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Why Conan the Barbarian is a Natural Fit for Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns

The announcement that Conan would be joining Mortal Kombat sent ripples through both fighting game and fantasy communities. 

For years, fans have imagined what it would be like to bring Conan the Barbarian into a modern fighting game that could truly do justice to his legendary combat prowess.

But what about this particular partnership made this dream into a reality?

Let’s take a look at how two of entertainment’s most iconic properties came together to create something fighting game fans won’t soon forget.

Why Mortal Kombat Was The Perfect Choice for Conan

Some partnerships feel inevitable from the moment they’re announced. When NetherRealm Studios approached Heroic Signatures about bringing Conan to Mortal Kombat, the response was palpably enthusiastic. Here, at last, was the perfect arena for gaming’s most legendary barbarian.

The alignment between these two titans of combat entertainment runs deeper than mere violence. “Conan has always been known for his visceral and bloody combat and so has MK,” explains Marcos Cronander, Head of Sales and Marketing at Heroic Signatures, “so to merge them makes perfect sense.” In a gaming landscape where characters are often sanitized for wider appeal, both Mortal Kombat and Conan share an unwavering commitment to the brutal reality of battle.

This natural synthesis between the franchises goes beyond surface-level savagery. “The vibes of the two IPs are so aligned,” notes Cronander, pointing to the substantial fan overlap between the communities. It’s this shared DNA that made the partnership “a slam dunk” from the very beginning. Where other games might have hesitated to fully unleash Conan’s potential, Mortal Kombat’s signature approach to combat offered something different – a chance to finally see the barbarian truly unchained.

“Conan definitely does not shy away from the gruesome realities of battle,” Cronander emphasizes, and in Mortal Kombat’s blood-soaked arenas, there’s no need to hold anything back. 

How NetherRealm Studios is Finally Getting Conan Right

One of gaming’s white whales has always been the perfect Conan implementation. While other games have tried, none have quite captured what makes the barbarian truly special – until now.

“Conan needs to feel POWERFUL,” Cronander emphasizes. “He is a power fantasy over all.” Yet raw strength alone never told the whole story. Between mindless berserker and martial artist lies a sweeter spot, one that previous attempts at bringing Conan to life have missed.

In NetherRealm’s hands, this elusive balance finally emerges. Like the great cats to which he’s often compared, Conan moves with predatory grace backing every brutal strike. “You can see the MK team did a great job of making him feel like a skilled swordsman but still brutal and direct,” notes Cronander, watching the champion barbarian in motion. That fluid yet forceful movement speaks to decades of careful character study.

Gone are the days of choosing between finesse and fury. Through careful animation and precise combat design, NetherRealm has achieved what fans have long dreamed of – a Conan whose every motion carries both the weight of conviction and the deadly grace of a born warrior. 

Unleashing the True Barbarian 

When it comes to unforgettable moments in Mortal Kombat, nothing tops the fatalities. For Conan’s grand finale, NetherRealm drew inspiration from perhaps his most iconic scene. “The fatality is based on the 1982 film… the throne room scene,” Heroic Signatures reveals with obvious excitement. “It’s a little over the top and maybe a little more over the top than what Conan would do, but we have to amp things up a bit too to be in line [with Mortal Kombat] and I think the fans will love it.”

Beyond the finishing moves, NetherRealm has threaded Conan’s cinematic legacy throughout every aspect of his combat. “So many of the movements from Conan’s moveset are straight from the movie,” Heroic Signatures explains. That famous sword kata? Now it’s a devastating combat sequence. Even that memorable moment of Conan punching a camel has been reimagined as a brutal attack on human opponents – a transformation that perfectly captures the savagery fans love.

The attention to detail extends far beyond just the moves themselves. “The dialogue moments from Conan and those he fights are all fun nods to Conan and other Arnie movies,” Heroic Signatures notes with pride. These references permeate every aspect of his presence, from his between-round taunts to his victory celebrations, creating what amounts to a playable museum of classic Conan moments.

Watching it all come together – the iconic moves, the brutal fatality, the pitch-perfect dialogue – proves what fans have always suspected: characters like Conan were born for Mortal Kombat’s particular brand of violence. 

Play as Conan the Barbarian in the Early Access of Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Now!

Every brutal combo, every devastating finisher, every carefully crafted animation – they all tell the same story: this is Conan as fans have always dreamed of seeing him, unleashed in an arena worthy of his legend.

But NetherRealm and Heroic Signatures aren’t done surprising fans yet. 

While the iconic moments from Conan’s silver screen adventures have been lovingly recreated, true devotees of the barbarian should keep their eyes peeled for something special. Deep within the game lies an easter egg that even the most hardcore fans won’t see coming – a character straight from Conan’s earliest adventures.

The wait is over. Now you can step into the arena as gaming’s most legendary barbarian, wielding his brutal combat style against Mortal Kombat’s deadliest warriors. 

The throne room awaits, warriors. Time to show these realm-hoppers what true bloody combat looks like.

Are you ready to unleash the barbarian?

Written by Heroic Signatures
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