Highlights

  • Ermac, coming this Spring, is expected to wield his iconic moves like Force Lift and fireball in Mortal Kombat 1.
  • Players can expect Ermac to have staple specials in MK1, including his teleport and hover attacks.
  • Considering how he uses some of his most recognizable moves in the story of the game, Mortal Kombat veterans should anticipate a faithful version of Ermac with familiar normals and specials.

Mortal Kombat 1 was one of 2023's biggest fighting games, alongside Street Fighter 6. Serving as another reboot of the long-running franchise, MK1 has been given the opportunity to reimagine its characters to various extents, even if many iterations of returning fighters have honored their past appearances. On top of the base roster, Mortal Kombat 1 is in the middle of rolling out its first Kombat Pack, which, upon completion, will have delivered six Kombatants and five Kameo Fighters to the game. Now that Peacemaker has been given a release date, players can begin to look forward to the next Mortal Kombat veteran coming to the game, Ermac.

The release of Ermac will mark the passing of the halfway point in Kombat Pack 1's release schedule. For many of the DLC characters, fans must wait until a trailer is released in order to get a glimpse at how they will play, but Quan Chi was an exception, and Ermac is as well. The duo appear in the story of Mortal Kombat 1 as enemies, and, as a result, players could get an early look at how they might function when added as playable characters. While Ermac's moveset in the story will likely be different from the playable version of the fighter, this appearance still hints at how he might work.

Release Windows For The Remaining Characters in Kombat Pack 1

  • Peacemaker- February 28, 2024
  • Ermac - Spring 2024
  • Homelander - Spring 2024
  • Takeda Takahashi - Summer 2024
Johnny and Janet Cage among Liu Kang's army in Mortal Kombat 1
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Which of Ermac's Attacks are Shown in Mortal Kombat 1's Story?

Players briefly fight Ermac while controlling Ashrah in Mortal Kombat 1's story. During this fight, the character utilizes a limited move set, but a lot can be inferred from what is shown. During the cutscenes leading up to the fight, Ermac uses his iconic Force Lift to bounce his enemies off the floor. This attack has been a staple of the character since his early appearances, so it is unsurprising to see it return here and in his gameplay. Also present is his famous green fireball, which Ermac can use to keep his opponents at a distance since he has traditionally been a mid to long-range fighter in Mortal Kombat.

In the brief encounter against Ermac, it is apparent that the character has some far-reaching normal attacks. His punches extend far ahead, allowing him to poke his opponents from a distance. These long-range melee attacks are consistent with other depictions of the character, but these normal attacks are more likely to change than his specials. Even if Kombat Pack 1's Ermac has different normal attacks, it would make sense for them to be built around the same strategy, especially since his fireball and Force Lift are extremely unlikely to change given their iconic nature.

What Can Players Expect From Ermac in Mortal Kombat 1?

A screenshot of Ermac standing above an opponet in Mortal Kombat 1.

Based on his moveset in the Mortal Kombat 1 story mode, this new timeline's version of Ermac seems to be mostly faithful to past iterations. This means that some of his other notable specials are likely to return as well. Ermac typically has some variation on his Hover Slam and is also frequently kitted out with a teleport. Given his consistency with previous versions of the character and MK1's focus on freedom and variety, it seems likely that his teleport and hover attacks will return alongside his Force Lift and fireball. Since Ermac has had a wide variety of attacks utilizing his ability to hover in different games, MK1 could introduce a new special using his hovering powers too.

Ermac's appearance in Mortal Kombat 1's story only shows the character using an extremely limited moveset, but based on what is on display, it seems unlikely that the playable version of him will be reinventing the character radically. All the specials shown are ones that are synonymous with the fighter, and his far-reaching normals are consistent with his past appearances, even if they are liable to change when he is made playable. Players should expect Ermac to have all of his staple specials when he is added this Spring, as well as an arsenal of mid to long-range normals to keep opponents at bay.