14 DAY TRIAL // Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, as the publisher, and NetherRealm Studios, as the developer, have announced that their combat game Mortal Kombat will be launched for the Xbox 360 from Microsoft and for the PlayStation 3 from Sony on April 19 of this year.
The developers have said, when the reboot for the franchise was announced, that they were also interested in developing a version of the game for the PC, which was the platform on which it shone in previous installments, but it has not been officially announced and does not have a launch date.
The franchise has not been particularly well received in its latest incarnation, Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe, which brought well known characters together with superheroes for an installment that was rated T for Teen and did not feature the over the top brand of violence that Mortal Kombat was known for.
The new game, which is simply named Mortal Kombat, is set to take the game back to its roots, with players able to execute complex moves and combos and provided with a line up of suitably gory finishing moves for all characters.
Series creator Ed Boon says that he aims to create an experience that is very close to what players felt when they played the first two titles in the series.
All characters will be taken from the first three games in the series.
It's not clear whether the new Mortal Kombat will also create an entirely new storyline for the in-game universe or whether it will somehow be linked to the convoluted mythology of the series.
The only concession to the mass market that has been made is linked to the PlayStation 3 version of the game, which will feature the well-known God of War character Kratos.
The Spartan will be playable, complete with his own set of finishing moves, and players will also be able to enjoy the combat game using a three dimensional stereoscopic mode.