Get ready to experience the greatest Mortal Kombat of all time! Find out what's new and everything we know about Mortal Kombat 12, including characters, combat systems, and game modes, in this comprehensive guide.
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Mortal Kombat has become a global phenomenon that spans comic books, television series, animated films, multiple games and, of course, action films. So it's no surprise that fans are already clamoring for a release date for MK11's sequel, Mortal Kombat 12. Even more, they want to know which characters made the final roster of fighters and if their favorites will be returning in the next episode. Fans are eagerly awaiting an official trailer and a new game that will be the best in Mortal Kombat history.
Mortal Kombat 12 could be the ultimate prequel.
After almost three decades of fighting games, there are few places Mortal Kombat hasn't visited. The canon was established, reset, rewritten, and then reset again as developers found new angles for players to explore and experience. Mortal Kombat 12 will have to do something different from its predecessors if the franchise wants to remain the king of fighting games.
While new Mortal Kombat characters and improved fighting styles are always welcome, the story is just as important. The story of Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath allowed the player to decide whether the timeline should return to the time of Great Kung Lao or allow Shang Tsung to control the kingdoms. In fact, the game was a clean sweep of the past.
The game has always been a PlayStation exclusive, and we don't expect that to change in a new project. Will it introduce a new era or stick to the established timeline? Whether this is an entirely new story or not, there has still been no official confirmation regarding the game, but speculation has its place in everything.
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A new setting in Mortal Kombat 12
Setting Mortal Kombat 12 in a world ruled by Shang Tsung is far too similar to what players have experienced in the past, so it's an unlikely scenario. Players have mentioned that they would like to revisit Kronika's Hourglass, an arena that debuted in Mortal Kombat 11. What is likely is the exploration of the era of Great Kung Lao and his dynasty.
The franchise hasn't shied away from returning to the past (or even visiting an alternate timeline), as players have seen prequels in the form of Mortal Kombat Mythologies: Sub-Zero and Mortal Kombat: Special Forces, which focused on the stories of Bi-Han's Sub-Zero and Jax, respectively. While most players are familiar with the history of the tournament and the fighters and have seen glimpses of it through flashbacks, it has not yet been at the heart of Mortal Kombat.
A Mortal Kombat game set in the past.
By setting Mortal Kombat 12 in the past, it is possible to show the whole story from the beginning. In many ways, this is where the franchise needs to go, and the timing couldn't be more perfect.
Everyone knows that Mortal Kombat's timeline is about as consistent as DC Comics' on a good day. The point is, it doesn't matter since most fans have accepted that anything can happen in the franchise. Given the number of gods and supernaturally aged characters, it's not uncommon to see fighters time travel across different timelines and worlds to battle each other. In fact, no one bats an eyelid when a young Johnny Cage meets his future daughter, Cassie, for example.
This allows developers and creators to include whatever characters they want in the new game, without fear of breaking canon or causing upset. The time when Mortal Kombat was the video game equivalent of a Jean-Claude Van Damme action film is over, since the game has integrated the mythological aspect and has become a fantasy epic. By developing his story, he opened the doors to more creativity and better storytelling.
Mortal Kombat XII as a prequel
Whether NetherRealm Studios sends current fighters back to the past or the new game takes place exclusively in the past, there's an opportunity to navigate unchartered waters. Right now, Mortal Kombat is the only franchise that could attempt to do something this ballsy and brilliant, and fans would eat it up. Quite frankly, it makes sense that the next step is to take several steps back.
Mortal Kombat 12: 7 Characters Who Must Return
There's no denying that Mortal Kombat 11 delivered the goods. He propelled us into a combat utopia. However, there were still a few familiar faces missing from the final roster. Some that fans noticed almost immediately. So, let's hope these 5 characters return for the next Mortal Kombat 12.
1. Reptile
Think about it: Reptile is an O.G. of the franchise, even if he was only a hidden character in the first Mortal Kombat. His powers of invisibility and acid-based vengeance were all the rage with gamers in the '90s, but he's taken a beating lately. The poor scaly creature even gave way to Kano in the 2021 film.
2.Stryker
Kurtis Stryker is the most annoying character ever. Looking at his backwards cap, you want to slap him for his Fred Durst imitation. Plus, he's also a cop who's probably arresting the other fighters for smoking some weed between rounds. Every game needs a character that everyone despises – and that's why Stryker would be perfect for this role in Mortal Kombat 12.
