Mortal Kombat 11, the eleventh installment in the popular fighting game series, was released in 2019. Developed by NetherRealm Studios and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment, it continues the story from Mortal Kombat X (2015). The game was launched on various platforms, including Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, Xbox One, and Stadia, with staggered release dates in different regions.
1995: Release of Mortal Kombat (1995) Film
The 1995 Mortal Kombat film, in which Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa played Shang Tsung, was released.
1995: Release of the First Mortal Kombat Film
The first Mortal Kombat film premiered in 1995, gaining a cult following and serving as inspiration for a skin pack released in 2020 for Mortal Kombat 11.
1995: Release of Mortal Kombat (1995) Film
The first Mortal Kombat film, in which Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa played Shang Tsung, was released in 1995.
2010: Introduction of the WB Games Logo
The WB Games logo that was replaced in 2019 was first introduced in 2010.
2011: Rain's Last Playable Appearance
Before his inclusion in Kombat Pack 2, Rain was last playable in the 2011 reboot of Mortal Kombat as a DLC character.
2011: Backlash Over Sexualization in Mortal Kombat
Mortal Kombat 11 faced backlash for reducing the sexualization of its female characters compared to previous installments, particularly the 2011 Mortal Kombat, which some players felt went too far.
2011: Return of Nightwolf & Sindel in Mortal Kombat (2011)
Nightwolf and Sindel, who were announced as DLC characters for Mortal Kombat 11, returned in the 2011 Mortal Kombat game.
2011: Release of Mortal Kombat (2011)
The 2011 reboot of Mortal Kombat, which introduced X-ray moves, was released.
2011: Return of Skarlet in Mortal Kombat (2011)
The character Skarlet returned to the Mortal Kombat series in the 2011 reboot.
February 2015: McFarlane Grants Permission for Spawn in NetherRealm Games
Todd McFarlane granted NetherRealm Studios a limited window to use Spawn in their games in February 2015.
April 2015: Ed Boon Reveals Discussion About Spawn for Mortal Kombat X
Ed Boon revealed in April 2015 that Spawn was considered as a guest character for Mortal Kombat X.
December 2015: Terminator Considered for Mortal Kombat X
In December 2015, Ed Boon revealed that the Terminator, alongside Spawn, was considered as a potential guest character for Mortal Kombat X.
December 2018: Mortal Kombat 11 Announcement at The Game Awards
Mortal Kombat 11 was announced by Ed Boon at The Game Awards in December 2018.
December 2018: McFarlane Hints at Spawn in Mortal Kombat 11
Todd McFarlane hinted at Spawn's inclusion in Mortal Kombat 11 during a Reddit AMA in December 2018.
January 17, 2019: Mortal Kombat 11 Community Reveal Event
A community reveal event for Mortal Kombat 11 was held on January 17, 2019, in Los Angeles and London.
February 2019: Mortal Kombat Mobile 2.0 Update
The Mortal Kombat mobile game, originally launched as "Mortal Kombat X", was renamed to "Mortal Kombat Mobile" in February 2019, receiving a major update that included content from Mortal Kombat 11.
March 22, 2019: Shang Tsung Announced as DLC at C2E2
Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa was announced to be reprising his role as Shang Tsung from the 1995 film at C2E2 on March 22, 2019.
April 1, 2019: End of Mortal Kombat 11 Closed Beta
The closed beta for Mortal Kombat 11 ended on April 1, 2019.
April 2019: Best-Selling Game in North America
Mortal Kombat 11 was the best-selling video game in North America for April 2019, contributing to the strong digital game sales that month.
April 23, 2019: Mortal Kombat 11 Release in North America and Europe
On April 23, 2019, Mortal Kombat 11 was released in North America and Europe for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One.
May 10, 2019: Mortal Kombat 11 Nintendo Switch Release in Europe
On May 10, 2019, the Nintendo Switch version of Mortal Kombat 11 was released in Europe.
May 2019: Top Sales in North America and Other Regions
Mortal Kombat 11 continued its sales dominance in May 2019, becoming the best-selling game in North America for the second consecutive month and achieving high chart positions in regions like Australia and New Zealand.
May 31, 2019: Announcement of Five Additional Fighters for Kombat Pack
Five additional fighters were announced for the first Kombat Pack on May 31, 2019: Nightwolf, Sindel, Spawn, and two more unannounced characters.
June 2019: Surpasses Kingdom Hearts III Sales
Mortal Kombat 11 achieved a significant sales milestone in June 2019, surpassing the sales figures of Kingdom Hearts III.
August 2019: Klassic Arcade Fighter Skin Pack
In August 2019, Mortal Kombat 11 released a "Klassic Arcade Fighter" skin pack as part of its ongoing DLC releases.
October 2019: Double Feature Skin Pack Release
Mortal Kombat 11 saw the release of a "Double Feature" skin pack in October 2019.
