Mortal Kombat 1 has teased its upcoming winter-themed fatality finisher in a new bundle.
Key Highlights:
- Winter Fatality officially joins Mortal Kombat 1’s seasonal bundle.
- Features a brutal candy cane finisher and festive Krampus cameo.
- Available for £8.99/$10 alongside Halloween and Thanksgiving DLC.
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Mortal Kombat 1 made waves by selling special holiday-themed fatality moves as DLC, starting with the Halloween fatality in October. Despite backlash over locking content behind a paywall, NetherRealm is continuing the trend with Thanksgiving and now winter-themed finishers.
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The Winter Fatality has now been officially released as part of Mortal Kombat 1’s Seasonal Fatality Bundle, joining the earlier Halloween and Thanksgiving finishers. The finisher, commonly referred to by players as the Christmas Fatality, has also been showcased on YouTube, confirming earlier teasers featuring Reptile’s candy cane weapon.
When performed, the attacker pulls out a sharpened candy cane, smashing it over the opponent’s head before driving the broken shaft through their spine. A monstrous sleigh then storms across the screen, trampling the victim and decapitating them, before General Shao Krampus snatches the severed head mid-flight. It’s as festive and gruesome as Mortal Kombat gets, combining bright seasonal cheer with trademark gore.
To perform the Winter Fatality, players must stand at close range and use the following inputs:
- PlayStation: Hold R2 and press Forward, Forward
- Xbox: Hold RT and press Forward, Forward
- Switch: Hold ZR and press Forward, Forward
Players will need to equip the Winter Fatality first via the Kustomize menu: open the Finishers submenu for your chosen fighter, select the Winter Finisher, and press X (PS5), A (Xbox), or B (Switch) to assign it.
The finisher costs 1,200 Dragon Krystals (£8.99 / $10) as part of the three-pack Seasonal Fatality Bundle. Owners of the previous Halloween Fatality will automatically receive this one and the Thanksgiving version at no extra cost.
You can watch the official Winter Fatality showcase video below:
MK1 Winter Fatality Video
An official date has been announced, most expected the winter fatality DLC to release in December and that is in-fact the date. The Thanksgiving finisher arrived a week before it rotated out on November 24th. Following this pattern points to a launch around mid December.
This would make the winter fatality available just before Christmas, tying in with the holiday theme. It also gives NetherRealm time to generate buzz and drive sales of the $10 bundle. The developers have already been busy with the Omni-Man content.
Bundling All Seasonal Fatalities
The winter addition is part of the Seasonal Fatality Bundle, which contains all three holiday finishers. This includes the earlier Halloween and Thanksgiving DLC.
The bundle costs 1,200 Dragon Krystals, which equates to $10 real money. Players who already bought the Halloween fatality are grandfathered in and will receive the other two for free. This type of content in previous instalments would have been acquired via the Krypt mode, but unfortunately it was discontinued for this latest entry in the fighting series.
Controversy Over Paid Fatalities
Despite the novelty, many fans remain frustrated that iconic MK finishers are now locked behind a paywall as microtransactions. The initial $10 price point for just the Halloween fatality put off a lot of players.
While bundling all three for the same $10 mitigates costs, some feel any fatalities requiring separate payment go too far. Especially when the base Mortal Kombat 1 game already cost a full £64.99/$70.
However, NetherRealm seems committed to the seasonal fatality model for the time being, with three released already and likely more to come.
Final Winter-Themed Brutality
The winter addition wraps up the 2023 set of holiday finishers for Mortal Kombat 1. It offers another gruesome way for top fighters to humiliate their opponents in bloody fashion.
While not universally loved, the seasonal fatalities do provide some unique flair fitting the various holidays. They give the Beat ‘Em Up’s trademark over-the-top violence a festive spin.
It remains to be seen if NetherRealm will continue selling fatality DLC packs next year. For now, the winter finisher lets gamers indulge their holiday spirits in the most MK manner possible.
Hardcore fans can look forward to brutally impaling opponents with candy canes or other appropriately festive weapons when the winter fatality arrives sometime next month. Until an official announcement, all we can do is imagine the grisly ways Reptile will put that candy cane to use.