Speaking to Brazilian entertainment publication Omelete at the 2023 Comic Con Experience in São Paulo, Boon said, “Just like we did with Mortal Kombat 11, we’re going to release a second part with more story, and we have a big surprise after that.” He also affirmed years of support for the title, even longer than for Mortal Kombat 11.

Mortal Kombat 11’s “second part” is Aftermath, a paid expansion which followed the fallout of the base game’s story. It brought back several fan favorite characters and set the stage for many important events in Mortal Kombat 1. When we’ll see story DLC for the reboot and what this “big surprise” could be is unknown, so stay tuned.

Mortal Kombat 1 is available for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PC and Nintendo Switch. Its next playable fighter, Quan Chi, arrives on December 21st for all players, while Khameleon, the next Kameo Fighter, launches in January 2024.

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Ferra and Torr

One, or rather two, of the most bizarre fighters in the franchise, Ferra and Torr were bodyguards for Kotal Kahn in Mortal Kombat X. While Torr is the muscle, possessing exceptional power, Ferra is a quick and agile warrior. They’re essentially a symbiotic duo and serve as an incredibly interesting combat option but ultimately, they would be set aside after being defeated by Sub-Zero.

Leatherface

Other fighters in Mortal Kombat X are undoubtedly more effective but the look and feel of Leatherface is well done. Whether you’re driving a chainsaw into an opponent’s shoulder, stunning opponents with Chain Sparks or going into Berserker Stance, there are some decent to good ideas here. It’s almost enough to make you forget about literally everything that’s gone wrong with the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise. Unfortunately, it’s not enough to help the mass murderer rise from the bottom of the rankings.

While there are definite signs that a next generation version of Mortal Kombat is well under way at NetherRealm Studios, it seems that the developer may not be quite done just yet with the last entry in the series, Mortal Kombat 11. The game released to high sales and acclaim in 2019, and earlier this year a story-based expansion was released called Aftermath that also added several new characters. New datamining points to more content coming and maybe even another action icon joining the roster.

Known MK dataminer thethiny took to Twitter with their recent datamining of MK11 updates and found some interesting stuff. First and foremost, it seems the next Kombat Pack is labeled as GOTY2. As they point out, the label for Aftermath was GOTY, so it’s entirely possible we would see another story-based expansion for MK11.

On the character side, they also found references to two MK mainstays, Mileena and Rain. Both of those have been in previous titles, and Mileena even showed up in the new Friendship finisher for a character, so that would not be surprising. There’s a slightly more mysterious one, though, that shows up under CHAR_RAM. That doesn’t match any known MK character, and the speculation now is that it’s John Rambo from the franchise that began with First Blood.

While it seems pretty out there, keep in mind the game already includes guest slots for The Terminator and Robocop, so adding another action icon from the ’80s isn’t that weird. Aftermath added two Mortal Kombat characters, Sheeva and Fujin, as well as Robocop as playable characters, so that would also match the pattern established there. It’s entirely possible, though, that it’s simply a strange abbreviation for an existing character or even a new character altogether, though as of now no new character has been introduced via DLC for the series.

Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath is available now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC and Stadia. We’ll keep you updated on any new post-launch content that’ll be announced, though as of now, it all remains rumor and code.

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Earlier this year, we got more bloody Kombat with the release of the story-based expansion to Mortal Kombat 11, Aftermath. It not only continued on the story from the ending of the original title but added three new fighters. But the fun isn’t over just yet as summer comes with some extra skins.

As revealed by NetherRealm, at the beginning of next month you can get the Summer Heat Skin pack that has summer-themed costumes for Baraka, Kitana and Erron Black. To claim these skins, you will have to have the Aftermath expansion for MK11, as it seems they won’t be immediately available to those with the vanilla release. On top of that, they also released a roadmap for skin releases, which will also include more groups of three skins including Femme Fatale at the end of August and All Hallows’ Eve in October. You can see the pictures below.

Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath is available now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Switch, PC and Stadia. The Summer Heat Skin pack will be available to Aftermath owners August 6th, Femme Fatale on August 25th and All Hallows’ Eve on October 8th. There’s also rumors already swirling that MK12 is being worked on for next generation consoles, so keep your ears to ground for that.

Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath brings a brand new storyline with time travel shenanigans and even more lore-meddling. For the competitively-minded though, it also introduces three new playable characters – RoboCop, Sheeva and Fujin. Their Brutalities require unlocking but it’s possible to use their Fatalities if you know the button inputs.

