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Ed Boon
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<h2 id="life-and-career">Life and career</h2> <p>Boon graduated from high school at <a href="/facts/Loyola_Academy/3vzfATs3">Loyola Academy</a> in <a href="/facts/Wilmette,_Illinois/veNLElVm">Wilmette</a>. Boon is of Hispanic descent, from the Dominican Republic. He earned a <a href="/facts/Bachelor_of_Science/9n3gvDf7">Bachelor of Science</a> degree in <a href="/facts/Mathematics/pxTouaz4">mathematics</a> and <a href="/facts/Computer_science/lN3pEyPz">computer science</a> from the <a href="/facts/University_of_Illinois_Urbana-Champaign/gusw7HoS">University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p>After graduation, he was employed by <a href="/facts/Williams_Entertainment/kfVWKka5">Williams Entertainment</a> in their <a href="/facts/Pinball/woBqmMfo">pinball</a> department, working on approximately 20 pinball games over the next two years. During this time, he was called the Mortal Master, an early indicator towards a future creation.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p><p>He is the co-creator of the <i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat/VBXhBIhn">Mortal Kombat</a></i> <a href="/facts/Fighting_game/7Y7FaQTK">fighting game</a> series, along with <a href="/facts/John_Tobias/FPJSYUcw">John Tobias</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> and served as the series' lead programmer, with Tobias as the lead designer, until their partnership dissolved with Tobias' departure from Midway in 2000. Boon named series characters <a href="/facts/Sonya_Blade/VusYphrs">Sonya</a> and <a href="/facts/Tanya_(Mortal_Kombat)/VYzSQB11">Tanya</a> after his sisters Sonia and Tania,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> while another character, <a href="/facts/Noob_Saibot/k3PPjUTz">Noob Saibot</a>, was named after Boon and Tobias' reversed surnames.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> Programmer Mike Boon is Ed's younger brother and has been a part of his team since <i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_4/oygN0lKx">Mortal Kombat 4</a></i>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> The Boons are <a href="/facts/Hispanic/EY31pWn0">Hispanic</a> and <a href="/facts/Dominican-American/b7XQU26l">Dominican</a> by ethnicity.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a> </p><p>Boon was featured in <a href="/facts/IGN/kNcWSmFY">IGN</a>'s 2009 list of "Top 100 Game Creators" for his involvement in the <i>Mortal Kombat</i> series.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> He continues to be directly involved with the <i>MK</i> franchise and its multimedia side projects and has also provided <a href="/facts/Voice_actor/rwV6NXku">voice acting</a> and <a href="/facts/Motion_capture/vy5ab34S">motion capture</a> work for the games, most notably providing the voice for the "Come here!" and "Get over here!" catchphrases by <a href="/facts/Scorpion_(Mortal_Kombat)/H0J4CVyd">Scorpion</a> in several games of the series as well as the first two feature films <i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_(1995_Film)/tPSX1NPt">Mortal Kombat</a></i> and <i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_Annihilation/aXvQYlcg">Mortal Kombat Annihilation</a></i>. The 2008 edition of <i><a href="/facts/Guinness_World_Records_Gamer%27s_Edition/Az88wVWk">Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition</a></i> consequently awarded him a world record for the "longest-serving video game voice actor."<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> </p><p>In 2018, <i>Mortal Kombat</i> was exhibited in an arcade cabinet at the Chicago New Media 1973–1992 exhibition, curated by jonCates.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="works">Works</h2> <h3>Video games</h3> <table><tbody><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Role(s)</th></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td><i>High Impact Football</i></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1991</td><td><i>Super High Impact</i></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>1992</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Total_Carnage/6HYAIkwx">Total Carnage</a></i></td><td>Voice of General Akhboob</td></tr><tr><td>1992</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_(1992_video_game)/9vS4bvtU">Mortal Kombat</a></i></td><td>Designer, programmer, voice of <a href="/facts/Scorpion_(Mortal_Kombat)/H0J4CVyd">Scorpion</a>, <a href="/facts/Reptile_(Mortal_Kombat)/XFvl93kX">Reptile</a>, <a href="/facts/Shang_Tsung/Puf9IP53">Shang Tsung</a> (announcer)</td></tr><tr><td>1993</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_II/eCdX94UU">Mortal Kombat II</a></i></td><td>Designer, programmer, voice of Scorpion, <a href="/facts/Smoke_(Mortal_Kombat)/YtjykNBY">Smoke</a>, <a href="/facts/Noob_Saibot/k3PPjUTz">Noob Saibot</a>, <a href="/facts/Liu_Kang/tF3rwvtl">Liu Kang</a>, and <a href="/facts/Jax_(Mortal_Kombat)/UBz24TJs">Jax</a></td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_3/scfXN6sm">Mortal Kombat 3</a></i></td><td>Designer, programmer, voice of Smoke, Liu Kang and Jax</td></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Ultimate_Mortal_Kombat_3/zL1tk6Aq">Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3</a></i></td><td>Executive producer, designer, programmer, voice of Scorpion</td></tr><tr><td>1996</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_Trilogy/4jAXX33T">Mortal Kombat