Mortal Kombat 11: release date, closed beta times, gameplay, trailers and more

Mortal Kombat 11 was announced during The Game Awards 2018, and fans of the franchise have been excited ever since.

Mortal Kombat first burst on to the scene back in 1992 as part of the Midway Games umbrella. The first three games in the series were developed for arcades, but have been ported to various systems over the years.

The franchise became so popular, it spawned spin-off games, movies, comics and other forms of media set in the universe.

Now, 27 years later, we have Mortal Kombat 11, and it’s shaping up to be one hell of a ride. We’ve gathered everything we know about the brutal fighting game so far, and put it all here in one convenient spot for you.

The Mortal Kombat 11 closed beta begins this week and you can find the times below.

Mortal Kombat 11

Mortal Kombat 11 release date, gameplay

Come April 23 on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One, you’ll be able to smash, eviscerate, cleave, and explode the heads of your enemies in Mortal Kombat 11.

The fighting game has been dubbed by NetherRealm Studios as the “bloodiest, most gore-filled” entry yet. You can see this for yourself in a video clip showing various fatalities.

It will also come with new mode, one of which is Towers of Time, additional challenges, and rewards.

This entry in the storied series brings a new feature along for the ride: two meters instead of one. In the game you’ll find an attack meter, and another focusing on defense. Sharp timing will trigger a ‘perfect block’ mechanic, while ‘crushing blows’ allow you to turn moves brutal by fulfilling certain requirements.

There’s also ‘Fatal Blow’, a new revenge-style attack that only becomes available when your health drops very low.

For more on Mortal Kombat 11 gameplay, be sure to give Alex’s hands-on a read.

Mortal Kombat 11 beta

The Mortal Kombat 11 beta will start March 27 and will only be available for those who have pre-ordered on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One systems.

The closed beta will run at the following times from March 27 until April 1:

UK
- Starts: Wednesday, March 27, 3PM GMT
- Ends: Monday, April 1, 7.59AM GMT
Europe and Middle East
- Starts: Wednesday, March 27, 4PM CET
- Ends: Monday, April 1, 8.59AM CET
The Americas
- Starts: Wednesday, March 27, 8AM PDT,11am EDT
- Ends: Monday, April 1, 11.59PM PDT, 2.59am EDT (April 2)
Asia and Oceania
- Starts: Thursday, March 28, 2AM AEDT
- Ends: Monday, April 1, 5.59PM AEDT

If you pre-order a physical copy, you will receive a code to gain access to the beta. Some retailers may not offer a beta code, so be sure to check first before pre-ordering.

Pre-ordering a physical copy will allow you to redeem the beta code before the tester starts, but you won’t be able to download it until it goes live.

Digital pre-orders will automatically gain access to download the Mortal Kombat 11 beta when it goes live.

Baraka, Jade, Skarlet, Kabal, and Skorpion will all be playable during the beta, and players will also be able to try out the custom variation mechanic, which features special loadouts and costumes.

The beta will also feature online matches and Towers of Time, a single-player mode where you can test your skills by completing various challenges.

Mortal Kombat 11 roster

You can check out every leak and announcement so far in our Mortal Kombat 11 roster page here.

At present, playable fighters confirmed for Mortal Kombat 11 were: Scorpion, Baraka, Sonya Blade, Skarlet, Geras, Dark Raiden, Sub-Zero, Kano, and pre-order character Shao Kahn, plus many others. Noob Saibot and Shang Tsung will also be joining the roster, as well as Kotal Kahn.

You’ll be able to customize fighters in Mortal Kombat 11 with a variety of Skins, Gear, Special Abilities, Intro and Victory Cinemas, Taunts and of course, brutalities – all earned through gameplay.

Kronika, who created existence at the dawn of history, was also featured in the prologue trailer. Whether or not the Keeper of Time is playable remains to be seen.

The character select menu shown suggested 25 playable characters, though just seven are confirmed as it stands. It’s possible Reptile will make an appearance, or at least as an assist.

Mortal Kombat 11 editions, pre-order, Kombat Pack

At present there are three variations of Mortal Kombat 11 available to pre-order and each guarantees entry into the beta – except for PC.

There’s the obvious standard edition available, along two other versions to choose, and a Kombat Pack will also be available. Contents of the pack will be announced January but thanks to Steam, we have a general idea of what’s included.

See below for a breakdown of the contents of each edition.

Standard edition

Mortal Kombat 11 base game

Mortal Kombat 11 Premium Edition ($99.99)

Base game
Kombat Pack
- Six playable DLC characters
- Seven skins
- Seven gear sets
- One week early access to character DLC

Mortal Kombat 11: Kollector’s Edition – PS4, Xbox One ($299.99)

Mortal Kombat 11 Premium Edition (includes base game and the Kombat Pack)Steel book case
Magnet featuring the MK logo
1:1 life size replica of Scorpion’s mask with stand
Authenticity plaque
Packages in black collector’s box

Like the standard and Premium Editions, pre-ordering the Kollector’s Edition for PS4 or Xbox One will net instant access to the March 28 beta. You will also receive the playable character Shao Kahn. The Kollector’s Edition is a GameStop-exclusive in the US.

Mortal Kombat 11