Charybdis
We are returned! Death to the False Emperor!
It may come as a surprise to you to learn that people still really like Mortal Kombat games. I mean it shouldn't, you're reading this on a Mortal Kombat fansite but it may do.
Sarcasm aside, the resurgence of Mortal Kombat in the last five years or so has been remarkable. While not reaching the heights of the mid 90s, where Mortal Kombat became one of the single most ubiquitous elements of popular culture, the Mortal Kombat franchise right now is more prominent than it has been at any other point since arguably the release of the first movie. The most recent release, MKX, was the single highest selling game of 2015, clocking up over 5 million in sales in its first six months That's more sales than any other console fighting game in history and, while it's impossible to really compare, I'd argue it stacks up well against even MK2's arcade-filling heyday. It also doesn't account for subsequent sales, MKXL and the pre-owned market.
It's also approximately a third the number of 50/50s in the average 5 game set of MKX.
The rebirth of MK has come as a surprise to some but not to Katalin Rodriguez Ogren, a prominent martial artist, mother, wife, author and overall badass from Chicago, with training in a multitude of styles including the greatest martial art of all, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (oss, meu irmão!)
Oh yeah, and she also portrayed Kitana, Mileena and Jade in MK2 and MK3, as well as providing the inspiration for Jade herself.
Which means, statistically speaking, everybody reading this either had a crush on her when they were younger or dreaded seeing her face on the arcade ladder. I'm the latter: Kitana's endless German Suplexes in MK2 have caused me deep psychological injuries.
This means that Mrs Ogren has something of the inside track on this beloved franchise of ours, and her insights as to the enduring popularity of MK are absolutely worth reading. Check out the article by Katarina for ChicagoNow here: http://www.chicagonow.com/pow-martial-arts/2018/04/5-reasons-why-mortal-kombat-still-popular/
As an aside, I'm grinning like a dork writing this because it turns out the original MK actors maintain a pretty close friendship! In particular, Rich Divizio, the real-life Baraka is who is precisely as witty and charming as Baraka is not, and Danny Pesina, the protrayer of Cage, Scorpion, Sub Zero, Reptile, Smoke and Noob Saibot (a roll call only marginally less impressive thanks to the miracle of pallet swapping) get shout outs, but Katarina explicitly notes that all of the actors were a particularly tight group of friends back in the day, which is frankly just awesome.
If you're lucky enough to live in the area, be sure to check out the awesome panel Mrs Ogren is part of at the upcoming Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo!
( the https://www.c2e2.com/en/Sessions/56392/Kombat-Begins-A-Look-back-at-Mortal-Kombat )
And be nice, cos she'll kick your ass six ways to Outworld otherwise.
And if you're a Chicagoan, why not train up for Mortal Kombat with Kitana herself? http://powgymchicago.com/
As always check back to TYM every day for the latest news on the Mortal Kombat series, Injustice and everything NRS!
CORRECTION: As has been pointed out by numerous people, Becky Gable played Kitana, Mileena and Jade in MK3, not Katalin. I have brought great shame and dishonour upon TYM. Rest assured, my seppuku is imminent.
Sarcasm aside, the resurgence of Mortal Kombat in the last five years or so has been remarkable. While not reaching the heights of the mid 90s, where Mortal Kombat became one of the single most ubiquitous elements of popular culture, the Mortal Kombat franchise right now is more prominent than it has been at any other point since arguably the release of the first movie. The most recent release, MKX, was the single highest selling game of 2015, clocking up over 5 million in sales in its first six months That's more sales than any other console fighting game in history and, while it's impossible to really compare, I'd argue it stacks up well against even MK2's arcade-filling heyday. It also doesn't account for subsequent sales, MKXL and the pre-owned market.
It's also approximately a third the number of 50/50s in the average 5 game set of MKX.
The rebirth of MK has come as a surprise to some but not to Katalin Rodriguez Ogren, a prominent martial artist, mother, wife, author and overall badass from Chicago, with training in a multitude of styles including the greatest martial art of all, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (oss, meu irmão!)
Oh yeah, and she also portrayed Kitana, Mileena and Jade in MK2 and MK3, as well as providing the inspiration for Jade herself.
Which means, statistically speaking, everybody reading this either had a crush on her when they were younger or dreaded seeing her face on the arcade ladder. I'm the latter: Kitana's endless German Suplexes in MK2 have caused me deep psychological injuries.
This means that Mrs Ogren has something of the inside track on this beloved franchise of ours, and her insights as to the enduring popularity of MK are absolutely worth reading. Check out the article by Katarina for ChicagoNow here: http://www.chicagonow.com/pow-martial-arts/2018/04/5-reasons-why-mortal-kombat-still-popular/
As an aside, I'm grinning like a dork writing this because it turns out the original MK actors maintain a pretty close friendship! In particular, Rich Divizio, the real-life Baraka is who is precisely as witty and charming as Baraka is not, and Danny Pesina, the protrayer of Cage, Scorpion, Sub Zero, Reptile, Smoke and Noob Saibot (a roll call only marginally less impressive thanks to the miracle of pallet swapping) get shout outs, but Katarina explicitly notes that all of the actors were a particularly tight group of friends back in the day, which is frankly just awesome.
If you're lucky enough to live in the area, be sure to check out the awesome panel Mrs Ogren is part of at the upcoming Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo!
( the https://www.c2e2.com/en/Sessions/56392/Kombat-Begins-A-Look-back-at-Mortal-Kombat )
And be nice, cos she'll kick your ass six ways to Outworld otherwise.
And if you're a Chicagoan, why not train up for Mortal Kombat with Kitana herself? http://powgymchicago.com/
As always check back to TYM every day for the latest news on the Mortal Kombat series, Injustice and everything NRS!
CORRECTION: As has been pointed out by numerous people, Becky Gable played Kitana, Mileena and Jade in MK3, not Katalin. I have brought great shame and dishonour upon TYM. Rest assured, my seppuku is imminent.
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