Some of our favorite video game franchises don’t need much promotion beyond “here’s when the game comes out.” But we’re not complaining about getting a trailer for the latest version for one of the greatest fighting games ever! The first look at Mortal Kombat 11 is a bloody good time. And we do mean bloody.The trailer, which first premiered at the 2018 Game Awards, opens at a ruined, desolate Shaolin temple full of broken statues, long dead monks, and fallen warriors. The peace of the stormy night is then violently broken up by some very gritty-looking versions of Raiden and Scorpion who are engaged in a gruesome, bloody, epic battle. After a lot of back and forth full of massive wounds, Raiden gets the upper hand and finishes off Scorpion by making his head explode. Only that’s not the end of the fight. A “different” fighter shows up, one that long time fans of the franchise will likely be even more excited to see: Vintage Scorpion!This doesn’t just seem to be a case of Scorpion having different skins. The trailer presents him as an entirely different character from his older self. The game is described as having a “time-bending story,” which means we could see multiple versions of characters throughout the history of the franchise. That likely explains the unknown female warrior we see at the end near a giant hourglass. She might be the new puppet master controlling the competition.Mortal Kombat 11, developed by NetherRealm Studios, steps into the arena next spring on April 23, 2019.

Featured Image: Mortal Kombat