New Mortal Kombat announced in slick new teaser

How time flies. It really doesn’t feel like Mortal Kombat 11 was released four years ago, but that is very much the case. The latest instalment in NetherRealm Studios’ classic fighting franchise landed back in 2019, so we’re very much due an update on what’s next for the series.

Mortal Kombat 11 actually hit the headlines in recent days after Hogwarts Legacy adverts suddenly appeared in-game, with some players blasting this as ‘shameful’. More importantly though, fans want to know what’s going on with Mortal Kombat 12. We know that it exists, which is always a good place to start. Back in February, Warner Bros. referenced the title during an earnings call with investors, dropping a potential release window.

In the meantime, Street Fighter 6 launches on 2 June.

They said, “There’s lots more to come, including the highly-anticipated Mortal Kombat 12 and Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League, games also set for release this year with ambitious launch projections,” clearly signifying that Mortal Kombat 12 is intended to be a 2023 release. I’ll just gloss over Suicide Squad: Kill The Justice League following the dire response to its State of Play unveiling a few weeks ago.

Now though, as reported by Eurogamer, we have a fresh tease - and this one is far more exciting than the earnings call reference. NetherRealm Studios have released a teaser trailer for the game featuring a clock counting down. It’s a little odd because the second hand starts on nine, and you’d expect it to countdown to 12 considering that we’re awaiting Mortal Kombat 12. After reaching 11 on the clock face though, the hand glitches and skips forwards to one.

Curious indeed. It’s led many to assume that the game could be a reboot. As Eurogamer points out, Kronika’s time-altering hourglass appeared prominently in the previous game, so this could be tied in with the reset narratively. Refreshes are always welcomed in long-running series. The caption simply reads, “It’s almost time,” so I’m imagining NetherRealm will clear up any confusion pretty soon. Perhaps at Summer Game Fest? Showcase season is almost upon us.