For many players, a highlight of Mortal Kombat 11 is undoubtedly the detailed and crisp character models that can be found within it. Indeed, NetherRealm Studios has reached new heights with the character designs in MK11, utilizing facial scanning technology and enlisting Mortal Kombat 11 face models to breathe new life into fan favorite characters. However, the design of one newly revealed MK11 DLC character, the Joker, seems to have missed this mark, and it is receiving a less than enthusiastic response from a great number of fans.
On Wednesday, NetherRealm Studios released a Mortal Kombat 11 Kombat Pack 1 trailer that finally revealed both the Terminator T-800 and the Joker as the final two DLC fighters of this first Kombat Pack. Additionally, the MK11 Kombat Pack 1 trailer gave fans a closer look at the character models for the two other unreleased Mortal Kombat 11 DLC characters: Sindel and Spawn. In general, fan response to the renderings of Sindel, Spawn, and the Terminator have all been received well, if not with great positivity, but that is definitely not the case with the Joker.
Since the release of the Kombat Pack trailer, players have been taking to a variety of forums to express their dissatisfaction with the Joker's design in Mortal Kombat 11. While these fans have differing opinions on what exactly is wrong with the MK11 Joker design, they have commonality in their indication that the Joker's character model has fallen short of the others found in Mortal Kombat 11. Popular content creator Maximilian "Maximilian Dood" Christiansen summarizes this position well in the reaction video found below.
Some players have taken the reveal of the Joker's MK11 character model as an opportunity for humor, with one fan in particular noting the similarities between the Joker's design in Mortal Kombat 11 and a porn parody Joker. This levity is certainly appreciated, but it still suggests that there is a problem with the Joker's design in MK11 as seen. That said, there may be a simple explanation for the current state of the Joker in Mortal Kombat 11, and the issue may be rectified prior to release.
More specifically, there is now evidence that suggests that the Joker's spot in Mortal Kombat 11 Kombat Pack 1 was meant for Ash Williams, the protagonist from the legendary The Evil Dead film franchise. This may mean that NetherRealm had not anticipated revealing the Joker as an MK11 DLC character so soon, and his character model could still be very much a work in progress. A swap such as this would certainly explain why details on the Kombat Pack characters were kept secret for so long, and it means that the Joker's design could see a significant revision before release.
It is important to note that not everyone has voiced dissatisfaction with the Joker's MK11 design, and many players have been clear in their indication that they find it acceptable. However, the prevailing sentiment suggests that the model needs some help before the Joker's Mortal Kombat 11 release date arrives, and it is not extremely difficult to understand this position when looking at the design of the Joker next to the work done on Spawn and the Terminator T-800.
Mortal Kombat 11 is out now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One, with a Stadia version in development.