The story follows a younger Raiden and Liu Kang, along with fighters from both the past and present timelines, as they attempt to stop Kronika, the Keeper of Time, from resetting history to undo Raiden’s influence. The Aftermath expansion, released on May 26, 2020, adds a new story campaign, three playable characters (Fujin, Nightwolf, and Shang Tsung), new arenas, and reintroduces Stage Fatalities and Friendship finishers.
An enhanced version titled Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate launched on November 17, 2020, featuring the base game, all DLC content, and upgraded 4K visuals for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
NetherRealm Studios, best known for developing the Mortal Kombat franchise and the Injustice series, introduced a new Custom Character Variation system in Mortal Kombat 11. This feature allows players to personalize their fighters by creating unique versions of characters with customized abilities, gear, and movesets. According to the official press release, the system was designed to “deepen and personalize the player experience by giving them creative control of building customized versions of the character roster.”
The story of Mortal Kombat 11 picks up after the events of Mortal Kombat X, where Raiden, now corrupted by dark energy, seeks to protect Earthrealm by eliminating all potential threats. His actions disrupt the balance of time, angering Kronika, the Keeper of Time, who decides to reset the entire timeline to restore order. She manipulates past and present versions of fighters, causing heroes and villains from different eras to clash.
As alliances shift and timelines intertwine, Liu Kang emerges as the key to defeating Kronika. The narrative culminates in a dramatic showdown where players’ choices determine the fate of time itself with multiple endings depending on the outcome of the final battle.
After Shinnok’s defeat at the hands of Cassie Cage, Raiden, now corrupted by dark energy, vows to protect Earthrealm by eliminating all its enemies by any means necessary. He decapitates Shinnok, which triggers Kronika, the Keeper of Time and Shinnok’s mother, to begin her plan to reset history and stop Raiden’s interference. A Special Forces strike team led by Sonya Blade, Cassie Cage, and Jacqui Briggs attacks the Netherrealm cathedral. With Raiden’s diversion, the team succeeds in destroying the base, but Sonya sacrifices her life in the process. Kronika then allies herself with Liu Kang and Kitana, causing temporal anomalies across time.
Meanwhile, Kotal Kahn, ruler of Outworld, is interrupted during an execution when multiple characters from past timelines appear — including Shao Kahn, Baraka, Raiden, Liu Kang, Johnny Cage, and others. The chaos allows Kronika’s ally D’Vorah to recruit several fighters, including Shao Kahn and Kano, to her cause. The dark version of Raiden is erased from existence, leaving his amulet behind, and is replaced by a younger Raiden. Teaming up with Kotal Kahn, Raiden, Liu Kang, and Kung Lao investigate a mysterious energy surge at the Wu Shi Academy, where they battle Geras, Kronika’s powerful enforcer.
Elsewhere, Sub-Zero and Hanzo Hasashi (Scorpion) infiltrate a cybernetic facility to stop Kronika’s Cyber Lin Kuei army. With help from Cyrax, they halt the program temporarily. Raiden seeks help from the Elder Gods, but only Cetrion, Kronika’s daughter, offers him cryptic guidance. Kronika, meanwhile, recruits Jax Briggs by exploiting his guilt. As Kitana and Liu Kang unite the Tarkatans and Shokans, Kitana kills Shao Kahn and becomes Kitana Kahn, ruler of Outworld.
Raiden sends Jax and Jacqui to retrieve Kronika’s crown from Shang Tsung’s island, but Cetrion and the corrupted Jax block their mission. Scorpion seeks Kharon, the ferryman of souls, but his mentor Hanzo is poisoned by D’Vorah and dies urging Scorpion to continue. Misunderstanding Scorpion’s intentions, Raiden nearly becomes corrupt again before realizing Kronika has manipulated their eternal conflict. Kronika captures Liu Kang, forcing Raiden and the remaining heroes — Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Kitana, Sheeva, Jade, Baraka, Cassie, and Jacqui — to sail across the Sea of Blood for the final battle.
In the climax, Raiden merges his soul with both versions of Liu Kang, transforming him into the God of Fire and Thunder. Kronika rewinds time to the dawn of history, but Liu Kang, protected by Raiden’s power, defeats and kills her. Raiden, now mortal, tells Liu Kang that he must shape a new era and choose a companion — either Raiden himself or Kitana — to help him guide the new timeline.