Mortal Kombat X details: 3 key points

Behold, the next generation – Mortal Kombat X, the latest in a long line of fighting games spanning back to the origin of the genre. Today you'll have the opportunity to get a run-down of what you'll want to know before you begin your battle. It begins with your selection of character – do you want to be good, evil, or somewhere in-between? Your faction will decide, one of five, where your allegiance lies: Lin Kuei, Black Dragon, White Lotus, Special Forces, or the Brotherhood of Shadow.

Faction War

This Mortal Kombat, like no other, works with online content. You can certainly play 100% entirely offline, if you like, but it's the online competitions that drive a lot of the new content.

One way in which you'll work online is in a Faction War. A span of time is chosen and your faction gains points based on accomplishments you make. Perform a number of X-Rays, Throws, or Fatalities, for example, to earn points to win the weekly war.

Living Towers

A classic test of the abilities of you as a Mortal Kombat combatant is the tower. Choose your destiny – small, medium, or large, novice to Champion.

Here you're no longer just given three options, you're given a bunch. The classic "Test your Might" appears again, this time as a much more inclusive sort of fighting mode rather than a button-tapping exercise.

Endless is just that – play as long as you can. Survivor is similar – don't die.

Towers will change. With online content you'll find your towers changing based on your skill and the evolution of the battles going on online. Don't expect things to be simple.

25 years

With Mortal Kombat X, "the story mode... is just amazing," said Director of Art Steve Beran, "It's a blockbuster movie within the game itself." This game doesn't take place over the span of a few hours or days like most games do. This game takes place over the course of 25 years.

Above you'll see the video "Mortal Kombat X: Next", with the creators of the game speaking up on what it'll mean to be part of this universe and this storyline. Stay tuned!