3. Takeda
Mortal Kombat X was supposed to represent the next generation. It featured Cassie Cage, Jacqui Briggs and Takeda. Yet while he was supposed to be the next Scorpion, he was nowhere to be seen in Mortal Kombat 11. Perhaps his absence was intentional so as not to create confusion with Cole Young who debuted in the film and should have be Takeda. If Cole isn't part of the video game universe in Mortal Kombat 12, then Takeda needs to make a return.
4. Quan Chi
If Shang Tsung will always remain the original sorcerer, Quan Chi does not have the respect he deserves. He's the one who caused the deaths of Scorpion and his family, and he's as shady and ruthless as a politician. Sure, he's unlikely to ever be the main antagonist in a game, but there's no better right-hand man than this necromancer.
5. Tanya
Mileena over here. Jade over there. Sorry, the real MVP is Tanya. She's one of the best fighters in the series and you never know which side she's on. He's not called the ultimate traitor for nothing, because no one knows if he can be trusted. She deserves to have an important role in Mortal Kombat 12, and not to be D'Vorah's understudy like in Mortal Kombat X.
6. Onaga, the Dragon King
Many fans have requested that Onaga, the Dragon King, who first appeared as the final boss in the 2004 game Mortal Kombat: Deception – make his return to the franchise. As the former emperor of Outworld who seeks to reclaim his dominance over the realm, Onga seems to be the ideal candidate for Mortal Kombat 12. With the death of Kronika and the opening of the Void Seal, evil can now rise. escape through the Hourglass. The Dragon King will return, perhaps with new allies.
Other characters who will likely return (as fans have requested and rumored) are: Kuai Liang, Erron Black, Li Mei, and Kotal Kahn.
But don't be surprised to see favorite characters like Raiden (the God of Thunder), Goro and a few others make an appearance. Even Batman isn't completely out of the picture.
7. Kenshi
Fans want to see the blind swashbuckler return in the next game. His telekinetic powers make him a fun and interesting character to play as, and although he is blind, he fights valiantly against his opponents. Fans would like to see him return in the next game.
In one of Ed Boon's AMAs, he hinted that a few characters could be confirmed for the sequel, including Cassie, Motaro, Stryker, and Tremor. Other characters have been confirmed to be “in the air” and are rumored to be Kabal, Mileena, Sareena and Skarlet. Finally, it seems Boon has confirmed that Drahmin won't be included in the game, or at least not “as a fighter.”
Players also want to know what will happen to Kitana, Shinnok, Smoke, Kobra, Cyrax and Taven. There have also been DLCs that have included characters from other franchises, like appearances from Leatherface and Freddy Krueger, and fans are eager to see who the guest character could be.
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Will the film star Cole Young?
Considering Mortal Kombat 11 was still producing content in 2021, it's unlikely we'll see a new game in the series for a few years. However, with the release of the reboot film, many fans are wondering if new leader Cole Young (Lewis Tan) will make an appearance as a playable character in Mortal Kombat 12.
Naturally, there's a rumor that he might be included as a DLC character in Mortal Kombat 11 closer to the film's April release. However, this remains unlikely. Although Cole is a brand new character in the MK universe, he is expected to play a major role in the film – with a surprise twist, but you won't read any spoilers here.
Therefore, it makes sense to introduce him as a central character in Mortal Kombat 12. The events of Aftermath left the franchise with something of a clean slate to build on. There is a chance to rewrite MK's story, with a few additional characters and new storylines to explore. In Cole's case, he may be set up to lead the story into the future.
Of course, that doesn't mean all fans will support this decision. We've all seen how fan expectations can be more brutal than any inevitability; However, the MK series needs to evolve here.
The core group of Lord Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, Scorpion and Sub-Zero won't disappear, but how many times can we see the same story repeated over and over again? The Mortal Kombat tournament is supposed to be one of generational champions, so isn't it time for a new contender to emerge?
By introducing a new character like Cole, the series has a chance to revitalize itself and move forward. Take Tekken for example. Jin Kazama and Eddy Gordo are now considered the best fighters in the franchise, but they weren't introduced until Tekken 3. Likewise, Mortal Kombat needs to start looking to the future and incorporate someone like Cole with the new breed like Cassie Cage and Jacqui Briggs.
