'Mortal Kombat 11': Roster, DLC Info, Release Date, for the Iconic Puncher

Gone are the days of burning through quarters at the arcade to humiliate your friends. Now, in 2019, Mortal Kombat 11 arrives on consoles and PC, so you can humiliate your friends online on Twitch streams.

The latest installment of the ‘90s fighting game series that never went away, Mortal Kombat 11 continues the story set by the 2011 reboot Mortal Kombat (sometimes called “MK9” or “MK 2011”) and the 2015 sequel Mortal Kombat X.

The game is developed by NetherRealm Studios, formed from the ashes of original studio Midway and overseen by franchise co-creator Ed Boon. The studio is also known for developing games such as the DC Injustice fighting game series and WWE Immortals, a Mortal Kombat-style game featuring WWE superstar pro wrestlers, which was released on mobile.

And yes, Mortal Kombat 11 means it is, in fact, the eleventh game in the core series (not counting spin-offs), going back to the original arcade sensation Mortal Kombat from 1992.

If you haven’t ripped out your best friend’s spine in too long and are eager to get back into kicking ass in Outworld, here’s everything you need to know about Mortal Kombat 11. 

When will Mortal Kombat 11 be released?

Mortal Kombat 11 will be released on April 23, 2019 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One in both the U.S. and in Europe.

Mortal Kombat 11 will be released on Nintendo Switch on May 10, 2019.

What’s the story of Mortal Kombat 11?

The skinny of Mortal Kombat 11 is that a power-hungry Raiden seeks to destroy Earthrealm (just “Earth” in regular, non-lore speak) in order to get rid of all evil. In comes Kronika, a mystical being who claims to be the “Keeper of Time,” who wants to stop Raiden by forming an uneasy alliance between good and evil.

In a move that brings Mortal Kombat into science-fiction, Kronika recruits heroes and villains from the past, ripped from their timeline, to team up with the current heroes of the present.

This means the return of characters like Shao Kahn, the original big bad villain of Mortal Kombat, and a younger Liu Kang who hasn’t turned evil (see the ending of Mortal Kombat X).

As hinted in the “Story Trailer” (below), this also means gags such as young, arrogant Hollywood superstar Johnny Cage trading quips with old, arrogant dad Johnny Cage.

If you’re an über-nerd, you might recognize the premise bearing similarities to Brian Michael Bendis’ All-New X-Men, in which the classic X-Men were transported to the present to team up with their older selves. That’s basically what’s happening here, except with far less teen drama and infinitely more death and decapitation.

Who Are the Confirmed Playable Characters in Mortal Kombat 11?

A lot of old favorites are back for Mortal Kombat 11, plus one new original character: Geras, an underling of Kronika who has the ability to manipulate the match timer.

Below are all the confirmed characters to appear in Mortal Kombat 11.

• Baraka, the fan-favorite monstrous Tarkatan soldier with long teeth and blades protruding out of his forearms.

• Cassie Cage, the daughter of Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, introduced in Mortal Kombat X.

• D’Vorah, a warrior of an insect-like race called the Arnyek and follower of Shinnok and Quan Chi.

• Erron Black, a Stephen King Dark Tower-esque gunslinger introduced in Mortal Kombat X, Erron Black returns for another round serving under Kotal Khan. Confirmed via Twitter.

• Jacqui Briggs, the daughter of Jax and a soldier alongside Cassie Cage in the Special Forces.

• Jade, former assassin for Shao Kahn, a classic veteran from the original games.

• Jax, a Marine in the U.S. Special Forces with two augmented arms.

• Johnny Cage. “To my best fan! Johnny Cage.” Cage is back, baby..

• Kabal, former member of Kano’s Black Dragon syndicate who became a force for good. Known for carrying a pair of Hookswords. Makes his return since the 2011 reboot game.

• Kano, a top mercenary and leader of the Black Dragon crime cartel. At the end of Mortal Kombat X, he began a recruitment program for Black Dragon, taking in his own son.

• Kotal Khan, a new villain introduced in Mortal Kombat X who makes his return to the new game. Although only seen in the Story Trailer, confirmation of his status as a playable character was teased by NetherRealm on Twitter.

• Kitana, the former Princess of Outworld who now rules over Netherrealm.

• Kung Lao, the fighter with a razor-sharp hat he wields like Captain America’s shield. Although killed in MK9, his younger version returns in Mortal Kombat 11.

• Liu Kang, the main hero of the entire series, returns as a younger, pure version of himself enters the fight while his older, resurrected, evil version currently rules over Netherrealm with the former Princess Kitana. Along with Kung Lao and Jax, Liu Kang was confirmed to be a playable character in a new trailer that premiered on March 25 during Sony’s State of Play digital conference.

• Noob Saibot, the infamous black shadow ninja returns to Mortal Kombat 11. His inclusion was revealed onstage at C2E2 2019 in Chicago, where Boon revealed his namesake ninja to ravenous applause.

• Raiden. A darker, evil version of Raiden — corrupted after Mortal Kombat X — emerges in Mortal Kombat 11, but there’s also a younger, pure version of Raiden who steps in thanks to Kronika.

• Scorpion. “GET OVER HERE!”

• Shao Kahn. Although defeated at the end of MK9, Shao Kahn returns to Mortal Kombat 11 thanks to the timeline business. Available as pre-order bonus DLC.

• Shang Tsung, the classic villain of the franchise returns as DLC. Besides being a playable fighter, Shang Tsung will also serve as host of “The Krypt,” the bonus features portal where players cash in in-game currency to unlock extra materials such as concept art and background music. Notably, the character is being reprised by Japanese-American actor Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, who played Shang Tsung in the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie.

• Sonya Blade, the badass Earthrealm soldier and veteran to the series. Playable: Yes. And in Mortal Kombat 11, former UFC champion and WWE superstar Ronda Rousey provides her voice and likeness for Sonya Blade. (And Rousey appeared in Sonya Blade-themed gear at WWE Elimination Chamber back in February.)

• Skarlet. Originally introduced as DLC in MK9, the blood red ninja Skarlet returns to the main roster.

• Sub-Zero. After fighting the DC Universe in Injustice 2, Sub-Zero, leader of the Lin-Kuei, returns to Mortal Kombat 11.

Will There Be DLC (Downloadable Content)?

Yes! Shao Kahn is already confirmed to be available to those who pre-order the game at retail. At C2E2, NetherRealm revealed that Shang Tsung will be the first character in the game’s DLC releases.

An additional “Kombat Pack” is rumored by internet blogs to contain as much as six fighters. Given the franchise’s history for bizarre guest characters — previous DLC include Kratos from the God of War series, and horror movie icons like Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Leatherface, and even\ the Predator and a Xenomorph alien — it is really anyone’s guess who could be next.

Fans, for some reason, want Scooby-Doo’s pal, Shaggy, which NetherRealm confirmed isn’t happening. For my money, I’d like to see the White Ranger.

What’s New in Mortal Kombat 11?

A lot of features in Mortal Kombat 11 build upon what Mortal Kombat X started. The “X-Ray,” which shows the internal damage of player avatars, gets a big makeover in the form of “Fatal Blow,” a special move that deals a lot of damage but only available when player’s health is below 30%.

“Krushing Blow” is a cinematic version of the Fatal Blow, triggered only after certain match requirements are met.

Mortal Kombat 11 also gets its own Gear System, an upgrade and cosmetic customization feature as seen in Injustice 2. As players progress through the game, they can unlock new pieces of armor and clothing that allows them to outfit their favorite characters however they wish.

Mortal Kombat 11 will be released on konsoles and PC on April 23.