Ed Boon | |
---|---|
Born | February 22, 1964 |
Occupation(s) | Game programmer, director, philanthropist, voice actor and producer |
Years active | 1987–present |
Ed Boon (born February 22, 1964) [1] is an American video game programmer, voice actor, and director. Boon was employed for over 15 years at Midway Games. Since 2011, he has worked for Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for one of its Subsidiaries, NetherRealm Studios.
Boon is best known for the widely popular Mortal Kombat series, which he created with John Tobias, and the Injustice series. In 2009, he was chosen by IGN as one of the top 100 game creators of all time. [2]
Boon graduated from high school at Loyola Academy in Wilmette. Boon is of Hispanic descent, from the Dominican Republic. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics and computer science from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. [3] [4]
After graduation, he was employed by Williams Entertainment in their pinball department, working on approximately 20 pinball games over the next two years. [5] During this time, he was called the Mortal Master, an early indicator towards a future creation.
He is the co-creator of the Mortal Kombat fighting game series, along with John Tobias, [6] and served as the series' lead programmer, with Tobias the lead designer, until their partnership dissolved with Tobias' departure from Midway in 2000. Boon named series characters Sonya and Tanya after his sisters Sonia and Tania, [7] while another character, Noob Saibot, was named after Boon and Tobias' reversed surnames. This is also elaborated in their Twitter handles, @noobde and @therealsaibot. [8] [9] Programmer Mike Boon is Ed's younger brother, and has been in his team since Mortal Kombat 4 . [4] The Boons are Hispanic and Dominican by ethnicity. [10] [11]
Boon was ranked #100 in IGN's 2009 list of "Top 100 Game Creators" for his involvement in the Mortal Kombat series. [12] He continues to be directly involved with the MK franchise and its multimedia side projects, and has also provided voice acting and motion capture work for the games, most notably providing the voice for the "Come here!" and "Get over here!" catchphrases uttered by Scorpion in every installment of the series as well as the first two feature films Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat Annihilation . The 2008 edition of Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition consequently awarded him a world record for the "longest-serving video game voice actor." [13]
In 2018 Mortal Kombat was exhibited in an arcade cabinet at the Chicago New Media 1973–1992 exhibition, curated by jonCates. [14]
Year | Title | Role(s) |
---|---|---|
1990 | High Impact Football | — |
1991 | Super High Impact | — |
1992 | Total Carnage | Voice of General Akhboob |
1992 | Mortal Kombat | Designer, programmer, voice of Scorpion, Reptile, Shang Tsung (announcer) |
1993 | Mortal Kombat II | Designer, programmer, voice of Scorpion, Smoke, Noob Saibot, Liu Kang, and Jax |
1995 | Mortal Kombat 3 | Designer, programmer, voice of Smoke, Liu Kang and Jax |
1995 | Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 | Executive producer, designer, programmer, voice of Scorpion |
1996 | Mortal Kombat Trilogy | Designer, programmer |
1997 | Mortal Kombat 4 | Designer, programmer, voice of Johnny Cage, Raiden, Kai, Scorpion and Jax |
1999 | Mortal Kombat Gold | Project lead, voice of Cyrax |
2001 | The Grid | — |
2002 | Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance | Team lead, game design, programming, voice of Scorpion |
2004 | Mortal Kombat: Deception | Project lead, game design, programming, voice of Scorpion, Reiko, Sub-Zero and Noob Saibot |
2005 | Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks | Executive producer, voice of Scorpion |
2006 | Mortal Kombat: Armageddon | Creative director |
2008 | Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe | Creative director, team leader |
2011 | Mortal Kombat | Team leader, creative director, additional voices |
2011 | Batman: Arkham City Lockdown | Creative director |
2013 | Injustice: Gods Among Us | Creative director, team leader |
2013 | Batman: Arkham Origins | — |
2015 | Mortal Kombat X | Creative director, team leader |
2017 | Injustice 2 | Creative director, team leader |
2019 | Mortal Kombat 11 | Creative director, team leader |
2023 | Mortal Kombat 1 | Creative director, team leader |
Year | Title | Role(s) |
---|---|---|
1987 | F-14 Tomcat | effects |
1987 | Space Station: Pinball Rendezvous | software and effects |
1988 | Banzai Run | effects |
1988 | Taxi | software and effects |
1989 | Black Knight 2000 | software and effects |
1990 | FunHouse | voice of Rudy [15] |
Year | Title | Role(s) | Note(s) |
---|---|---|---|
1995 | Mortal Kombat | Scorpion (voice) | [15] |
1997 | Mortal Kombat Annihilation | ||
2006 | Drawn Together | Episode: "The One Wherein There Is a Big Twist: Part 2" | |
2011 | Mortal Kombat: Legacy | Ed Goodman | cameo appearance in first-season episode "Johnny Cage" |
Mortal Kombat 4 is a 1997 fighting game, the fourth main installment in the Mortal Kombat franchise, and a sequel to 1995's Mortal Kombat 3. It was developed by Midway Games. Released to arcades in 1997, Mortal Kombat 4 is the first title in the series, and one of the first made by Midway overall, to use 3D computer graphics. It is also the last game of the series to have an arcade release. It was ported to the PlayStation, Nintendo 64, PC, and Game Boy Color in 1998. An updated version titled Mortal Kombat Gold was released exclusively for the Dreamcast.
