Mortal Kombat 1 to Feature Jean-Claude Van Damme

Famed actor and martial arts expert Jean-Claude Van Damme has been announced to be appearing in Mortal Kombat 1, which is the next entry in the long-running fighting game series. WB Games and NetherRealm Studios formally revealed Mortal Kombat 1 this morning via a new trailer that showed off a handful of the characters that will be appearing in this installment. And while Van Damme himself wasn’t seen in this video, an accompanying description of the game confirmed that he will be showing up in a unique manner. 

Mentioned on the official Mortal Kombat website, Van Damme is set to appear in Mortal Kombat 1 as an alternate skin for the character Johnny Cage. Those familiar with the Mortal Kombat franchise likely know that Cage himself is a Hollywood actor that also specialized in martial arts, so he has a lot in common at a baseline level with Van Damme. NetherRealm Studios still hasn’t shown off what this version of Van Damme in Mortal Kombat 1 will look like, but we should see more soon enough. 

Perhaps the only downside of this inclusion is that this Van Damme skin will only be available to those who purchase the Kombat Pack, which costs additional money. Outside of featuring Van Damme, the Kombat Pack will also grant players access to six additional DLC fighters and five new Kameo fighters. Unlike these other additions in the Kombat Pack, though, the Van Damme skin for Johnny Cage will arrive at launch while the other fighters will all release in the weeks and months after MK1 drops. 

Speaking of release, Mortal Kombat 1 has been confirmed to launch in just a few short months on September 19. When it releases, it will be coming to PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch, and PC. 

How do you feel about Mortal Kombat 1 crossing over with Jean Claude Van Damme in this capacity? And what are your general thoughts on the game based on what we’ve seen so far? Let me know either down in the comments or hit me up on Twitter at @MooreMan12.