Robocop, Sheeva, And Fujin’s Fatalities:

Here are the button inputs for RoboCop’s Fatalities. Keep in mind that Square,Triangle, X and Circle correspond to PS4 while X, Y, A and B are for Xbox One:

• Dead or Alive – While close to your opponent, press back, forward, down, down, Triangle/Y
• Thank You For Your Cooperation – While in mid-range of your opponent, press forward, down, forward, Square/X

Here are the inputs for Sheeva’s Fatalities:

• Stomp The Yard – While close to the opponent, press down, down, down, Square/X
• Spinal Tap – While close to the opponent, press forward, down, down, forward, X/A

Finally, here are Fujin’s Fatality inputs:

• Wind Blade – While far away from your opponent, press back, down, down, back, Square/X.
• Twisted Twister – While close to an opponent, press forward, back, down, Triangle/Y.

How to Perform Stage Fatalities

With the latest free update, Stage Fatalities have finally arrived in Mortal Kombat 11. The input for all of the Stage Fatalities is the same – while close to your opponent, press down, forward, down and then Square/X. But you have to be in the right spot or else the Fatality won’t trigger.

In the Dead Pool stage, you need to be in the center of the stage with the acid pool right before you. If executed correctly, you’ll hit an opponent into the acid. For the Tournament stage, you need to be in the center. If done correctly, the lights will change and your opponent will be wearing an arcade cabinet for a new hat. Finally, in the Shaolin Trap Dungeon, stand in the center again and you’ll hit the enemy into the overhead weight before they fall on spikes.

How to Perform Friendships

Friendships also debut with this free update but they’re different for each character. The only common factor is that you must be far away from your opponent to execute. Here are the inputs for each Friendship:

• Baraka – Back, forward, down, down, Square/X
• Cassie Cage – Back, forward, down, down, Square/X
• Cetrion – Down, down, down, down, Square/X
• D’Vorah – Back, forward, down, back, Triangle/Y
• Erron Black – Back, forward, down, forward, X/A
• Frost – Forward, back, forward, back, X/A
• Fujin – Back, down, back, down, Triangle/Y
• Geras – Back, down, back, down, Circle/B
• Jade – Back, down, down, down, Triangle/Y
• Jax – Forward, back, down, down, Triangle/Y
• Jacqui – Down, down, down, down, Triangle/Y
• Johnny Cage – Back, forward, back, down, Triangle/Y
• Joker- Down, down, down, down, X/A
• Kabal – Forward, down, back, down, Square/X
• Kano – Back, forward, back, forward, Triangle/Y
• Kitana – Back, down, down, back, X/A
• Kollector – Forward, back, down, down, Triangle/Y
• Kotal Kahn – Down, forward, down, back, X/A
• Kung Lao – Back, forward, back, forward, Circle/B
• Liu Kang – Forward, down, down, forward, Triangle/Y
• Nightwolf – Forward, back, forward, down, Square/X
• Noob Saibot – Down, back, down, forward, X/A
• Raiden – Down, back, forward, down, Circle/B
• RoboCop – Back, down, forward, down, Circle/B
• Scorpion – Forward, back, forward, back, Circle/B
• Shao Kahn – Down, forward, down, forward, Triangle/Y
• Sheeva – Forward, back, down, down, Square/X
• Sindel – Forward, down, up, up, X/A
• Skarlet – Back, down, down, back, X/A
• Sonya Blade – Down, forward, down, down, Square/X
• Spawn – Back, down, forward, down, Square/X
• Sub-Zero – Down, down, forward, back, Square/X
• Shang Tsung – Back, back, down, forward, Circle/B
• Terminator – Back, down, back, down, X/A

Last month capped off with the story expansion and additional characters of Mortal Kombat 11, entitled Aftermath. The story mode was a solid continuation of the original, and the new characters are a blast (and one of them is RoboCop, so you know). While it was available at the end of May digitally, those waiting for physical had to wait until later this month. Unfortunately, if you’re looking to take it on the go, you’ll have to settle for digital.

Many began to notice listings for the Switch version of Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath saying that the release featured no cart, only a download code. People found this puzzling, since the vanilla release of the game featured a full cart release. Cultured Vultures reached out to WB Games, and they confirmed the physical release would only have a code. The choice was made due to complications surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Due to circumstances and challenges related to the current COVID-19 situation, we made the decision to release Aftermath and the Kollection through digital partners only in the UK.

“The physical Kollection SKU on Switch (for the Americas) will be code in box for all content.”

It’s a bit of bummer for those hoping for a physical copy, but at the very least, the Switch version is on parity with the other releases as far as content is concerned. You can download Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath across all versions now, with the physical release (that includes the game, Fighter’s Pass and the Aftermatch expansion) slated for June 16th, with the all other non-Switch releases having a physical copy as far as we’re aware.

