Before Mortal Kombat 11 Beta, Online Stress Test Planned

Mortal Kombat 11 is coming soon, but depending on how eager you are to try it out, it might not be soon enough. If you just can't wait to start snapping tendons and ripping spleens in comically over-the-top fashion, you'll be pleased to know that you might be able to play as early as mid-March.

NetherRealm is planning an online stress test for the game that will be held March 15-17. It's only in the US, and only on the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions. Plus space will be limited and randomly selected, so you'll have to register for a chance to enter the test.

This will put the servers through their paces before the other beta test, which will be available for PS4 and Xbox One pre-orders. That test will run from March 28-31. Pre-ordering will also net you Shao Kahn as a playable character.

The announcement came as part of the latest Kombat Kast, which also heralded the return of Johnny Cage. He plays with all the cheesy Hollywood bravado you've come to expect, along with some new moves like a camera flash stunner and the ability to call in a stunt double for some truly unfair double-teaming.

The regular Kombat Kast streams are slowly growing the character roster, and this time each character has a swath of cosmetic (ahem, kosmetic) options to choose from.

While both the online stress test and the pre-order beta are only available on PS4 and Xbox One, the full game will also be coming to PC and Nintendo Switch. It will hit all platforms on April 23.