'Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns' Expansion Announced, X Reacts

Source: Warner Bros. Games/ NetherRealm Studios / Mortal Kombat 1 / Khaos Reigns

Mortal Kombat continues to be the fighting game franchise that makes our dream matchups featuring our favorite pop culture icons a reality. Friday at San Diego Comic-Con, Ed Boon and his NetherRealm Studios crew stunned the MK fans in attendance at the panel and around the globe with the reveal of the Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns expansion and Kombat Pack 2, which will add six more fighters to the roster.

Khaos Reigns follows the epic first chapter of Mortal Kombat 1’s story mode that saw Fire God Lui Kang and his Earth Realm warriors fend off invaders trying to disrupt Lui Kang’s new era of peace. In the next expansion, a new threat, the ruthless Titan Havik, wants to throw everything into Khaos. Lui Kang and his champions must work together to face Havik and his minions.

Cryax, Sektor, & Noob Saibot Are Back, But Look A Bit Different

Source: Warner Bros. Games/ NetherRealm Studios / Mortal Kombat 1 / Khaos Reigns

The new expansion will also see the arrival of Kombat 2, featuring six playable characters. Returning is Noob Saibot, voiced by Kaiji Tang; Cyrax, voiced by Enuka Okuma; and Sektor, voiced by Erika Ishii, who will have new and unique backstories. Per NetherRealm Studios, the breakdown of the new versions of these fan favorites reads:

As Sub-Zero, Bi-Han was Lin Kuei’s ruthless Grandmaster, but his soul was stolen by Titan Havik to create the perfect henchman, Noob Saibot, who is now dedicated to fomenting anarchy. Born into the Zaki, one of Lin Kuei’s many sub-clans, Cyrax became a martial arts prodigy with an independent streak and untamed desire to serve the clan on her terms or not at all. Growing up immersed in Lin Kuei culture under the tutelage of her parents, Sektor becomes a master armorer, skilled warrior, and Sub-Zero’s most trusted lieutenant, committed to advancing the clan’s future at all costs.

Keeping the guest fighters wave going will be Conan The Barbarian, which marks the second appearance of the character portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Ghostface from the Scream movie franchise, and T-1000 from T2: Judgement Day, which will feature the voice and likeness of an actor Robert Patrick.

Also returning for FREE99 are Animalities, which allows fighters to turn into their spirit animals and totally annihilate their foes.

Social Media Reactions

As expected, there is plenty of excitement for the Khaos Reigns expansion and Kombat Pack 2, which will arrive on Sept. 24, and some reservations regarding the change to Cyrax and Sektor. “With the inclusion of Noob Saibot, Sektor, and Cyrax, I’d argue that MK1 has the best Mortal Kombat roster since MK9. Maybe even the best MK roster period (besides Armageddon, lol),” one user on X, formerly Twitter, wrote. Another user was BIG MAD that they gender-swapped the cyber ninjas instead of just bringing back fan-favorite female fighters. “I would have rather had actual female characters return to MK1 then turning Sektor and Cyrax into girls, i’m sorry,” the person wrote on X. There is still plenty of time to add those characters to the still-growing MK 1 roster. The gallery below shows more reactions to the new expansion and Kombat Pack 2.