Mortal Kombat 11 ended in epic fashion with Raiden infusing Liu Kang with his powers. The latter opposed Kronika, who began the process of remaking time and wiping out all history up till that point. Upon defeating Kronika – and destroying the Crown of Souls in the process – Liu Kang began his process of remaking history. Raiden is by his side and depending on how efficiently Kronika is defeated, Kitana also returns to aid him.

In Aftermath, however, Kitana isn’t seen. In fact, Liu Kang stops short of using Kronika’s Hourglass when Shang Tsung, Fujin (Raiden’s brother) and Nightwolf arrive. Refusing to join Kronika, the trio had been imprisoned before being set free by her demise. Shang Tsung informs Liu Kang that the Crown of Souls is needed to remake time with the Hourglass. But the only way to obtain the Crown is to steal it from the past before Cetrion, Kronika’s mother, can grab it instead. Shang Tsung, Fujin and Nightwing are sent back by Liu Kang to do this although, once again, no one trusts the Sorcerer.

So yes, you’re essentially revisiting events from Mortal Kombat 11 but with new twists thrown in. Shang Tsung brings in Sindel to help fight off Cetrion (and eventually obtain the Crown of Souls). During the big climactic battle, he has Sindel revive Shao Kahn – who was never really confirmed dead in the base story so it’s nice to see that addressed. This leads to the duo wreaking havoc, killing Jade, Kotal Kahn, Kitana and Kung Lao. Though Raiden learns of Shang Tsung’s plot, he fails to stop him from receiving the Crown from Fujin. Shang Tsung is now in control and drains the souls from Raiden and Fujin to augment his powers, confirming his betrayal. Together with Shao Kahn and Sindel, he reaches the Hourglass to battle Kronika.

After the trio manage to take her down, Shang Tsung reveals that he wants Shao Kahn and Sindel to side with him. Upon refusing, he drains their souls and takes down Kronika as well. The stage is seemingly set for Shang Tsung to rewrite history but then, Liu Kang arrives, revealing that he – along with pretty much everyone else when the first trailer hit – knew Shang Tsung would betray him. The two proceed to battle it out. In a way, this is a nice tribute to the first Mortal Kombat – the two warriors that closed out that storyline are battling, once again, for the fate of Earthrealm (and all of time).

The main difference is that the player can decide who to side with. As a result, there are actually two endings for Aftermath. Playing as Liu Kang and defeating Shang Tsung will result in the Sorcerer being erased. Liu Kang possesses the Crown of Souls and goes about forging his new era. Afterwards, he visits the Wu Shi Academy and meets the Great Kung Lao, the ancestor of regular ol’ Kung Lao. Why? To train him and eventually make him his champion for…something.

If you choose Shang Tsung and defeat Liu Kang, then the Sorcerer absorbs his soul and begins a new campaign of terror. Raiden and Fujin – the former in his evil get-up – are now subservient to Shang Tsung. Various realms including Earthrealm and Outworld have fallen with Chaosrealm and Orderrealm next on the list. Shang Tsung is thus the ruler when everything is said and done.

It’s a given that one of these endings will be canon while the other isn’t. For the “evil” ending, we could see a spin-off of sorts where the remaining fighters find some way to oppose the all-powerful, time-manipulating Shang Tsung. Given his powers and ability to rewrite history on a whim, that’s probably not going to happen. Thus we’re left with Liu Kang’s ending which raises even more questions.

When Mortal Kombat 11‘s story ended, we assumed that this would be NetherRealm’s way of reforging the lore, so to speak. Perhaps rebooting the timeline completely and retelling classic tales but with new twists or interpretations. Aftermath seems to be hinting at this direction while keeping a lot of the established lore intact. The Great Kung Lao is the first warrior from Earthrealm to fight Shang Tsung in Mortal Kombat, defeating him to ensure that his realm was spared.

This took place 500 years before the first game. So with Liu Kang visiting the Great Kung Lao and training him to be his champion in Aftermath, the next Mortal Kombat could just be a prequel. We’ll see Kung Lao training, perhaps meeting other warriors en route to defeating Shang Tsung (who may be ancestors of current characters because why not?). This side of the story has remained relatively untold till now, though whether Mortal Kombat 12 or whatever it ends up being called goes even further remains to be seen.

