NetherRealm Studios released a Mortal Kombat 11 Shao Kahn reveal trailer earlier today, showcasing the Emperor of Outworld decimating enemies with his trademark hammer while incidentally confirming the veracity of a series of leaks that emerged earlier this week due to a retail location breaking the game’s street date. Mortal Kombat 11 had managed to avoid many of the leaks that typify the release cycle of a fighting game prior to the incident, but was obviously unable to get to launch without information slipping out at the last moment.
Mortal Kombat 11 fatalities have taken center stage in the build-up to the game’s release on April 23 this month, with trailers often showcasing a character’s basic moveset in game before getting to the part where they creatively obliterate the poor soul who stood in their way. While the game’s fatalities have been explicit to the point of discomfort for some fans, Mortal Kombat 11 has also retained the series’ humor, having a debuting Kotal Kahn lose in his own trailer while also poking fun at the franchise’s dumbest character, Johnny Cage, for messing up his own fatality.
There’s little humor to be found in the Mortal Kombat 11 Shao Kahn trailer, however, chiefly because the character is largely incapable of it. Shao Kahn is a legendary figure in Mortal Kombat lore, the ruthless Emperor of Outworld who is never sated by how far his dominion expands, constantly attempting to expand his empire. As one of the game’s strongest villains, Shao Kahn is also one of the most desired inclusions in any new title, so his presence in Mortal Kombat 11 is a major selling point for fans. In the trailer, Kahn wields his hammer to destroy Raiden before exhibiting one of his fatalities, a brutal, to-the-point execution that puts a new spin on the concept of blowing someone’s back out. Check out the trailer here:
Incidentally, the trailer also seems to confirm the veracity of a previous Mortal Kombat 11 leak that had emerged a few days ago, where a Reddit user claimed to have purchased the game due to a retailer breaking the street date before uploading several convincing videos and screenshots that spoiled the game’s roster, secret character, stage choices, and more. There wasn’t much doubt about the screens, since they were way too polished to be the effort of someone just trying to troll a fanbase, but if there were any lingering questions remaining, Kahn using the same fatality showcased in the leak should cause them to evaporate.
Shao Kahn is a pre-order bonus character, so fans of Mortal Kombat 11 who are interested should make sure they’ll have him right at launch by putting in their order for a copy soon. As we near the release of the heavily anticipated next instalment of the series, though, the Mortal Kombat 11 Shao Kahn trailer reminds us that NetherRealm is happy to return to the roots of what made the franchise such a historic entry into popular video game culture.
Next: Mortal Kombat 11: 10 Characters We’d Love to See as DLC
Source: Mortal Kombat
