That is, if you plan on holding your own Mortal Kombat contest any time soon and plan on letting a four-armed beast with an IQ like Goro's run the logistics for you. It'll all make sense when you watch College Humor's new video.

Mortal Kombat Is Not A Tournament [College Humor]

Cross the Line is coming out later this winter for the PSP and Nintendo DS, so the turnaround time on the title will be relatively quick. I suppose it doesn't look too bad for a portable wrestling title, but it's certainly a far cry from Midway's initial attempt to capitalize on the franchise on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Proce, who contributed to Midway's final fighting game (Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe) before being snapped up by Warner Bros, wrote that the re-imagining of the MK franchise proposed "mixing modern muti-player and dismemberment game design with the original fighting mechanic." The artist's take on four Mortal Kombat mainstays—Raiden, Kano, Scorpion and Sonya Blade—are dramatic, gritty and, for the most part, a welcome change.

Proce describes his Scorpion as "a wraith wearing the yellow blood of the demon" that resurrected him, his Kano as "half Japanese half US military bad ass." His Sonya, which will likely draw the most criticism, was redesigned as "the daughter of a Texas Ranger who's sex appeal weakens her opponents while her Special Forces training kicks their asses." Finally, his Raiden pitch portrays "a god [whose] feet rarely touch the ground."

We're not sure what direction the Mortal Kombat team is taking the series at its new home, but I'm personally hoping it's more along these lines—a darker, more dramatic, less comic book-like treatment with a pared down cast—than what we got with Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe. I enjoyed that game as much as the next guy, but I like my MK with a little less Wonder Woman.

Here are the never before seen Mortal Kombat characters... [Vincent Proce Art Blog via GameSetWatch/SRK Forums]

Southpeak will release TNA iMPACT: Cross the Line for PSP, PSPgo and Nintendo DS at an unspecified date, with future TNA Wrestling licensed games sounding likely, according to a press release from the publisher.

The TNA license was acquired as part of the bankruptcy sell-off of Midway. Warner Bros. invested in a large stake of what Midway published and developed, but it did not pony up the cash for TNA it seems. THQ, doing its part, acquired the San Diego-based development studio responsible for Midway's pro wrestling titles.

Perhaps the Southpeak TNA effort will fare better than what Midway's team brought to the ring.

SouthPeak Interactive Corporation Reports Results for Fiscal Q1 2010 [Southpeak Interactive]

Mark Turmell, programmer on the original Smash TV and its spin-off Total Carnage, says on the RetroGaming with Racketboy podcast that Midway, before it "hit the fan," was already hard at work on a modern day revival of the game. While it sounds like work on the game—a 3D revival, but still a top-down shooter—was halted, Turmell says the project moved at least as far as the programming stage.

He expects that Smash TV "will rise again" at Midway's new home Warner Bros. given the media conglomerate's snapping up of the classic IP and, presumably, the popularity of twin-stick shooters on digital platforms like XBLA and PSN. We're expecting big money, big prizes and to love it.

RetroGaming with Racketboy Podcast Episode #2 [Racketboy]

Unless of course Warner Bros. is keen on tossing about the term 'revolutionize' willy nilly, the new owners of the Mortal Kombat IP following Midway's fire sale have big plans for the franchise's online play. From the job listing:

"You will work closely with architects and designers on both the Mortal Kombat team and the advanced technology group to help design and implement functionality ranging from the core network transport layer all the way to owning the final implementation of brand-new features that will revolutionize online play"

Revolutionizing online play in Mortal Kombat shouldn't really be all that difficult, with only rudimentary online included in the most recent entries in the series. Here's hoping the WB does things up right!

WB Seeks Online Features For Mortal Kombat [Gamasutra]

Spiess, Midway's managing director for Europe, actually picked up both the France and the U.K. office for €1, making the actual retail price of each office under 50p. This is all trivial stuff, anyway, but it does show what has happened to the remnants of Midway's business, following THQ's acquisition of Midway San Diego for $200,000.

Spiess and Midway Germany counterpart Uwe Fürstenberg have essentially negotiated management buyouts of the shares of the former offices they directed. Spiess formed Spiess Media Holding UG to manage his slice of Midway's remains; Fürstenberg will take Midway Germany for F + F Publishing. No word, how much he paid.

They have 90 days to unload the rest of the Midway inventory they have. Once the deal's complete, however, it will trigger a $1.7 million payment from Midway Games Limited to Midway USA, tying off the remainder of financial loose ends.

