The Bloody Truth About Getting Mortal Kombat (2021) for 'Free' – Prepare for Bing!
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
To celebrate *Mortal Kombat 2*'s arrival, Warner Bros. and Microsoft are offering the 2021 *Mortal Kombat* movie for free, but players must complete a Microsoft Rewards "punch card" that inconveniently requires using Bing for seven consecutive days. While a somewhat bizarre hoop to jump through, the film is also readily available to stream on HBO Max for those who prefer an easier viewing experience.
Alright, mates, buckle up! You know me, always poking my digital nose into the latest gaming shenanigans, especially when "free" is dangled like a shiny, potentially cursed loot drop. With *Mortal Kombat 2* gearing up to smash its way into cinemas – presumably with more spine rips and 'get over heres' than you can shake a magically charged stick at – Warner Bros. and Microsoft have cooked up a little something. And by little something, I mean a "free" digital copy of the 2021 *Mortal Kombat* flick. Sounds like a flawless victory, right?
Well, hold your horses (or your Goro action figures). There's always a scroll with a minor catch, isn't there? This time, courtesy of Tomas Franzese over at Polygon, we've learned the 'price' of this cinematic treasure. You see, you'll have to engage in a bit of digital alchemy, specifically a "punch card" promo via Microsoft Rewards. And, *bloody hell*, it involves Bing.
Yeah, I know. I heard that collective groan from here. Bing! It’s like finding a forgotten spellbook in the back of your digital archives that you swore you'd never touch again. The setup is simple enough on paper: * Give the *Mortal Kombat 2* trailer a squiz. * Grab a swanky *Mortal Kombat 2* Bing wallpaper. * Pop over to the Xbox Store page for *Mortal Kombat 1: Definitive Edition* (because, why not?). * Check *Mortal Kombat 2* showtimes on Fandango. * Have a gander at the *Mortal Kombat 2* soundtrack on Spotify. * AND, here’s the kicker, complete a search on Bing across seven separate days. Seven. Days.
The first five? Pfft, a wizard’s flick of the wrist. Done in minutes, like conjuring a quick light orb. But those seven days of Bing searches? That's the real test of patience, mate. It’s like a digital time-lock, making you return daily to offer a small tribute to the Bing overlords. Are they trying to boost their search engine numbers? Reckon so. Are they trying to convert us? Unlikely, but hey, a wizard never says never... though my search history *might* disagree.
Now, I'm a naturally curious chap, and I'm always wondering about the "why" behind these things. Is it a clever play to gather data? A quirky marketing experiment? Or just Microsoft having a bit of fun by making us earn our fatalities? Whatever the grand scheme, it's certainly a curious way to celebrate a movie launch.
Tomas Franzese (cheers, mate, for the intel!) admits he hadn't touched Bing in yonks, and I reckon a fair few of you are in the same boat. But if you can stomach the daily Bing ritual until June 30, you *do* get to keep the movie forever. And let's be fair, the recent *Mortal Kombat* films, with all their glorious campiness and over-the-top fatalities, are a right laugh. They know what they are and they deliver.
But what if you just want to watch it, no Bing strings attached, before *MK2* drops? Good news, wizard apprentices, it's also available to stream on HBO Max. So, you've got options. Whether you choose the path of the Bing warrior or the streaming sorcerer, just make sure you're ready for some brutal, bloody fun.
Tags: Gaming, MortalKombat, Movies, MicrosoftRewards, Freebies
Original article: Polygon