Of course, it may not be that simple. Liu Kang is intent on undoing all of the terrible things that occurred thanks to Shang Tsung in Aftermath. Is there a possibility that he rewrites time even further to outright banish certain evil elements like Shao Kahn or Shinnok? Will there even be a proper Mortal Kombat tournament, much less with Shang Tsung at the helm? Will Liu Kang simply allow events in the past to proceed as normal and only intervene when necessary?

The question then arises – are we looking at yet another retread of the first game’s storyline but with time travel shenanigans thrown in? Could there be other titans out there that might want a friendly word with Liu Kang over Kronika’s defeat.

If Mortal Kombat 11 and Aftermath are any indication, pretty much anything can happen. The Great Kung Lao’s rise and eventual victory over Shang Tsung may be a mere footnote as some other tale unfolds for Liu Kang. We could see other alternate timelines, returning characters and more brand new directions for the franchise to go in. Whatever the case may be, it will be interesting to see if NetherRealm can consolidate everything back into one neat little timeline, much less find a way for the Mortal Kombat tournament to be relevant again. Then we have to hope it doesn’t just blow it all up again.

When Ed Boon announced that Mortal Kombat 11 would be the end of the story started in Mortal Kombat, it seemed hard to believe. But Mortal Kombat 11 did feel like an ending, or at the very least, a new beginning, similar to the end of Mortal Kombat: Armageddon. So I was surprised when they announced Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath, story DLC that would take place after Mortal Kombat 11’s campaign. It’s other things, too, of course: new characters, stages, Stage Fatalities, and Friendships, but let’s stick to the story stuff first. I can’t talk about Aftermath’s plot without spoiling the end of Mortal Kombat 11’s story mode, so if you want to avoid spoilers, you might want to skip the next bit.

"The highlight of Aftermath is Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa’s performance as Shang Tsung. He steals every scene he’s in, and it’s a joy to see him return to a role he clearly enjoys."

Still here? Good. Aftermath picks up right as Mortal Kombat 11 ends. Kronika is dead, and Liu Kang, and Raiden, are preparing to use her Hourglass to fix the shattered timelines and set things right. Suddenly, Shang Tsung, Fujin, and Nightwolf appear from a portal and warn them to stop. Kronika had offered them a place in her New Era. When they refused, she imprisoned them in a Void outside of time. Upon her death, they were freed. Shang Tsung explains that without Kronika’s crown, which was destroyed when Liu Kang killed her, manipulating the Hourglass is impossible. It will shatter, and all realms will be lost. They can, however, still send people back into the current timeline. Shang Tsung has a plan: send Fujin, Nightwolf, and himself back in time, where they can steal the crown from Shang Tsung’s island before Kronika can ever acquire it. Nobody trusts Shang Tsung, but nobody else has a better plan, either. Since the three characters going back were not involved in the events of Mortal Kombat 11’s story, they should be able to move within the timeline without changing things. As anyone familiar with stories involving time travel knows, however, things rarely go according to plan.

Okay, spoilers over. I won’t go any further, because you really should experience Aftermath’s story for yourself if you’re a fan of the series. Like every story NetherRealm has told in the last few years, Aftermath’s story is surprisingly good. It’s silly, like all things Mortal Kombat, but beneath that silliness is a well-written story that gives each of its characters the time and emphasis they deserve. It’s also beautifully rendered and well-acted, with the highlight being Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa’s performance as Shang Tsung. Tagawa played the role in the 1995 Mortal Kombat movie, and returned to provide his voice, likeness, and motion capture performance in Mortal Kombat 11’s Krypt, all of which he provides here, as well. Aftermath features several good performances – particular note must also be give to Matthew Yang King, who plays Fujin – as did Mortal Kombat 11, but Tagawa steals every scene he’s in, and it’s a joy to see him return to a role he clearly enjoys.

Aftermath’s story isn’t as long as Mortal Kombat 11’s – it spans five chapters compared the base game’s 12 – but it does provide an opportunity to play as several characters who weren’t playable in the original, including Nightwolf, Fujin, and several others. Completing the entire thing should take between 3-5 hours, depending on your skill level, and it’s an enjoyable romp. Several sections provide you with a choice of who you’d like to play, just like the base game, and there are multiple endings, so there is replay value to be had. Aftermath does herald the return of 2-on-1 fights, which are always stacked against you. These can be a bit annoying, but they didn’t trip me up much. Otherwise, it plays very much the same as the original story, and NetherRealm does a good job of weaving this story into the original’s fabric, presenting old scenes in new contexts, and offering new twists and turns. I enjoyed it quite a bit, and I think most long-time fans will, too. It also genuinely feels like the end of Mortal Kombat’s story, and a satisfying one at that. The door is left open, of course, but if there is more Mortal Kombat, I imagine it will look quite different than before. Still, if NetherRealm decided to call it quits here, I wouldn’t mind.

