Retrocon 2026, held from July 24th to 26th at the Expo Center Transamérica in São Paulo, gathered key figures in the creation of Mortal Kombat. Present were actors Daniel Pesina, Carlos Pesina, and Anthony Marquez, who portrayed iconic characters such as Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, and Kung Lao in the first two titles of the franchise, alongside designer Paul Niemeyer, creator of the series' classic logo. The portal Olhar Digital conducted interviews with these four professionals.
This fourth edition of Retrocon, highlighted as Brazil's largest retro gaming fair, occupied the pavilions of the Expo Center Transamérica. The event offered a vast program that included original arcades and pinball machines, video games connected to tube televisions, competitions, historical exhibitions on consoles, a space dedicated to content creators, in addition to shops, booths, and a selection of Brazilian indie games, including national retro gaming titles.
Mortal Kombat, a franchise over thirty years old, continues to captivate new generations, which was evident during Retrocon. The guests interacted with fans, participated in photo sessions, and became main attractions. Carlos Pesina, the actor who played Raiden in the first two games, recounted the experience, saying it is 'marvelous, it's also a bit overwhelming because they are very... we had never been to Brazil, at least Tony Anthony Marquez and I, the original Kung Lao.'
Carlos added that it is gratifying to see the impact they have had on people, stating: 'But it is wonderful to see everyone, to see the lives we have touched. It humbles us, in a good way, and we are very grateful to have such fans. Sometimes it feels like I'm a huge superstar because I can't go anywhere without someone coming to talk to me. But it is wonderful and emotional at the same time.'
Anthony Marquez, the original interpreter of Kung Lao, described his feeling similarly. He mentioned that he has trained in martial arts since childhood with the other actors, and that the creation of Mortal Kombat was a natural consequence of this friendship. 'I love Brazil. Mortal Kombat fans are truly passionate about it, and I am very grateful that after 35 years, they continue to keep this memory alive,' he declared.
Currently, Anthony teaches martial arts at EKF Martial Arts, his academy located in Chicago, United States.
Daniel Pesina, who has the most roles in the franchise, having conceived Scorpion and Sub-Zero and acted as Johnny Cage, Reptile, Smoke, and Noob Saibot in the first two games, stated that the greatest gift of Mortal Kombat was not fame, but the encounters. He commented: 'What this game allowed me to do was come to places like here, in São Paulo, and meet in person friends I only knew through social media. Now I can come here and really meet them.'
Paul Niemeyer, the designer responsible for the final art of the logo and the visual identity of the original 1992 arcade, while working as a freelancer for Bally/Midway, detailed the origin of the Mortal Kombat symbol. He explained that, contrary to what many imagine, there was no divine intervention, but rather an extremely tight deadline. 'I had three hours and they gave me a quick sketch, and I transformed it. Then I passed it to hand calligraphy. And since I only had three weeks to do everything, a lot of things were like Yoda: don't think, just do. And I really think that is the secret to the success of the entire game.'
Paul also described the producer's trust in approving the art: 'When I finished, I took the material to them, and they simply sent it straight to the printer. They hadn't even seen the A I file I was going to deliver. They trusted it would be good. It was like crossing decades.'
However, the narrative took a more difficult turn. Paul revealed that initially, Midway did not believe in the game's potential and hired him as a freelancer just to solve the issue. 'They thought the game would be a failure. That's why they called a freelancer, just to get it out of their way. I was that freelancer,' he said. However, after the launch, the game was a massive success, generating a new conflict: 'Because the guy who made the most valuable art the company ever had was never an employee, and had rights to it.'
According to Paul, instead of recognition, the company threatened him with a lawsuit and sidelined him. 'I disappeared for 27 years, at least within the Mortal Kombat universe. About seven years ago, I was rediscovered by accident, and that's it: now everyone knows who I am.' He admitted that the first two years after realizing the value of what he had created, without receiving payment or credit, were challenging. Despite this, he guaranteed that the lack of credit did not impact his career in other areas outside of gaming, joking that 'This is just a bonus round,' before thanking Brazil for the chance to share his story.
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