Obviously, Cole's potential inclusion in future Mortal Kombat video games will largely depend on the character's success in the film. Let's hope he manages to maintain some longevity and doesn't suffer the same fate as poor Art Lean from the 1995 film.
RELATED: NetherRealm Confirms Mortal Kombat 12 or Injustice 3 Will Be the Next Game.
Will it be influenced by the live film?
With the exceptional success of the film and Mortal Kombat 11 (one of the best fighting games of all time!), there is no doubt that NetherRealm Studios is in full preparation for the sequel, Mortal Kombat 12. It will also be the first MK game on next-gen, so you can be sure it will be very special.
As the film was a big success for HBO and Warner Bros, NetherRealm Studios will surely be encouraged to include the new characters (and the actors playing them) introduced in the film in Mortal Kombat 12. From a promotional standpoint, it also makes a lot of sense to create synergy within the franchise.
We'd even like the actors from the movie to voice the characters in the game. Imagine Jessica McNamee as Sonya Blade, Josh Lawson as Kano, Joe Taslim as Sub-Zero, Hiroyuki Sanada as of Scorpion and Mehcad Brooks as Jax as actors in the game. Could be cool.
(That being said, we're still waiting for Art Lean from the 1995 film to make an appearance in a game…)
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MK12 must be inspired by the TV series Mortal Kombat: Conquest TV Show
Remember the TV series Mortal Kombat: Conquest (Mortal Kombat: Konquest) with Paolo Montalban, Daniel Bernhardt, Kristanna Loken, Tracy Douglas? We remember it.
Here's a reminder…
We wouldn't want to be in NetherRealm Studios' shoes right now. Nobody makes fighting games like the Chicago developer, and the pressure must be on to deliver something exceptional for Mortal Kombat 12.
The question is where does the franchise go after Mortal Kombat: Aftermath? Depending on the choice you make at the end of the game, it takes you back to the beginning, that is, to the era of Great Kung Lao.
Although everyone knows the story by now, there was a television adaptation that explored this period, titled Mortal Kombat: Conquest, starring Paolo Montalbán as Kung Lao, Daniel Bernhardt as Siro, and Kristanna Loken as Taja's. More importantly, it was surprisingly good for its time.
Sure, there were some cheesy set-ups, as was the case with all '90s shows, and some soap opera-like acting from the supporting cast, but the mythology building and the action scenes were exceptional (pardon the pun). The series managed to make us care about Kung Lao and how he must have felt after winning the Mortal Kombat tournament and having this immense burden on his shoulders. Not only did he save Earth, but he also had to train a new generation of fighters!
It's quite funny, Mortal Kombat: Conquest was not canceled because of poor audiences, but because of the cost of production. Even the actors were shocked that it was canceled so soon. “I thought it was a cool show and I loved playing Siro,” Bernhardt told Movie Mavericks. “The series was rather well received by its audience, but we were not selected for a second season. It was a disappointment because it would have been so much fun to come back for another season.”
Considering that the characters introduced in Mortal Kombat: Conquest were received positively by the fanbase, Mortal Kombat 12 is the perfect opportunity to incorporate them into the game universe. The best part is that you won't lose any popular characters like Sub-Zero, Scorpion, Raiden and Shang Tsung, since no one knows how they age (and they were part of the series anyway).
While the time for a second season of Mortal Kombat: Conquest is two decades too late, the game could provide the closure, or fill the void, that fans wanted. They could even bring back the actors to play these characters!
NetherRealm Studios has shown that it's not afraid to take risks and do the unexpected, so perhaps Mortal Kombat 12 could borrow some of the mythology that's worth revisiting. The characters and the story are there; all the developer needs to do is pull the trigger and follow through.
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When is Mortal Kombat 12 release date?
As of now, there is no official announcement regarding the release of Mortal Kombat 12 from Warner Brothers Games. But with all the leaks coming from a reliable source (including a recent job posting), and fans waiting for a big reveal, we can expect developer Netherrealm Studios' next fighting game to arrive sooner until late.