November 2019: Gothic Horror Skin Pack Release
A gothic horror-themed skin pack was released for Mortal Kombat 11 in November 2019.
November 19, 2019: Mortal Kombat 11 Stadia Release
Mortal Kombat 11 was released on Google Stadia on November 19, 2019.
December 12, 2019: Joker's Redesigned Reveal
After facing significant backlash for his initial design reveal in August, the Joker's updated look for Mortal Kombat 11 was much better received by fans on December 12, 2019.
2019: Warner Bros. Corporate Rebrand
Warner Bros. underwent a corporate rebrand in 2019, leading to the change from the WB Games label.
2019: Developer Reveals PTSD and Crunch Culture Allegations
In 2019, a Mortal Kombat 11 developer revealed that some team members were diagnosed with PTSD due to exposure to graphic content used as inspiration for the game's violence. The studio was also accused of promoting a "crunch culture", with excessive work hours during development.
2019: Mortal Kombat 11 Sales Performance in 2019
In 2019, Mortal Kombat 11 demonstrated strong sales performance, achieving the position of the fifth best-selling game overall and the fourth best-selling PS4 game.
January 2020: Elseworlds Skin Pack Announcement
Coinciding with the release of the Joker DLC character, NetherRealm Studios announced an Elseworlds-themed skin pack for Mortal Kombat 11 in January 2020.
January 16, 2020: Joker Gameplay Trailer Release
On January 16, 2020, NetherRealm Studios released the gameplay trailer for the Joker, showcasing his moveset and fatality, giving players a glimpse of his vicious fighting style.
March 8, 2020: Spawn Gameplay Trailer Release
The gameplay trailer featuring Spawn was released on March 8, 2020, during the "Final Kombat" tournament.
March 2020: Matinee Skin Pack Release
March 2020 saw the release of the "Matinee" skin pack for Mortal Kombat 11, which included a "Hellspawn" themed skin for Jacqui Briggs to coincide with with the release of Spawn.
May 5, 2020: Aftermath DLC Teaser
NetherRealm Studios released a teaser for a new story mode DLC for Mortal Kombat 11 on May 5, 2020, with a full reveal planned for the next day.
May 26, 2020: Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Expansion Release
An expansion for Mortal Kombat 11, entitled Aftermath, was released on May 26, 2020.
June 2020: Final Game Published Under WB Games Label
The physical release of Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath in June 2020 marked the last game released under the WB Games label.
July 2020: Post-Aftermath Skin Packs Announcement
As part of the post-launch content for the Aftermath DLC, three additional skin packs were announced for Mortal Kombat 11 in July 2020.
September 2020: Release of Final Aftermath Skin Pack
The last of the three skin packs announced as part of the post-Aftermath DLC was released in September 2020, concluding content updates for this DLC.
October 6, 2020: Kombat Pack 2 Teaser
A teaser trailer, released on October 6, 2020, promised more information on an upcoming DLC pack for Mortal Kombat 11, set to be revealed two days later.
November 17, 2020: Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate Release
Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate, an enhanced version of the game with all DLC, was released on November 17, 2020.
November 24, 2020: "Klassic MK Movie" Skin Pack Release
On November 24, 2020, a "Klassic MK Movie" skin pack was released, adding skins for Johnny Cage, Sonya Blade, and Raiden based on their appearances in the 1995 Mortal Kombat film.
January 2021: Pro Player Disqualified for Character Variation Name
During a Mortal Kombat 11 Pro Kompetition event in January 2021, finalist Titaniumtigerzz was disqualified for naming his Sheeva variation "WhyDidNRSdoThis", deemed as criticism towards the game's developers.
July 2, 2021: End of DLC and Update Support
NetherRealm Studios announced on July 2, 2021, that Mortal Kombat 11 would no longer receive DLC or update support as the studio shifts its focus to their next projects.
March 22, 2022: Denuvo Anti-Tamper Removal Patch
A patch for the PC version of Mortal Kombat 11 was released on March 22, 2022, which removed the Denuvo Anti-Tamper software.
2022: Mortal Kombat 11 Surpasses 15 Million Copies Sold
By 2022, Mortal Kombat 11 had sold over 15 million copies globally, establishing itself as the highest-selling title in the Mortal Kombat series.
2022: Mortal Kombat 12 Planned for Release
During a 2022 fourth-quarter earnings call, it was announced that the twelfth installment in the Mortal Kombat series, later revealed as Mortal Kombat 1, was planned for release later that year.
February 2023: Mortal Kombat 12 Announcement
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav revealed the development of Mortal Kombat 12 during a 2022 fourth-quarter earnings call in February 2023.
September 14, 2023: Mortal Kombat 1: Kollector and Premium Edition Launch
September 14, 2023, marked the release of the Kollector and Premium editions for Mortal Kombat 1.
September 19, 2023: Mortal Kombat 1 Release
Mortal Kombat 1, a sequel and series reboot, was released on September 19, 2023.