Midway UK in '50p MBO' [MCV via GoNintendo]

That purchase gets THQ the development studio—well, "substantially all" of its assets—but not the rights to the TNA iMPACT! license. It also means jobs for 40 or so members of the former Midway San Diego studio, as THQ has extended offers of at-will employment to some former Midway employees.

The San Diego studio wasn't included in Warner Bros.'s purchase of Midway's assets, nor was the publisher/developer's Newcastle group. The whole thing is pending on a judge's approval, as the Chicago Tribune points out, but it sounds like a done deal.

While THQ has downsized over the previous year, it recently had a damn good quarter, thanks in part to UFC 2009 Undisputed. And considering the publisher has plans to expand upon its UFC licensed game offerings, we wouldn't be at all surprised to see those previously tasked with TNA wrestling game duties working on another fighting game.

Seems like a good fit, no?

Midway Games selling San Diego studio, related assets for $200,000 [Chicago Tribune - thanks, Dawn!]

While we were well aware that the WB would secure popular franchises like Joust and Spy Hunter, the currently changing trademark ownership of some classic Midway IP give us insight into what the new home of Mortal Kombat also secured. Some of it is positively ancient, like the Super Sprint spin off Badlands, and the classic Sinistar and Defender.

Trademark snooper superannuation dug up some of the trademarks transferred to Warner Bros. thus far, a list expected to expand as time goes on and the US Patent and Trademark Office gets around to it.

Missing from the list right now is Mortal Kombat, actually, which should show up as a WB property any day now—even though This Is Vegas is there.

For a very short list of what Warner Bros. didn't pick up, see this post.

Warner Bros. has contacted the United States Patent and Trademark Office to transfer proprietorship of the following Midway trademarks, Part One [superannuation]

Despite being caught up in the implosion of Midway (the game's former developer/publisher) and its own development troubles (it's been coming along quietly for years now), new publishers Warner Bros. have told G4 "This is Vegas has not been cancelled. The game is currently in production".

That's...great?

Warner Bros. Says This Is Vegas Not Canceled [G4]

Steven Pick, senior GUI artist for Midway Newcastle's Wheelman, gives a painful blow-by-blow of the studio's final days. From the start up on cop drama Necessary Force to its multiple, failed pitches to numerous studios to the final visit Midway CEO Matt Booty, himself axed not long after giving last rites to Midway Newcastle.

Pick doesn't offer a great deal of hope for Necessary Force to ultimately see release, but does touch on the positive impact the in-development open world game had on Midway Newcastle, even if it didn't save the developer. At this point, only UK outlet Edge has seen Necessary Force in action, outside of the development team and a few unnamed publishers.

Hopefully we haven't seen the last of it. It looked interesting—small things, like Necessary Force's moral choices affecting the weather and time of day, for example—if a bit familiar.

I'd highly recommend reading Pick's account of the last days of Midway Newcastle. He paints a sobering picture of the developer's demise, one very humanizing and informative.

Midway Newcastle R.I.P. [Embittered Mutterings]

But they could have! Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon has today revealed some artwork for a proposed crossover between the two franchises, which would have seen a Mortal Kombat-infused court made available in NBA Jam. With spinal columns, dismembered heads, the works.

Sadly, despite allowing gamers the chance to play as Bill Clinton as Prince Charles, playing on a Mortal Kombat court was a bridge too far for the NBA, who said nothankyou to the whole thing.

[noobde @ Twitter, via 1UP]

As per the Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act, the employees were given 60 days notice on Monday. Those among the casualties include Midway Chief Executive Matthew Booty, along with "other senior executives".

These cuts aren't related to Midways' Chicago development studio, where 100 employees have been offered jobs at Warner.

For reference, the 60 employees given notice constituted 20% of Midway's entire workforce.

Midway Games lays off all 60 at corporate office [Chicago Tribune]

"We can confirm we closed the Newcastle studio this morning, our time," said Geoffrey Mogilner, Midway spokesman. "During the notification period we were actively searching for bidders, and since we didn't find any unfortunately it was necessary to close it down.

"We tried really hard to find a solution for the Newcastle studio."

Midway CEO Matt Booty traveled to the studio to make the announcement in person to the roughly 80 people let go, Mogilner said. The announcement of the closure came at the end of the notification time required by UK law.

