The entire team at NetherRealm is thrilled to add The Joker as the latest guest fighter to join the Mortal Kombat 11 roster. The Clown Prince of Crime is definitely an easy fit and a welcomed addition to the Mortal Kombat universe. Although we’ve worked with The Joker character before, our designers and artists were unleashed to plumb the depths of his madness like never before. The result is the nastiest and most vicious version of The Joker that our studio has ever created.
There are many gameplay examples that showcase this dark portrayal, including The Joker’s Fatal Blow, where the infamous clown hammers his opponent to a bloody pulp with a cane, which is a nod to the beating of Jason Todd in the classic comic book storyline from Batman: A Death in the Family.
Of course, this homage to The Joker’s lore is just one of many. Mortal Kombat fans are big supporters of when we honor a character’s past so our creative team always tries to dig deep. There are cinematic events that reinterpret famous comic book panels, dialogue that pays tribute to The Joker’s most memorable speeches and moves and moments that recall his previous visit to the Mortal Kombat universe.
The Mortal Kombat 11 crossover with DC Comics doesn’t end there, however. Our studio had a lot of fun designing new skins that mashup characters from the two universes. It’s almost Halloween in January as Kitana plays the sleek Katwoman of Outworld, Baraka transforms into the reptilian Killer Croc and Geras is reborn as the Time Lord of Apokolips, a perfect nod to Darkseid. The creative team’s favorite character skin though has to be The Batman Who Laughs version of Noob Saibot as the menacing Darkest Knight. It’s really a perfect blend of the characters and a perfect fit for Mortal Kombat 11.
Don’t forget, The Joker DLC drops on January 28 as part of the early access period for Kombat Pack owners, followed by wide (à la carte) availability on February 4. Enjoy!
