If you’re eager for a fighting game where you’re able to pull off ridiculous and insane moves like punching someone’s entire face off to expose their brains, or pulling out their heart and stomping on it, then Mortal Kombat is going to be the game for you. It’s over-the-top gory fun, and NetherRealm Studios is back at it again with Mortal Kombat 11.
So what does one have to look forward to in the 11th main installment of the Mortal Kombat franchise? Let’s find out!
What’s new?
Here’s all the new information we have about Mortal Kombat 11!
March 25, 2019 — More information on two more characters!!
Two is always better than one. The shadow of the NetherRealm, Noob Saibot, makes his anticipated return to kombat in #MK11.https://t.co/cf3EngbLmz pic.twitter.com/opppNs3hwo
— Mortal Kombat 11 (@MortalKombat) March 22, 2019
Over the weekend at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo we were given information on two more characters coming to Mortal Kombat 11. In one corner, we have Noob Saibot who is an Elder God-worshipping shadow that made his first appearance as a background character in Mortal Kombat II. In the other corner, we have Shang Tsung who is returning to Mortal Kombat as the first DLC character!
March 23, 2019 — Mortal Kombat 11 beta coming soon
On 28th March, you’re next when the #MK11 Closed Beta begins!
Gain access to the Closed Beta by pre-ordering MK11 and check below to see when it runs in your region.https://t.co/pmtQbuCsej pic.twitter.com/ghWM3JdF4Y— Mortal Kombat 11 (@MortalKombat) March 18, 2019
Exciting news for PlayStation 4 and Xbox players. Anyone who pre-ordered their copy of MK11 on PlayStation 4 or Xbox can start playing their games next week. Here is the information on the beta times!
| Region | Start Time | End Time |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | March 27 15:00 GMT | April 1 07:59 GMT |
| Asia and Oceania | March 28 02:00 AEDT | April 1 17:59 AEDT |
| Europe and Middle East | March 27 16:00 CET | April 1 08:59 CET |
| The Americas | March 27 08:00 PST | April 1 23:59 PST |
Stay tuned for another update tomorrow. The creators of Mortal Kombat 11 are hosting a panel at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo where they plan to announce two more characters! We’ll update you as soon as we have any information!
The MK11 roster so far
Mortal Kombat is a fighting series that features the iconic duo of fighters that many of us are familiar with: Sub-Zero and Scorpion, along with others like Raiden, Sonya Blade, and more. In MK11, you’ll find many returning faces from previous Mortal Kombat games, even ones who were only introduced in Mortal Kombat X, which was the last Mortal Kombat game.
There will be two new characters introduced in MK11 as well: Geras and Kronika.
Geras is a playable fighter who wields time-control abilities, so he can stop and rewind time as he pleases. Other attacks include summoning objects made of stone and sand, and teleporting with that power to trap foes.
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It turns out that Geras fights in service of the Kronika, the other new character. Apparently, Kronika has been running the show ever since the very first Mortal Kombat game, but she is just finally revealing herself due to the story events in Mortal Kombat X. It’s not confirmed yet whether or not Kronika is a playable fighter, but she is the game’s first female big-bad.
Right now, MK11 will have an initial roster of 25 playable characters. There is also Shao Kahn, who is a character only obtainable by pre-ordering the game.
In recent updates, we’ve also learned that Noob Saibot will be returning as a playable character alongside Shang Tsung, who will be the first DLC character!
Story and synopsis
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The story behind MK11 is a bit complicated because, well, time travel. We all know how time travel affects pretty much everything, right?
MK11 is not a direct sequel to MKX, even though that was the previous game. Instead, MK11 takes place after the events in MK9, because Kronika used her time and reality-bending powers to screw things up, as one does. But the events that occur in MKX are still relevant somehow.
Shinnok, the main villain from MKX, is being tortured by an evil Raiden, who became corrupted with dark magic after he absorbed the Jinsei, which is the Earthrealm’s life force. Raiden beheads Shinnok but keeps him kind of alive somehow. Kronika appears and approaches Shinnok, and then reveals that everything is going according to her own plans.
How sneaky!
MK11 Kombat
NetherRealm is introducing a few changes to the combat gameplay mechanics. Instead of just having one meter for moves like the Breaker, X-Ray moves, and enhanced attacks, there are now two meters in the bottom right and left corners. The horizontal bar is reserved for offensive moves, with the vertical one for defense.
Fatal Blows are replacing X-Ray Moves. Fatal Blows are accessible only when the player’s health is below 30 percent. With a Fatal Blow, you can unleash a nasty combo on your opponent by pushing two shoulder buttons at once. The Fatal Blow can only be used once per game (not round), so you’ll need to be wise with the timing of it. However, if the Fatal Blow does not connect, the move goes into a long cooldown period before you can try again.
Crushing Blows are also added, which is a graphic move that’s similar to X-Ray attacks. These are triggered by meeting certain criteria, like doing the same move three times in a row. Every character has about five to six moves that can evolve into a Crushing Blow, which do insane amounts of damage and can get foes in the air or make enemies stand up immediately.
Finally, Flawless Block is added. When you perform a perfectly timed block, you’ll get a brief window for a counterattack.
These new gameplay mechanics add in a lot of new possibilities, including some interesting high-risk, high-reward matches.
Customization options
There’s a new focus on customization in MK11, similar to NetherRealm’s Injustice games. There will be costume pieces for each character, which you can augment with socketing items that grant your character better abilities.
Another aspect that you can customize to your liking is the “Kosmetics,” which include things like character skin, cinematic intros, victory screens, fatalities, brutalities, taunts, and more. Even computer-controlled opponents can be tinkered to suit your liking because AI Behavior is also customizable. MK11 does not skimp out on the customization options for you.
When, what consoles, and how much
Mortal Kombat 11 will be available on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows PC, and Xbox One on April 23. The Standard Edition of the game will cost the typical $60.
There’s also a Premium Edition for $100. This includes some nice bonuses:
- Digital download code for base game
- Six new playable DLC characters
- One week early access to each DLC character
- Seven exclusive character skins
- Seven sets of gear to deck your characters out with
The “Kollector’s Edition” is only for PS4 and Xbox One players, and costs a whopping $300. It includes everything in Premium Edition, as well as a Dragon Logo magnet, and 1:1 scale Scorpion mask.
You can check the pre-order availability for Standard, Premium, and Kollector’s Editions of Mortal Kombat 11 for a variety of retailers from their website.
FINISH HIM!
That’s all the information we know so far for Mortal Kombat 11, but stay tuned here for updates as we get them.
Are you looking forward to Mortal Kombat 11? Let us know who you’ll be maining in the latest installment of the classic fighting game series in the comments below.
Update March 25: We’ve updated this article with information of two more characters revealed over the weekend at Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo!
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