Rumors suggested that the studio's next game would be revealed during The Game Awards 2021. But that never happened. Fortunately, Ed Boon, the creative director of NRS Studios, spoke with a fan about their next project:
“I really appreciate the enthusiasm for our next game and I wish we were ready to announce it,” Ed Boon said. “But we are not yet. Many more variables are involved than we are allowed to disclose.”
It's a bit vague, but new leaks for Mortal Kombat 12 suggest that the game will have a very large roster of fighters (of 50 fighters apparently). Additionally, there are also rumors that this will simply be the base game of MK11 with Mortal Kombat characters from the previous games added. Hopefully this isn't another story expansion or Kombat pack.
Of course, there is also the accidental revelation of Jonathan Andersen (Senior Production Manager) of NetherRealm Studio. See the now-deleted image that was seen in the tweet below (a photo of his office with artwork for the Mortal Kombat and Injustice games):
Image from @Jandy_NRS on TwitterOne file appears to be listed as “MK12_Master”. Additionally, if you look closely, you will see a preview of an email on the computer with the following snippets of a paragraph: “Do not share” … “any part of this video, nor any” … “our fans are quick to search the Internet to find the slightest trace” … “pay close attention to this material”.
And then there was the time Ed Boon trolled fans with a Shaolin Monks sequel.
For now, we have to wait and see. It may still be early in development. Maybe we'll have an Injustice 3 first. It's still an uncertainty. Either way, the next Mortal Kombat game could be very different. Your turn, WB Games (Warner Bros. Discovery). There has been a lot of speculation about when the next game will release, and many people believe it will be in 2024/2025.
Johnny Cage Voice Actor Talks Mortal Kombat 12
What could Johnny Cage's voice actor be up to at Warner Bros.? ?
Andrew Bowen, the voice actor for Johnny Cage in the Mortal Kombat series, tweeted a video of himself standing on the sidelines on the Warner Bros. lot. and looking at the camera with a sweet but naughty smile. This is the latest in a series of tweets Bowen has shared about working on something there, while remaining secretive about what.
Bowen lent his voice to the cocky Mortal Kombat for WWE Immortals, Mortal Kombat
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Clues, clues and more clues!
Mr. Bowen's tweets constitute a new clue about the next Mortal Kombat game, which has been hinted at quite prominently over the last year. NetherRealm Studio's Jonathan Anderson only added fuel to the fire by sharing photos, including a desktop file referencing Mortal Kombat 12.
The tweet has since been deleted, along with others showing an email saying: “Our fans avidly scour the internet for even the slightest trace” of information about Mortal Kombat, adding: “Fans are wondering if there is This is a deliberate leak by a NetherRealm official.
NetherRealm has yet to reveal what it has in store for the next game, but has confirmed that a game is in the works.
In an interview with IGN, creative director Ed Boon didn't hesitate to confirm that the team is “working on another game,” but he wasn't allowed to give any more information than that, joking that he would be in “a lot of trouble” if he said more.
There is speculation that the game they are currently working on could be either Mortal Kombat 12 or Injustice 3. Some believe that the game Boon was referring to has nothing to do with these two franchises.
RELATED: The addition of banner ads in Mortal Kombat 11 is great news.
The discovery of Warner Bros. will she strike again?
NetherRealm Interactive is a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Interactive which now belongs to the Warner Bros. group. Discovery, thanks to their merger. During the company's initial merger, there were many doubts about the future of several Warner Bros. subsidiary game studios, particularly due to the series of film cancellations that Warner Bros. films were experiencing. .
One of the subsidiary game studios that fans were particularly concerned about being affected was NetherRealm and its long-running series of fighting games that have always been popular. Much to their relief, the merger does not appear to have impacted the development of new games by the Mortal Kombat developers.
Although it appears that they are still in development, it is implied that the uncertainty experienced during the merger led the development company to change the project they were working on.
Journalist Jeff Grubb mentioned in a new Giant Bomb video that “It fits with reality and what I've heard, where Mortal Kombat 12 would make the most sense because it's a game that they know will make money, it will sell well… Mortal Kombat 11 was great, it sold well, but if you release Mortal Kombat 12, it will sell too and sell well. At the same time, you don’t need to use the Batman or Superman characters that might be tied up in licenses if you’re trying to get rid of NetherRealm or sell it to anyone.”
For now, there is a lot of speculation.
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