While the Wheelman IP is now owned by Warner Brothers Interactive, along with the Midway trademark and games such as Mortal Kombat and This is Vegas, no one has yet purchased Necessary Force, Mogilner said.

Under California law, Midway's San Diego studio still has until September to find a buyer.

"We are still hoping to find a buyer for the studio," Mogilner said.

Where does that leave Midway? While the name may have changed, a company spokesperson told Kotaku today that "Midway Games Inc. still exists, and the Midway trademark and games such as Mortal Kombat and This is Vegas and most of the IP library are now owned by Warner Bros."

We asked if the WB will continue to use the Midway label when it eventually releases a new Mortal Kombat game, This Is Vegas or any other title based on the classic intellectual properties it acquired.

"It will be up to Warner Bros. to determine how they will approach their branding strategy," a rep told us.

A handful of Midway employees have publicly mourned the passing of Midway Games on Twitter, which originally began life as the Midway Mfg. Co. in 1958.

Chris Casamassa, karate instructor and part-time on-screen Scorpion, tells the San Gabriel Valley Tribune that he'll be reprising his role as the undead ninja in a third Mortal Kombat film adaptation. That's not necessarily a new development, as threats of a successor to the awful Mortal Kombat: Annihilation have been made for years, with previously announced intentions to film said movie made in interviews last year.

The third MK flick, sometimes dubbed Mortal Kombat Devastation and sometimes simply Mortal Kombat, looks to have a director in Chris "Mink" Morrison. Since there is so much seemingly unconfirmed about the newest MK movie, we're checking in with the last-known production company to see what's what.

Karate instructor to reprise 'Scorpion' role [SGV Tribune via FirstShowing]

Boon had hinted at appearances from characters like Kung Lao and Doomsday in interviews, showing designs for one MK Vs. DC character that was planned for release, Quan Chi, first introduced in Mortal Kombat 4. The MK team lead released a render of the Mortal Kombat character via his Twitter today.

Will we ever see characters like Lobo, Quan Chi and [insert your favorite MK/DC character] added to the crossover fighter? According to Boon, "right now I don't see it happening," despite the fact that he writes those additional downloadable characters were "just about done."

With work progressing on Mortal Kombat 9 and Mortal Kombat Vs. DC Universe now eight months old, we'd guess that Midway and new owners Warner Bros. won't see the value in dedicating more resources to such a thing. Shame.

According to the LA Times' report on the matter, Warner's $33 million bid for the better portion of the company's assets was the only serious offer. There were no other formal bids.

As part of a buy out time line that would accept offers until June 24th, Midway's goods and people were previously planned to go up for auction on June 29th to the entity with the deepest pockets. No need for that now.

Warner's bid would net the media giant development studios in Chicago (Mortal Kombat, Stranglehold) and Seattle (The Suffering, This Is Vegas) and rights to new and classic IP. It would also almost certainly mean another Mortal Kombat and DC crossover.

Midway still has two orphaned studios, one in San Diego, one in Newcastle (Wheelman), with the latter currently seeking a buyer for the team and its original Necessary Force property.

More details at the LA Times.

Warner Bros. emerges as sole bidder for Midway Games [LA Times]

The complaint filed by Kasanoff's Threshold Entertainment seeks to protect the company from losing intellectual property rights to certain Mortal Kombat characters and the ability to create movies and television shows based on the series in the event of the sale of Midway assets to a third party, such as Warner Bros. The suit contends than no such protection is currently on record, and any sale occurring without such protections in place could result in the unjust losing of said rights.

The suit goes on to contend that it was Kasanoff who made the series into the brand it is today, taking the property and characters such as Liu Kang and Sonya blade far beyond the relative obscurity of arcades, delivering a household recognition that the series would have never seen otherwise.

In a way I suppose he is right. While those of us steeped in gaming would recognize those original digitized fighters anywhere, the movies did go a long way towards establishing the characters in mainstream culture.

If the suit is successful, it would suddenly make Midway assets a great deal less valuable to Warner Bros., perhaps halting the sale completely pending some sort of resolution. Check out the link below to view the full court document.

Kasanoff's Complaint Against Midway [Game Politics Document Dump - Main Article]

While the rest of Mortal Kombat's cast of in-game characters were digitised actors, Goro obviously wasn't. He was, instead, a stop-motion miniature, whose moves were recorded on the 1990's most cutting-edge recording equipment: a table, a blue screen and a table lamp.

noobde @ Twitter [Twitpic, via Giant Bomb]