Mortal Kombat 11 Reveal Event: All The News Plus Gruesome Gameplay

The keynote from Mortal Kombat 11's live reveal event has ended, and it brought with it a lot of news and videos. We got a look at a chunk of the character roster, which includes newcomer Geras, and some of the new gameplay systems. You can rewatch the event itself below or read on for our coverage.

First Mortal Kombat 11 Gameplay Shown Off

The big deal at the reveal event was getting a look at gameplay. We again saw Scorpion and Raiden going at it, as well as some other combinations that showcase what these characters are capable of.

Mortal Kombat 11's First Bloody Gameplay Trailer Revealed

Beta Dated

We already knew a beta was coming in March, and we now know exactly when: March 28. Of course, you'll need to pre-order Mortal Kombat 11 to get in, and it won't be available on all platforms.

Mortal Kombat 11 Beta Dates Confirmed, But You'll Need To Pre-Order

Story Prologue Revealed

Story modes have become a fixture of developer NetherRealm's fighting games, and Mortal Kombat 11 looks to be continuing that trend. During the reveal event, we got to see the entire prologue video for the story mode, which centers around time travel and a vengeful Raiden not holding back.

New Mortal Kombat 11 Trailer Reveals First Details About The Game's Story

First Fatalities Shown Off

The signature of Mortal Kombat is its fatalities, and Mortal Kombat 11 will have some of the most brutal ones yet. While there are sure to be plenty more to come (including for all the characters who weren't show), we did get a look at quite a few fatalities.

Watch Mortal Kombat 11's New Fatalities

A New Addition To The Roster

We saw a handful of characters during the event, but the most notable of the bunch is the brand-new one, Geras. He got a trailer all of his own, and we got a decent look at what the newest MK fighter is all about.

New Mortal Kombat 11 Character, Geras, Revealed

How Character Customization Works

In addition to being able to select from different variations, as in the last game, Mortal Kombat 11 also introduces a more robust customization system. Ed Boon shared a high-level overview of what it entails.

Mortal Kombat 11 Gameplay Shows Off Character Customization

Ronda Rousey Is Sonya Blade

Former UFC fighter and current UFC star Ronda Rousey was rumored to be involved with the game, and she herself confirmed she would be at the reveal event. But she wasn't just there as a fan, as she was revealed to be voicing returning character Sonya Blade.

Ronda Rousey Is Voicing A Mortal Kombat 11 Character

Mortal Kombat 11 made a surprise debut at the 2018 Game Awards with a shockingly right-around-the-corner release date of April 23. While that was enough to kickstart the fighting game community buzz, the initial cinematic trailer was short on gameplay details, leaving ravenous fans hungry for more details.

Before the January event, we already knew a few key details. The Steam page teased custom character variations, possibly borrowing from the latest in NetherRealm's other fighting series. It also boasted the return of "Klassic" fighters, and a story mode that continues the saga. The trailer showed Raiden, along with two Scorpions. That could signal some sort of multi-verse or time travel implications. A beta is planned for March on PS4 and Xbox One, so we're likely to hear more details about that as well. NetherRealm has already revealed the cover art.

Pre-ordering MK11 will net you Shao Khan as a playable character, but the roster has plenty of room. We've heard rumors of a Spawn cameo, and athlete and actress Ronda Rousey teased an appearance at the show, which turned out to be her role as Sonya.

We'll be hearing more during a livestream later in January, but in the meantime you check out our pre-order guide for more details.