremor, Mavado, Johnny Cage, Ferra, and Khameleon. Additionally, purchasing the Kombat Pack grants access to a unique Johnny Cage skin featuring the voice and likeness of martial arts film star Jean-Claude Van Damme, whom Johnny Cage has long been an homage to. Owning the Kombat Pack also allows for one-week early access to the new Kombatants, who then go on sale separately.
6 Invincible’s Omni-Man
Release Date: November 9, 2023
Omni-Man is a new face to the Mortal Kombat series, hailing from the Invincible comics and animated show. Nolan Grayson, aka Omni-Man, is an anti-hero character that matches perfectly with the brutally violent tone of Mortal Kombat 1. Omni-Man is an incredibly strong being, a member of the feared and reviled Viltrumite Empire, which seeks to conquer other planets through widespread violence in the Invincible universe. Omni-Man’s Invincible voice actor, J.K. Simmons, reprises his role for the voice work in Mortal Kombat 1, bringing some authenticity alongside brutal fatalities pulled directly from scenes in the show.
5 DC Comics’ Peacemaker
Release Window: Winter 2023/2024
Peacemaker has been a comic book character since the 1960s, but has recently risen to prominence thanks to John Cena’s portrayal of the character in 2021’s The Suicide Squad and the subsequent series starring the eponymous character, Peacemaker. Eagly, Peacemaker’s eagle companion, has been teased alongside him in his Mortal Kombat 1 Kombat Pack role. It is unknown if Eagly will be involved in any of Peacemaker’s in-game abilities, however. His character is an expert at using firearms, archery, swords, and explosives, and his helmet has been used in the show with sonic blast powers and x-ray vision.
4 Mortal Kombat’s Quan Chi
Release Window: Winter 2023/2024
Quan Chi has been the primary villain of several plots in the Mortal Kombat series before this latest reboot, which is why it is an interesting choice for him to be a DLC character in the Kombat Pack, rather than included in MK1‘s base roster of characters. He is a powerful necromancer, mage, and demon sorcerer that utilizes dark magic to his advantage in battles. His magical powers are said to allow him to be much stronger, faster, and more powerful than a super-human, and he often has attacks that include summoning glowing green skeletons or skulls.
3 The Boys’ Homelander
Release Window: Spring 2024
From the comic book series and superhero television show, The Boys, comes the violent and sadistic narcissist, Homelander. Homelander has begun making guest appearances in a number of video games, perhaps most notably as a part of Call of Duty: Warzone‘s The Boys crossover. His character is a pessimistic take on Superman, positing how such an all-powerful individual would be a commercialized megalomaniac. Homelander possesses incredible strength, flight, and nigh-unstoppable heat vision. He will be an interesting Mortal Kombat 1 character, as the show makes it clear he lacks formal combat training, instead relying solely on his overwhelming superpowers.
2 Mortal Kombat’s Ermac
Release Window: Spring 2024
Ermac is another returning character confirmed for Mortal Kombat 1 in the Kombat Pack DLC. Prior to this reboot of the series, Ermac was an amalgam of souls from deceased warriors that was crafted together to serve Shao Kahn. He has appeared in many of the previous Mortal Kombat franchise media and games, and uses strong telekinetic powers. His signature special move in the series is the Telekinetic Slam, which allows him to levitate his enemies before slamming them down into the ground.
1 Mortal Kombat’s Takeda Takahashi
Release Window: Summer 2024
Another returning Mortal Kombat character, Takeda Takahashi is the son of Kenshi, and was trained at a young age by Scorpion to be a warrior. He is a strong Kombatant despite his comparative youth, but also a humorous one who makes a lot of jokes during battle. As the apprentice to Scorpion, he is typically seen using similar teleportation powers alongside some of his father’s telekinetic abilities. Many of his moves include the use of his bladed whip, spears, or plasma swords.
Each of these six characters were leaked months ahead of their official reveal, but now NetherRealm Studios is firmly in the post-launch support stage, which involves steadily rolling out MK1‘s Kombat Pack DLC. The Kombat Pack is currently purchaseable for $40, but Omni-Man, the only DLC character released at the time of writing, is also available separately for $8. It would appear that the Kombat Pack is the most economical way for Mortal Kombat 1 players to get all the DLC characters, but individual purchases may be better for those only interested in certain Kombatants.
