Midway announces Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks

Today, Midway announced some major changes to the Mortal Kombat franchise. The first was the unveiling of the next game in the series, Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks. Unlike regular Mortal Kombat games, Shaolin Monks will be an action adventure title that allows players to explore a world beyond the arena of death. The game is currently in development for the Xbox and PlayStation 2 and is slated for a fall 2005 release.

The other big change to the Mortal Kombat series is its frequency. In a statement, Midway president David F. Zucker said a new game in the franchise would arrive each year. “Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks is also our first step toward delivering something that Mortal Kombat fans have been calling for: a new game set in the Mortal Kombat universe every year," he said. "We are planning our Mortal Kombat release schedule with the expectation that we will deliver a new Mortal Kombat title annually.”

For more on Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks, check out GameSpot's exclusive first look.