Trilogy</a></i></td><td>Designer, programmer</td></tr><tr><td>1997</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_4/oygN0lKx">Mortal Kombat 4</a></i></td><td>Designer, programmer, voice of <a href="/facts/Johnny_Cage/3P32hvdN">Johnny Cage</a>, <a href="/facts/Raiden_(Mortal_Kombat)/G40dx6mQ">Raiden</a>, <a href="/facts/List_of_Mortal_Kombat_characters/VYzSQB11">Kai</a>, Scorpion and Jax</td></tr><tr><td>1999</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_Gold/duxKgAsv">Mortal Kombat Gold</a></i></td><td>Project lead, voice of <a href="/facts/Cyrax/bs2Wmbhb">Cyrax</a></td></tr><tr><td>2001</td><td><i><a href="/facts/The_Grid_(video_game)/IddcYe0j">The Grid</a></i></td><td>—</td></tr><tr><td>2002</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat:_Deadly_Alliance/ResbxVU1">Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance</a></i></td><td>Team lead, game design, programming, voice of Scorpion</td></tr><tr><td>2004</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat:_Deception/3yX5wmeS">Mortal Kombat: Deception</a></i></td><td>Project lead, game design, programming, voice of Scorpion, Reiko, <a href="/facts/Sub-Zero_(Mortal_Kombat)/3NWSBEDS">Sub-Zero</a> and Noob Saibot</td></tr><tr><td>2005</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat:_Shaolin_Monks/tqjfAe2l">Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks</a></i></td><td>Executive producer, voice of Scorpion</td></tr><tr><td>2006</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat:_Armageddon/sYDnDbGA">Mortal Kombat: Armageddon</a></i></td><td>Creative director</td></tr><tr><td>2008</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_vs._DC_Universe/j51gNpfD">Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe</a></i></td><td>Creative director, team leader</td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_(2011_video_game)/VJ7JQgxl">Mortal Kombat</a></i></td><td>Team leader, creative director, additional voices</td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Batman:_Arkham_City_Lockdown/c2XJIzne">Batman: Arkham City Lockdown</a></i></td><td>Creative director</td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Injustice:_Gods_Among_Us/C9Ntz88x">Injustice: Gods Among Us</a></i></td><td>Creative director, team leader</td></tr><tr><td>2013</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Batman:_Arkham_Origins_(mobile)/wtqvmAnP">Batman: Arkham Origins</a></i></td><td>Creative director, team leader</td></tr><tr><td>2015</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_X/Rqs69tDW">Mortal Kombat X</a></i></td><td>Creative director, team leader</td></tr><tr><td>2017</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Injustice_2/oBxn3krB">Injustice 2</a></i></td><td>Creative director, team leader</td></tr><tr><td>2019</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_11/79lgVMrE">Mortal Kombat 11</a></i></td><td>Creative director, team leader</td></tr><tr><td>2023</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_1/9vS4bvtU">Mortal Kombat 1</a></i></td><td>Creative director, team leader</td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>Pinball</h3> <table><tbody><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Role(s)</th></tr><tr><td>1987</td><td><i><a href="/facts/F-14_Tomcat_(pinball)/kfVWKka5">F-14 Tomcat</a></i></td><td>effects</td></tr><tr><td>1987</td><td><i>Space Station: Pinball Rendezvous</i></td><td>software and effects</td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Banzai_Run/KefIHJnb">Banzai Run</a></i></td><td>effects</td></tr><tr><td>1988</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Taxi_(pinball)/pnBHTBID">Taxi</a></i></td><td>software and effects</td></tr><tr><td>1989</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Black_Knight_2000/7c7lJhb4">Black Knight 2000</a></i></td><td>software and effects</td></tr><tr><td>1990</td><td><i><a href="/facts/FunHouse_(pinball)/yajg8AM3">FunHouse</a></i></td><td>voice of Rudy<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a></td></tr></tbody></table> <h3>Media</h3> <table><tbody><tr><th>Year</th><th>Title</th><th>Role(s)</th><th>Note(s)</th></tr><tr><td>1995</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_(1995_film)/tPSX1NPt">Mortal Kombat</a></i></td><td rowspan="3">Scorpion (voice)</td><td><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a></td></tr><tr><td>1997</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat_Annihilation/aXvQYlcg">Mortal Kombat Annihilation</a></i></td><td></td></tr><tr><td>2006</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Drawn_Together/YWCNzUw2">Drawn Together</a></i></td><td>Episode: "The One Wherein There Is a Big Twist: Part 2"</td></tr><tr><td>2011</td><td><i><a href="/facts/Mortal_Kombat:_Legacy/tJeU7b01">Mortal Kombat: Legacy</a></i></td><td>Ed Goodman</td><td>cameo appearance in first-season episode "Johnny Cage"</td></tr></tbody></table> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="https://twitter.com/noobde">Ed Boon</a> on <a href="/facts/Twitter/VWwDNGUm">Twitter</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,3325/">Ed Boon's profile</a> at <a href="/facts/MobyGames/ErGhXfX5">MobyGames</a></li> <li><a href="https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0095460/">Ed Boon</a> at <a href="/facts/IMDb_(identifier)/uWrqVYVy">IMDb</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>Shirley Gomez (October 13, 2023). "Meet Ed Boon: The Dominican-American visionary behind Mortal Kombat". ¡Hola!. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2025. <a href="https://www.hola.com/us/celebrities/20231013351537/the-dominican-american-visionary-creator-of-mortal-kombat/" target="_blank">https://www.hola.com/us/celebrities/20231013351537/the-dominican-american-visionary-creator-of-mortal-kombat/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"IGN - 100. Ed Boon". IGN. Archived from the original on April 20, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2023. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140420025418/http://www.ign.com/top/game-creators/100.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20140420025418/http://www.ign.com/top/game-creators/100.html</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Universities of Missouri, Illinois hailed as tech's powerful colleges". St. Louis Business Journal. May 3, 2010. Archived from the original on April 11, 2016. Retrieved June 3, 2010. <a href="http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2010/05/03/daily4.html" target="_blank">http://www.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2010/05/03/daily4.html</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>Borrelli, Christopher (May 1, 2013). "'Mortal Kombat' creator Ed Boon back with DC superhero game". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2015. <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-ed-boon-mortal-kombat-20130501-column.html" target="_blank">https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-ed-boon-mortal-kombat-20130501-column.html</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Mortal's Master: Programmer Ed Boon". GamePro. No. 86. IDG. November 1995. pp. 38–40. <a href="/wiki/GamePro" target="_blank">/wiki/GamePro</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>Barton, Steve (June 10, 2010). "E3 2010: Mortal Kombat Returns! See the New Trailer!". Dread Central. Archived from the original on August 6, 2022. Retrieved June 10, 2010. <a href="https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/17787/e3-2010-mortal-kombat-returns-see-the-new-trailer/" target="_blank">https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/17787/e3-2010-mortal-kombat-returns-see-the-new-trailer/</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"Mortal Kombat X gets the Xenomorph, Leatherface, and a few old favourites". GamesRadar+. December 4, 2015. Archived from the original on October 18, 2015. Retrieved December 5, 2015. <a href="https://www.gamesradar.com/mortal-kombat-x-roster/" target="_blank">https://www.gamesradar.com/mortal-kombat-x-roster/</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>Michael McWhertor (April 19, 2021). "The origin of Noob Saibot". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved January 30, 2025. <a href="https://www.polygon.com/22391732/mortal-kombat-noob-saibot-name-origin-john-tobias-ed-boon-easter-eggs" target="_blank">https://www.polygon.com/22391732/mortal-kombat-noob-saibot-name-origin-john-tobias-ed-boon-easter-eggs</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>Borrelli, Christopher (May 1, 2013). "'Mortal Kombat' creator Ed Boon back with DC superhero game". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on November 5, 2021. Retrieved December 5, 2015. <a href="https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-ed-boon-mortal-kombat-20130501-column.html" target="_blank">https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/chi-ed-boon-mortal-kombat-20130501-column.html</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>Shirley Gomez (October 13, 2023). "Meet Ed Boon: The Dominican-American visionary behind Mortal Kombat". ¡Hola!. Archived from the original on October 14, 2023. Retrieved January 30, 2025. <a href="https://www.hola.com/us/celebrities/20231013351537/the-dominican-american-visionary-creator-of-mortal-kombat/" target="_blank">https://www.hola.com/us/celebrities/20231013351537/the-dominican-american-visionary-creator-of-mortal-kombat/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"IGN - 100. Ed Boon". IGN. Archived from the original on April 20, 2014. Retrieved November 13, 2023. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20140420025418/http://www.ign.com/top/game-creators/100.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20140420025418/http://www.ign.com/top/game-creators/100.html</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>Glenday, Craig (2008). Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition. Guinness World Records. p. 79. ISBN 978-1904994206. <a href="978-1904994206" target="_blank">978-1904994206</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>Cates, Jon (2018). Chicago New Media, 1973-1992. Illinois, US: University of Illinois. p. 9. ISBN 978-0-252-08407-2. <a href="978-0-252-08407-2" target="_blank">978-0-252-08407-2</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>"Ed Boon | Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors (Check mark indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources). Archived from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019. <a href="https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Ed-Boon/" target="_blank">https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Ed-Boon/</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>"Ed Boon | Behind The Voice Actors". Behind The Voice Actors (Check mark indicates role has been confirmed using screenshots of closing credits and other reliable sources). Archived from the original on July 27, 2019. Retrieved July 27, 2019. <a href="https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Ed-Boon/" target="_blank">https://www.behindthevoiceactors.com/Ed-Boon/</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>