New Sub-Zero Skin in Mortal Kombat 1 and Takeda Takahashi's Return

Mortal Kombat 1 has unveiled a new skin for Sub-Zero, inspired by his classic look from the 1995 Mortal Kombat film. The first Kombat Pack for Mortal Kombat 1 includes six DLC characters, featuring a mix of returning fighters like Ermac and guest characters such as Omni-Man and Homelander. The final returning character in the Kombat Pack is Takeda Takahashi, a beloved fan favorite from Mortal Kombat X.

Takeda Takahashi will be added to Mortal Kombat 1 on July 23, marking his second playable appearance in a mainline game since Mortal Kombat X. Formerly the son of the blind swordsman Kenshi, Takeda was inducted into Scorpion's Shirai Ryu clan and utilized a blend of ninja-style tools and modern technology. The new version of Takeda in Mortal Kombat 1 revamps his backstory but retains much of his proficiency with the Shirai Ryu fighting style and whip weapons. Takeda was recently highlighted in a KombatKast livestream, showcasing his abilities. Before the stream ended, NetherRealm Studios had one last surprise: a brief showcase of Takeda fighting Sub-Zero, with the latter wearing a new costume.

The costume shown during the livestream is based on Sub-Zero's appearance in the 1995 Mortal Kombat film, featuring a black bodysuit with blue padding and an intimidating mask. While the iconic ice ninja had few lines in the original film, this skin uses the same lines as the base game's Sub-Zero/Bi-Han. Although the KombatKast stream did not explicitly confirm it, it is very likely that this skin will be added in the next balance update for Mortal Kombat 1 on July 23, or shortly thereafter.

Mortal Kombat's History with Legacy Skins

Mortal Kombat has a tradition of incorporating legacy skins, as seen in Mortal Kombat 11's Klassic Mortal Kombat Movie skin pack. This pack included skins for Raiden, Johnny Cage, and Sonya Blade, modeled after their appearances in the 1995 Mortal Kombat film, and featured voiceovers by Christopher Lambert, Linden Ashby, and Bridgette-Wilson Sampras reprising their roles.

Fans were given a hint about new skins based on the movie when Ed Boon teased the classic Mortal Kombat movie skins back in May. The teaser included a screenshot of Scorpion in his simplistic 1995 movie attire, with Boon mentioning that more were to come in the future. The cost of these skins has not been disclosed yet, so fans will need to wait for further information.