A new year has just begun for fighting games, and Mortal Kombat 1 is leading the charge with fresh content. First teased a week ago, a beefy new character is joining the game’s roster – the mighty warrior Conan the Barbarian.
NetherRealm Studios recently dropped a gameplay trailer for players to see Conan the Barbarian in action and behold his exclusive fatalities before his official arrival in the Khaos Reigns Expansion, whose owners have gained early access to this brand-new character on January 21.
This expansion adds more content, including a new cinematic experience and story campaign. It also expands on the story of Liu Kang, exploring how the infamous Shaolin monk rallies his champions and trusts in his enemies as he fights the Titan Havik, who threatens to wreak havoc in the realms. Additionally, the Khaos Reigns expansion features a reimagined story and gameplay mechanics for classic kombatants like Noob Saibot, Sektor, and Cyrax.
Meanwhile, a new patch note has revealed the full extent of this January update. Besides a string of bug fixes and general improvements, the update adds PS5 Pro support with Ray Tracing, which can also be selected on PC. Several characters have received adjustments, with fighters like Kitana and Raiden unlocking new moves – ready to face one of the latest downloadable characters of the MK1 roster.
Conan the Barbarian isn’t the only new face to be welcomed to the Mortal Kombat universe, as he shares the spotlight with Terminator 2’s T-1000 and Scream’s Ghost Face. However, he is perhaps the most iconic – and the most epic of the lot. Created in 1932, this fictional hero first appeared in pulp magazines. The bulky descendant of the ancient Atlanteans played center stage in a series of fantasy stories penned by American writer Robert E. Howard.
While the original Conan stories were well-received by comic book fans, the character and its lore grew even more popular in the 1980s on account of a cinematic project featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger in the titular role, possibly the best pick to bring the character’s legendary physicality to life. The movie quickly became a cult classic of the sword and sorcery genre. Conan crossed into many other mediums, appearing in everything from television programs to role-playing and video games, such as the online survival multiplayer game Conan Exiles.
Even the iGaming industry drew inspiration from the fearsome Cimmerian, with software developers like Amaya rolling out machine slots such as Conan the Barbarian. Platforms like Vegasslots online boast much more content to explore, including barbarian-themed slots like Barbarian Fury and Barbarian Stash. Thousands of free options await users with no download or registration required. Players can tap into this expansive catalog on the go as all slots are mobile-friendly. They may also create an account to claim heaps of bonuses like free spins and sign-up offers before hopping to real-money games.
With his giant stature and signature blade at the ready, Conan the Barbarian will make for a brutal addition to the roster of Mortal Kombat 1. Players who have opted out of the Khaos Reigns Expansion and don’t own the Fighter Pass will have to wait an extra week to fight it out Cimmerian style. The barbaric destroyer will go live on January 28. New Age of Conan skins have also been added to the shop for fighters like Ashrah, Baraka, and Geras.
After months with no new content, Mortal Kombat fans can discover these spanking new guest fighters to inflict devastating blows on their opponents. Rumors also indicate that a secret ninja might be coming to MK1. Developers have seemingly dropped hints about a pink ninja called Floyd – pun certainly intended – whose name sometimes pops up on screen after a fight involving Conan the Barbarian ends in the Living Forest arena.
While players can dig up the mysteries the franchise is known for, pro gamers may also gear up for a year of global events. In 2025, the Mortal Kombat 1 Pro Kompetition sets out to bring together the best worldwide kombatants to clash for their share of a whopping $255,000 prize pool. The schedule will comprise 10 in-person tournaments, with additional regional qualifier events.
The best global competitors will earn an invitation to the Final Kombat after league play draws to a close in August 2025. Esports fans can watch the competition online on platforms like Twitch and YouTube. For each individual tournament, they may check dedicated esports pages to get additional stream information.