"Aftermath genuinely feels like the end of Mortal Kombat’s story, and a satisfying one at that. The door is left open, of course, but if NetherRealm decided to call it quits here, I wouldn’t mind."

Besides its story, Aftermath also adds three new characters to the roster: Sheeva (making her first appearance since Mortal Kombat 9), Fujin (last playable in Mortal Kombat: Armageddon), and RoboCop, portrayed by Peter Weller himself. All three are fun to play. RoboCop has powerful projectiles and a defensive parry that keeps the opponent out. He’s probably the most standard of the three, but his moves are a lot of fun to use. If you like zoning, you’ll enjoy him. Sheeva is a bruiser who is most at home in your face. Her variations alternate between buffing and varying her teleport stomp; giving her a variety of mix-up options in lows, command grabs, and overheads; and significantly buffing her kombo damage.

By far my favorite, however, was Fujin. Fujin’s abilities are completely unique. He can summon a tornado around himself that you  can manually control, run on air, use air currents to attack opponents from all sides, slide under projectiles, or just hit folks with a blast from his crossbow. Fujin might feel a bit weird at first, but once you start to get a feel for his moveset, he’s an absolute blast. I can’t wait to spend more time with his variations and learn more of his kombos.

The update that released alongside Aftermath also adds new stages, including the Klassic Dead Pool and Soul Chambers; Stage Fatalities, which use the environment to finish foes; and the return of Friendships, friendly finishing moves that kill with kindness. Friendships are ridiculous and have been absent from the series since Mortal Kombat 3, but their return is welcome. They vary wildly: Scorpion spears a teddy bear over to him and hugs it delightedly. Sub-Zero brings out an ice cream cart. Shang Tsung summons flowers. The Terminator does stunts on a motorcycle, and so on.

" The new characters are an excellent addition to the game’s roster, and Aftermath is a satisfying conclusion to Mortal Kombat 11’s story. It’s a great expansion, particularly for die-hard fans."

These new additions are great fun – particularly the new stages and the Fatalities that come with them – but unlilke the new characters and Aftermath story mode, they’re free for anyone who owns Mortal Kombat 11, no additional purchase required. So far, the only stages that support Stage Fatalities are the Dead Pool, Shaolin Trap Dungeon, and Tournament, though NetherRealm has said that they’ll be supporting the game for some time, so maybe we’ll see more in the future. Either way, it’s hard to argue with free.

What Aftermath is, then, is a set of three new characters, three packs of skins, and around five hours of new story mode kontent. It’s not a ton of kontent, especially given the expansion’s $40 price tag, but what’s here is very, very good. The new characters are an excellent addition to the game’s roster, and Aftermath is a satisfying conclusion to Mortal Kombat 11’s story. It’s a great expansion overall, particularly for die-hard fans. Casual players might not find too much to interest them – Mortal Kombat 11 already has enough kontent to keep you busy for years without spending money on more –  but if you’re like me, you’ve already spent a lot of quarters on Mortal Kombat over the years. And if you like the series, I’d say this is definitely worth a few more koins.

This game was reviewed on the PlayStation 4.

Today was a good day to be a Mortal Kombat fan. The Aftermath expansion came out for Mortal Kombat 11, bringing a whole new set of chapters to the game’s story mode, and included new characters, stages, and more. It could also be a sad day, as it seems those who like to dig into the game’s files have discovered a name we’ve all been hoping to hear from has seemingly vanished.

Since before the base game of Mortal Kombat 11 released, the name of Evil Dead‘s Ash Williams was datamined and has since been rumored. There had seemingly been teases the character was coming (the biggest and most obvious was the rev of the that familiar chainsaw at the end of the first trailer for the Kombat Pass). Bruce Campbell denied the rumor, but many have hoped he was just trying his best to cover a spoiled surprised, since he was similarly coy when it leaked Ash would be coming to Dead by Daylight. He’s remained steadfast in that deniable multiple times however, and it looks like the game’s actual code is backing him up.

As pointed out by Reddit users, some who have datamined the game now show that Ash Williams no longer appears in the game’s files. It’s also pointed that other unreleased DLC characters that were there also are gone, though it’s not specified who is being referred to.

As many hopeful Reddit users pointed out, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the character can’t still come as NetherRealm could just be hiding the code now that they know how close fans are watching, and some claim the data disappeared once before and reappeared in a later update. But between this and Campbell’s continued denying, it’s not looking good. I’ll say this, if Ash does show up, kudos to NetherRealm and Campbell, they played their parts to perfection.