Sub-Zero is a name used by two characters in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. They are depicted as two Chinese brothers and ninja warriors of the Lin Kuei clan principally defined by their blue attire and ability to control ice in many forms. Both incarnations of Sub-Zero are the only series characters to have appeared in every main installment of the series in addition to being featured as the protagonist of the spin-off Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero (1997).
Shang Tsung is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. He debuted as the final boss in the original 1992 game and has remained one of the franchise's primary villains. A powerful sorcerer, he is principally defined by his abilities to shapeshift into other characters and to absorb the souls of defeated warriors. Shang Tsung is usually portrayed as the right-hand man of Outworld emperor Shao Kahn and the archenemy of Shaolin monk Liu Kang. He also appeared as the main villain of Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002), alongside Quan Chi as the eponymous Deadly Alliance, as well as in Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath (2020) and Mortal Kombat 1 (2023).
Ermac is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Debuting as an unlockable character in Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 (1995), he is an amalgam of the souls of deceased warriors and possesses telekinetic abilities.
This is a list of playable and boss characters from the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise and the games in which they appear. Created by Ed Boon and John Tobias, the series depicts conflicts between various realms. Most characters fight on behalf of their realm, with the primary heroes defending Earthrealm against conquering villains from Outworld and the Netherrealm. Early installments feature the characters participating in the eponymous Mortal Kombat tournament to decide their realm's fate. In later installments, Earthrealm is often invaded by force.
Kung Lao is a character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. He debuted in Mortal Kombat II (1993) as a Shaolin monk and close friend of series protagonist Liu Kang, and his trademark characteristic is his wide razor-brimmed hat that he uses as a weapon. Kung Lao is depicted as one of the series' primary heroes, including a main role in the action-adventure spin-off Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005).
Scorpion is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. A ninja dressed in yellow, his primary weapon is a kunai rope dart, which he uses to harpoon opponents. Debuting in the original 1992 game, Scorpion has appeared as playable in every main installment except Mortal Kombat 3 (1995).
Mortal Kombat II is a fighting game originally produced by Midway for the arcades in 1993. It was ported to multiple home systems, including MS-DOS, Amiga, Game Boy, Game Gear, Sega Genesis, 32X, Sega Saturn, Super Nintendo Entertainment System, and PlayStation only in Japan, mostly in licensed versions developed by Probe Software and Sculptured Software and published by Acclaim Entertainment.
Mortal Kombat: Deception is a 2004 fighting game developed and published by Midway. It is the sixth main installment in the Mortal Kombat franchise and a sequel to 2002's Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance. It was released for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox in October 2004, for the GameCube in March 2005 and later ported for the PlayStation Portable under the title Mortal Kombat: Unchained in November 2006. Mortal Kombat: Deception follows the storyline from the fifth installment, Deadly Alliance. Its story centers on the revival of the Dragon King Onaga, who attempts to conquer the realms featured in the series after defeating the sorcerers Quan Chi and Shang Tsung, the main antagonists in the previous game, and the Thunder God Raiden, defender of Earthrealm. The surviving warriors from the previous titles join forces to confront Onaga.
Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 is a fighting game in the Mortal Kombat series, developed and released by Midway to arcades in 1995. It is a standalone update of 1995's earlier Mortal Kombat 3 with an altered gameplay system, additional characters like the returning favorites Reptile, Kitana, Jade and Scorpion who were missing from Mortal Kombat 3, and some new features.
Mortal Kombat: Special Forces is a 2000 action-adventure beat 'em up video game developed and published by Midway for the PlayStation in 2000. A spin-off of the Mortal Kombat franchise, it is the second installment to not be a fighting game and the first 3D spin-off. Set before the first game Mortal Kombat, players control Jax as he pursues criminal leader Kano and his gang.
John Tobias is an American comic book artist, graphic designer, video game designer and writer. Tobias is best known for creating the Mortal Kombat series along with Ed Boon, to whom he pitched the game concept.
Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is a 2005 action-adventure beat 'em up video game developed and published by Midway for the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. A spin-off of the Mortal Kombat franchise, it is a retelling of the events of Mortal Kombat II (1993). Players control the eponymous Shaolin monks Liu Kang and Kung Lao in either single player or cooperative play as they protect Earthrealm from the forces of Outworld.
Mortal Kombat is an American media franchise centered on a series of fighting video games originally developed by Midway Games in 1992.
Mortal Kombat is a 2011 fighting game developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment. It is the ninth main installment in the Mortal Kombat series and a soft reboot of the series. The game was released for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 systems in April 2011, and a PlayStation Vita port was released in May 2012. An expanded version of the game, titled Mortal Kombat: Komplete Edition, was released for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 in February 2012 and for Microsoft Windows in July 2013.
Mortal Kombat is a 1992 fighting game developed and published by Midway. It is the first entry in the Mortal Kombat series and was subsequently released by Acclaim Entertainment for nearly every home platform at that time. The game focuses on several characters of various intentions who enter a martial arts tournament with worldly consequences. It introduced many key aspects of the Mortal Kombat series, including the unique five-button control scheme and gory finishing moves called Fatalities.
Liu Kang is a fictional character and the main protagonist in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Depicted as Earthrealm's greatest warrior and champion, he debuted in the original 1992 game as a Shaolin monk with special moves, which were intended to be the easiest for players to perform. Since his introduction, Liu Kang has appeared as playable in every main installment except Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance (2002). He is also one of the protagonists of the action-adventure spin-off Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (2005).
Mortal Kombat: Legacy is an American web series adapted from the Mortal Kombat video game franchise. It debuted on Machinima.com's YouTube channel on April 11, 2011. The second season was released in its entirety on September 26, 2013.
Raiden is a fictional character in the Mortal Kombat fighting game franchise by Midway Games and NetherRealm Studios. Based on the Japanese deity Raijin, he is depicted as the god of thunder who possesses control over lightning. He debuted in the original 1992 game and has appeared as a playable character in every main installment except Mortal Kombat 3 (1995) and its first update. In the storyline of the games, Raiden is the protector of Earthrealm. He fulfills his duty by selecting and training the warriors who defend Earthrealm from various threats, while also participating directly in the realm's defense. Raiden generally serves as a mentor figure to the franchise's heroes, although he sometimes assumes a darker role in the story, which sees him become more ruthless in his protection of the realm. One of the franchise's central characters, Raiden has appeared in various related media outside of the Mortal Kombat games, including guest appearances in NBA Jam Tournament Edition (1995), NFL Blitz (1997), Unreal Championship 2 (2005), and Injustice 2 (2017). He has generally received a positive reception and is among the series' most popular characters for his design and special abilities.
Mortal Kombat Legends: Scorpion's Revenge is a 2020 American direct-to-video adult animated martial arts film based on the Mortal Kombat franchise created by Ed Boon and John Tobias. South Korean studio Mir animated the film and was produced by Warner Bros. Animation. It is the first installment in the Legends series. Borrowing source material from Mortal Kombat, the film contains two plots: one dealing with Scorpion seeking his revenge on those who murdered his family and clan after being resurrected by Quan Chi, the other follows Johnny Cage, Liu Kang and Sonya Blade, who are chosen to participate on the Mortal Kombat tournament for the fate of Earthrealm.
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