Published Mar 3, 2026, 1:00 PM EST
Ben Brosofsky has been writing for Screen Rant since 2022 and editing since 2024. He graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor's in Cinema & Media Arts. Writing serves as a much-needed distraction from tackling a backlog of Steam games that will never be surmounted.
Mortal Kombat characters have duked it out in bloody battles for decades, and they're now making the leap to a new format for their next round of fights. Ahead of the 2026 film Mortal Kombat 2 and whatever the next video game will be, a Mortal Kombat tabletop venture is gearing up for release.
Screen Rant can exclusively reveal the Kickstarter launch of Fight: Mortal Kombat 1, live at the time of this article's publication. This deck-building game uses a new modification of the Cerberus Engine used in the DC Deck-Building Game and other titles from publisher Cryptozoic. Backers will receive a Kickstarter-exclusive edition of the game with "additional cards and upgrades," along with a choice of covers. Pledge tiers start at $60.
Fight: Mortal Kombat 1 Is A New Deck-Building Game
Fatalities On The Tabletop
The Kickstarter edition of Fight: Mortal Kombat 1 features options for a Liu Kang cover or a full-art cover with Liu Kang, Scorpion and Johnny Cage. Pledges are also live for three expansions:
- Brutality Expansion - Adds "devastating Brutality cards" and new characters
- Deadly Alliance Expansion - Adds team-based 2v2 gameplay with shared combos
- Kameo Expansion - Adds Kameo summons of 21 Mortal Kombat characters
Cryptozoic promises that the new Fight! system is a major overhaul, supporting the intensity of Mortal Kombat in a way that properly represents the fighting game genre. CEO Shahriar Fouladi describes the game as "true to the franchise in every way," with "fast, tense, strategic, and just a little bit chaotic" gameplay.
True to Kickstarter tradition, hitting stretch goals throughout the campaign will unlock additional content for backers.
Of course, this means that the Fight! engine supports Mortal Kombat's trademark Fatality system, hopefully making victories as memorable as they are in the video games. The box promises 45-minute games, while the press release suggests that 1v1s can wrap up in 30 minutes or less.
Mortal Kombat Fans Should Keep An Eye On This
Video Game Intensity In Deck-Building Form
Every Cerberus Engine deck-building game has its own twist, but the Fight! overhaul for Mortal Kombat could be the most unique riff yet. Living up to the intensity of the video games is a tall order, so here's hoping that the latest modifications give the game the extra punch it needs.
For anyone hesitant about crowdfunding, this is far from Cryptozoic's first Kickstarter campaign, with a proven track record that ranges from 2015's Ghostbusters: The Board Game to the recent launch of Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Game. A standard edition of Fight! Mortal Kombat 1 should also eventually show up as a retail product.
Created by Ed Boon, John Tobias
First Film Mortal Kombat
Cast Robin Shou, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Bridgette Wilson, Talisa Soto, Christopher Lambert, Linden Ashby, Lewis Tan, Jessica McNamee, Josh Lawson, Tadanobu Asano, Ludi Lin, Mehcad Brooks, Joe Taslim, Hiroyuki Sanada
TV Show(s) Mortal Kombat: Defenders of the Realm, Mortal Kombat: Conquest, Mortal Kombat: Legacy
Movie(s) Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Mortal Kombat, Mortal Kombat 2, Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge, Mortal Kombat Legends: Battle of the Realms, Mortal Kombat Legends: Snow Blind, Mortal Kombat Legends: Cage Match
Character(s) Liu Kang, Thunder God Raiden, Johnny Cage, Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Kung Lao, Sonya Blade, Jackson "Jax" Briggs, Kitana, Kano, Mileena, Noob Saibot, Elder God Shinnok, Goro, Kabal
Mortal Kombat is a multimedia franchise conceived by Ed Boon and John Tobias and began with the release of the original Mortal Kombat fighting game in arcades in 1992. The story centers around the eternal battle between Earthrealm and Outworld. To determine the fate of the realms, a deadly tournament is held between the best warriors of each world, with Earthrealm fighting solely to protect their freedom. The series has expanded to include various films, television series, and a long list of mainline and spin-off games that all revolve around the core of the Mortal Kombat tournament premise.
English (US) ·