For decades, fighting game fans have dreamed of wielding the mighty sword of Conan the Barbarian.

When fans imagine playing as Conan, they picture more than just another powerful warrior. They want to embody the cunning barbarian who faced down sorcerers and beasts alike, the warrior whose legend grew with each impossible victory.

Now, NetherRealm Studios has made that dream real. Conan the Barbarian is coming to Mortal Kombat 1 as a new playable character, available on January 21 as part of the early access period for Khaos Reign Expansion owners, followed by wide availability for purchase on January 28.

And NetherRealm has captured everything that makes the Cimmerian special.

Building Conan the Barbarian in Mortal Kombat 1

Bringing the Cimmerian’s legendary physicality to life posed a unique challenge. 

It was important to capture the raw, primal strength that defines Conan and that meant looking for ways to depict the muscular impact and physical power of the barbarian who once carried the weight of a fallen stone arch.

“We actually developed a new muscle tech system for Conan specifically,” remarks NetherRealm Studios Design Manager Nicholas Nicastro, describing technology that brings enhanced physicality to every movement. Conan’s muscles flex with each devastating strike, and every aspect of the barbarian’s presence has been engineered to make players feel the raw power they’ve always imagined, from the way his stance shifts before an attack to the devastating aftermath of each blow.

Speaking of devastating blows, what of his legendary blade?

The Sword of Conan the Barbarian

At the heart of Conan’s arrival in Mortal Kombat 1 beats a primal truth – the raw, undiluted power of steel meeting flesh. NetherRealm’s design team understood that capturing the essence of the Cimmerian meant building their entire kombat system around his most iconic weapon. “It was natural for us to have Conan revolve around his sword,” explains Nicastro. “Even his stance is based around the sword.”

The visceral impact of Conan’s kombat reaches new heights through a specially crafted suite of visual effects. Each sword strike leaves its mark in ways never before seen in the franchise, as the team “added a lot of new blood elements” and had to “figure out how to make additional blood on the sword work and decaling.” Every impact resonates through careful orchestration of “camera shakes, effects, sounds” – a curation of violence that delivers the exact weight and power players expect from the legendary barbarian.

Bringing Conan the Barbarian to Life in Mortal Kombat 1

Deep beneath the technical prowess of Conan’s implementation lies a love letter to the character’s cinematic legacy. 

“Really every single move that he’s doing is almost a direct reference from a movie scene,” said Nicastro. Among these, the legendary sword-spinning flourish stands out. “That move just kind of sticks into my head,” he reminisces, highlighting how even the smallest details from the films have been lovingly preserved.

But it’s in the unexpected touches where the team’s devotion truly shines. Fan-favorite moments from Conan the Destroyer (1984), like “the camp scene where he hits the camel,” find their way into the game in surprising ways. These references extend beyond basic moves, weaving through “the taunts, the end of rounds, even the brutalities.” Perhaps most striking is their creative adaptation of other characters’ memorable moments – including “a brutality… inspired by something that Valeria did” from the first film, Conan the Barbarian (1982) .

This approach transforms each match into a celebration of Conan’s silver screen history, where every combo and finisher carries echoes of scenes that have thrilled fans for decades. In NetherRealm’s hands, these carefully curated references create a playable museum of Conan’s most memorable cinematic moments.

Conan the Barbarian’s Fatalities in Mortal Kombat 1: Fit for a Barbarian King

In the blood-soaked arena of Mortal Kombat 1, where spectacle and savagery reign supreme, even hardened veterans of the franchise might find themselves unprepared for what awaits them. When asked about Conan’s finishing moves, Nicastro’s voice takes on an edge of pride. “They’re pretty insane,” he confides. “They’ve been pretty much dialed up to another level.”

The crown jewel of these finishing moves draws inspiration from perhaps the most iconic moment in Conan’s cinematic history – “There is a Fatality that is based on the 1982 film… the throne room scene.” For those who know, this simple reference carries weight heavier than Crom’s anvil, promising a finishing move that will satisfy both fighting game fanatics and die-hard Conan enthusiasts alike.

But this legendary Fatality stands as just one piece of a larger tapestry of destruction. The development team has crafted a suite of finishing moves that are a perfect fit for Mortal Kombat 1. As Nicastro remarked, “when Conan finally gets you, there’s some pretty brutal and severe things that he does.” 

These words, coming from a veteran of NetherRealm’s over-the-top franchise, suggest that the barbarian’s finishing arsenal is sure to excite fans.

The Kombat Style of Conan the Barbarian in Mortal Kombat 1

Beneath the spectacle of Conan’s brutal finishers and cinematic flourishes lies a carefully crafted fighting system that offers both immediate satisfaction and lasting depth. “He uses the range of his sword prominently,” balancing defensive spacing with aggressive pressure, Nicastro explains when discussing Conan’s fundamental approach

This versatility extends into the game’s assist system, where Conan truly comes into his own. “He does have a lot of combo routes, particularly with… Kameo Fighters,” offering players a canvas for creative expression that goes beyond basic sword swings. Each assist opens new possibilities for chain combinations, letting players craft their own devastating sequences.

Veterans of Mortal Kombat will find Conan brings something entirely fresh to the roster. While other blade-wielders like Kenshi “fights with the spirit” in a more technical style, Conan carves his own path. The development team has ensured he “really plays totally different than Kona would,” giving the barbarian a distinct identity among the game’s weapon masters.

Perhaps most crucially, this depth doesn’t come at the cost of accessibility. “He’s accessible, he’s accessible gameplay-wise, he’s well-rounded,” Nicastro emphasizes, suggesting a character that newer players can grasp quickly while offering veterans plenty of room for mastery. Players can even customize their experience through interchangeable gear, as “his gear piece will be the sword, so players will be able to swap out different swords” to match their chosen aesthetic.

Conan the Barbarian’s Epic Rivalries in Mortal Kombat 1

While Conan’s arrival in Mortal Kombat 1 brings plenty of solo opportunities for barbaric bloodshed, the story of how he reached this realm holds its own mysteries. Nicastro offers only a cryptic smile when asked about the ancient, otherworldly being who guided the Cimmerian to this new arena of kombat. 

But it’s in his interactions with the existing roster where another layer of depth emerges.The NetherRealm team has crafted a web of relationships that extends beyond simple kombat, as “you have a guest character who clashes with a Mortal Kombat 1 character and then there’s lines exchanged,” creating moments that bridge the gap between these disparate universes.

Among these carefully crafted confrontations, one rivalry stands paramount. “General Shao … is the perfect antagonist to Conan,” Nicastro discusses. This pairing isn’t mere coincidence.  Shao’s very existence “invites conflict” with the Cimmerian. It’s a dynamic that taps into the core of what makes Conan’s greatest rivalries memorable – two titans of kombat whose mere proximity guarantees an explosive confrontation. As Nicastro points out, he “Reminds us of a bit like Bombada from the second film, Conan the Destroyer, or Rexor from the first film.” Through these careful character matchups, NetherRealm has engineered moments that feel lifted straight from Conan’s most iconic battles. 

The time has come to write your own legend. Conan arrives in Mortal Kombat 1 on January 21, bringing with him all the savagery, strategy, and spectacle you’d expect from this highly anticipated guest character. 

Until then, watch our exclusive interview with the Mortal Kombat Design Manager on how they brought Conan crashing into Outworld.