When Mortal Kombat 1 developer NetherRealm revealed the DLC character Ermac in the summer of 2023, it faced backlash from the community, which many considered a downgrade compared to Mortal Kombat 11’s version of the soul-obsessed red-clad ninja.
The version of Ermac seen in last year’s Kombat Pack featured the character without a mask, which meant fans got a view of Ermac’s new dehydrated mummy face. But that was not the only issue. Ermac’s design was seen to be simple without too much detail which fans loved from previous versions.
Now, NetherRealm has finally unveiled Ermac gameplay, and it shows a significant improvement in the design. For starters, the character now wears a mask, and appears in a more elaborate costume. Elsewhere, Ermac’s powers now shine in teal form.
Here is the official description on Ermac:
Ermac is a collection of souls bound together by the dark magic of Quan Chi whose purpose is to act as a group mind. But that spell temporarily ends when Ermac is defeated by Milena and the mind of King Jerrod, the deceased ruler of Outworld and one of the spirits in Ermac’s collection, takes control and rejoins the royal family. , which aids the rule of Empress Milena. Ultimately, the amalgam of spirits regains control, and Ermac retreats into the shadows of Outworld. No longer a slave to Quan Chi, nor tied to the royal family, he must find a future worth fighting for. In the new video, Ermac’s devastating moves are on full display, including his ability to teleport, fly, and use an army of spirits to grab, lift, and slam opponents to the ground.
The redesign is already a hit with fans, and in the gameplay video itself we see NetherRealm referencing a previous debate about Ermac’s look. “You’ve changed since we first met,” Reptile quips as the two characters clash. “We believe for the better,” Ermac replies.
The gameplay trailer itself shows off Ermac’s telekinesis spirit power, which he usually uses to gory effect. We also see the character’s lethality, which turns his opponent into a bag of bones. We also see cameo character Mavado for the first time, as well as his cameo Fatality. Mavado is a surprise addition – a somewhat obscure Mortal Kombat character who made his debut in 2002’s Deadly Alliance. In the video we see Mavado use his trademark elastic whip to great effect.
Ermac joined Mortal Kombat 1 in Early Access form on April 16, with a full release set for April 23. Mavado joined the Cameo roster later in May. To play quickly you need the Premium Edition or Kombat Pack. Mortal Kombat 1 Kombat Pack includes Jean-Claude Van Damme character skin for Johnny Cage (available now); One week early access to six playable DLC characters – Omni-Man (available now), Quan Chi (available now), Peacemaker (available now), Ermac (coming April 16), Homelander, and Takeda Takahashi; and five DLC cameo fighters.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can contact Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.