The Mortal Kombat 1 Pre-Order Beta Welcomes Johnny Cage as a Fan Favorite

The Mortal Kombat 1 pre-order beta has recently gone live for Xbox and PS5 players, introducing new and returning characters for players to try out. Among the roster, Johnny Cage has quickly become the fan favorite, winning over players with his celebrity energy, impressive combos, and unique sunglasses finishers.

Johnny Cage’s popularity is evident on the Mortal Kombat subreddit, where players have shared their excitement. One Reddit post titled “This win cost me $500” showcases Johnny Cage’s sunglasses hitting Li Mei square in the face mid-battle, earning a victory for the player. Another post praises Cage’s quips, mesmerizing fatalities, and phone interactions, solidifying his position as a top-tier character. Additionally, players have highlighted Cage’s faster gameplay, pressure tactics, and impressive shadow effects, making him a well-rounded character.

Johnny Cage has been a long-standing character in the Mortal Kombat series, first introduced in the original game. Modeled after action star Jean-Claude Van Damme, he has a complex storyline, including being killed Shao Khan and revived multiple times. In Mortal Kombat 1, Cage possesses a sacred sword and is recruited the newly-minted Fire God, Liu Kang.

Alongside Johnny Cage, the pre-order beta features other familiar faces such as Kenshi, Kitana, Liu Kang, Sub-Zero, and Li Mei. Additionally, Kameo versions of Sonya Blade, Kano, and Jax are also available.

Since the beta’s release, fans have been diving into Mortal Kombat 1 and exploring Johnny Cage’s abilities. Famous fighting game player Sonicfox even discovered a 24-hit combo for Cage within an hour of playing. Fans have been enjoying Cage’s brutal fatalities, including tearing off an opponent’s face and taking a selfie amid the chaos. However, it seems that Cage’s overall personality, which effortlessly combines Hollywood arrogance and social media influencer flash, has resonated the most with fans.

The development team at NetherRealm Studios has been gradually unveiling new characters since the announcement of the game. Upon launch, Mortal Kombat 1 will feature 24 characters, with six additional fighters added later via DLC, including Peacemaker and Homelander.

The Mortal Kombat 1 pre-order beta will run from August 18 to August 21 for those who have pre-ordered the game. Mortal Kombat 1 is scheduled for release on September 14 for Xbox, PS5, Switch, and PC platforms.

Sources: Mortal Kombat 1 pre-order beta now live for Xbox and PS5 players Kat Bailey, IGN