The Mortal Kombat 11 Shang Tsung trailer was quite a nostalgia trip, but it was just a taste. However, NetherRealm finally revealed more about the famed sorcerer in a recent stream. Shang Tsung has plenty of familiar and new moves and will come out on June 18 for Kombat Pack owners and June 25 for everyone else for $5.99.
Shang Tsung was classified as a zoner type character like Cetrion. Most of his abilities keep the enemies away and use magic doing so. While past games usually focused on throwing skulls and soul stealing, this iteration focuses more on his abilities as a sorcerer. This means many of his plain moves have special effects and shy away from physical contact. For example, his forward throw steals his opponent’s soul and does less damage than other throws but also heals him a bit like his throw in Mortal Kombat 9.
And speaking of MK9, many of his equippable moves are aping abilities of the other ninja. His Ermac, Smoke, Rain, and Reptile abilities were linked to equippable moves but it was not clear how many were in the tournament versions. These ninja also have the classic skins equipped, which will also be coming to the game on June 18 for certain characters.
As if the trailer was any indication, Shang Tsung also has plenty of references to not only past games, but also the 1995 film. He has a skin that is a loving reference to the black getup he has in that movie. And, of course, he is voiced by and has the likeness of Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, the actor who portrayed Shang Tsung in said film.
Shang Tsung is obviously not the only fighter coming in the Kombat Pack. He will be joined by Nightwolf, Sindel, Spawn, and two other mystery guests. We still don’t know what they are, but a recent tweet from the official Mortal Kombat Twitter account hints that it could be Sweet Tooth from Twisted Metal. Or it could be Ash from Evil Dead and the Terminator like the datamine suggests. The jury is still out.
Mortal Kombat 11 Rejects
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Characters You Won't See in Mortal Kombat 11's Roster
Few fighting game franchises introduce as many new challenges as Mortal Kombat. This can be a blessing, but also a curse. You might get an evergreen warrior with your new addition, or you might get a generic reject. Not everyone can make it into MK11, but these guys definitely won't make the cut. -
Bo' Rai Cho
Perhaps a controversial pick due to his many appearances, but Bo' Rai Cho never felt like a genuinely popular character. His unique moves and drunken demeanor make him stand out, but that goofiness also leads to a clash with the rest of the cast. Mortal Kombat works best when it's as straight-faced as possible, and that means you can't have vomit attacks. -
Drahmin
Introduced in Deadly Alliance. This Netherrealm Oni relies heavily on his spiked club for combat. In the days between the original trilogy and the modern games, Mortal Kombat introduced character specific weapons to stand out. So, while Drahmin had a place back then, he'd need a full redesign to fit in now. -
Khameleon
Khameleon has made two weird appearances in the franchise so far. She was a new character in the N64 version of Mortal Kombat Trilogy. Then, after being left out of the "everyone in the pool" Armageddon, she premiered in the Wii version due to fan outrage. It would be very strange to see her pop up again unless she somehow ends up in the Switch version of the game. And that is pretty unlikely. -
Kira
Premiering in Mortal Kombat Deception, Kira is a recruit for the "new Black Dragon." She's a generically heroic character despite her resemblance to an MK version of Harley Quinn. With the Kombat Kids filling the roles of new heroes, we probably won't be seeing much of Kira going forward. -
Kobra
Kobra is Kira's counterpart in Deception. He's a fiery recruit that's most notable for resembling Ken from Street Fighter. Kobra was briefly mentioned in Mortal Kombat X, but only as someone who Erron Black killed before the events of the game. That probably rules him out as a future entrant in the tournament. -
Mavado
Debuting in Deadly Alliance, Mavado uses Kabal's hook swords and grappling hooks in combat. With both Scorpion and Kabal present in Mortal Kombat 11, it'd be hard to fit such a fighting style in without repetition setting in. Plus, in a game filled with flashy ninjas and otherworldly creatures, Mavado is just a dude. -
Sareena
Despite looking like a human, Sareena is actually a demon, and that's the most notable thing about her. She fights with a pair of knives and her only appearance outside of Armageddon was a Game Boy Advance port of Deadly Alliance and a brief cameo in MKX's campaign. She has some story significance, but she'd basically be a new character if they were to bring her back. -
Taven
Taven is one of two new characters introduced in Armageddon's Konquest mode. Since he only appears in Armageddon, he's also one of only two characters who's never had a fatality. There may be some hardcore Konquest fans out there, but considering that his greatest deeds are written out of the current timeline, he's probably not popping up again. -
Tremor
We will admit, Tremor is pretty cool. He's a ninja who controls rocks, making his debut in PlayStation action game Special Forces. His first appearance in the fighting series was as a DLC character in Mortal Kombat X. He might be the most likely candidate for a revival out of these 10, but NetherRealm's ninja quota is probably already spent for 11.
