Back when Mortal Kombat 1's premium editions were first announced, NetherRealm Studios revealed that action movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme would appear in the game as a skin for Johnny Cage. Today, a new trailer showcases how the real-life movie star portrays the fictional one, and it's a match made in Hollywood.
Those who played as Johnny Cage in the recent preorder beta test will recognize the moves on display here, as the Van Damme skin fights exactly like the normal character. There may be a few cheeky extra voice lines, however, as at one point Johnny Van Damme tells Geras, "I'll play Bloodsport, you play Street Fighter," a reference to two of Van Damme's films.
Van Damme dons his look and attire from the aforementioned Bloodsport, which holds significance in the history of Mortal Kombat. In the early '90s, the game was originally pitched as a video game version of the 1988 film, but when the partnership broke down, then-developer Midway pivoted to create a new original IP in Mortal Kombat, and the rest is history.
The Jean-Claude Van Damme skin for Johnny Cage will be available in all premium editions of Mortal Kombat 1--physical or digital--across all consoles. There have been no plans to make the skin available for separate purchase as of this writing.
Mortal Kombat 1 launches September 19 on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and PC. Along with the Van Damme skin, premium edition preorders will also be able to access the game early starting September 14.
