At this point, since the damage is done, it would be such a shame if Liu and Shang didn't make it. Off Topic : Since MKDC had terrible music, I remember playing Baraka while running this on the PS3 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m53wMy3xcQ

Are these sites allowed to draw their own conclusions and state a character is revealed? This screams opinion.

Sometimes I wish the internet would just shut down. Every MK game after MK4 had been completely spoiled before release. You'd think NRS would have enough measures in place to prevent this by now. Hell, I don't want to know about another MK game until it's a month away from release for now on.

...story mode, yes.

Welcome to videogame "journalism".

Why Baraka and not any other Tarkatan? They all look the same.

I know Kamidogu posted a picture of an in an game Tarkatan on FB, but are we sure that's Baraka and not just some story mode / challenge tower cannon fodder?

Really hope he's in, but not sure I want to get my hopes up yet. Not completely yet anyways.

I refuse to believe any character is playable until Boon/NRS states it themselves.

Even if gameplay video leaks? You'd still wait?

lolok.

That Tarkata has more detail than the generic ones, so it's someone important.

That said, if it's Baraka, he has gone through some physical changes, like the bones on his face.

Still not fully confirmed like Erron that is shown performing a brutality. I don't like the character but if he is confirmed, it means we're seeing more than 24 characters (I am of the opinion that 28-30 playable characters are needed to tell this kind of story) so the chances for guys like Reiko go up.

Racist.

Not only does that appear to be a screen shot of Baraka in gameplay but...


...is that a NEW STAGE in which Erron is shooting Cassie in the face? It looks like a Kotal Kahn monument within a larger temple complex that is under construction.

Has this already been revealed somewhere else? It's the first I am seeing of it...

Yes it was shown in a story trailer and one prior to that (I think).

If baraka is in,this game has to have more than 25 kharacters

It's seen in one of the last 3 trailers. In the brutality trailer for sure. Also in the story trailer if you look good enough

Wow it must have been VERY brief because I didn't even notice it within the story trailer at all...

I'm really thinking this is just going to be more akin to Deception's Konquest mode, wherein virtually every character gets a cameo, and some not on the roster are even fightable, but still not themselves fully fleshed out and fully realized playable characters.

Frankly the challenge tower in MK9 was also similar. It had more than a handful of unique models, that weren't "full" characters.

It'll likely be somewhere between the two.

THAT said, I'm not even convinced the Tarkatan in the picture IS Baraka, let alone that he'll be playable.

We've been flat out TOLD by reviewers and NRS that there will be a heavy amount of NPC appearance and activity in this game. One pic of character is not enough to confirm them playable at this stage.

Guys baraka being in is good for the 3D era, means more than the leak

Fujin, rain, ect

This. But for the record, I think that IS Baraka. Every single Tarkatan we've seen from Story Mode has the dark colors and look identical. If there are any grunt Tarkatans in the tower, they'll most likely share those outfits. I have no doubt in my mind this picture is of Baraka, but the more I've thought about it overnight I think he's a surprise kombatable returnee, not playable. In fact, I think Rain may share the same fate as well as Sindel or a few other of the MK9 cast that have moves that could be copied over somewhat easily theoretically.

Could be him or could be a NPC, who knows, however it does look like the image was taken from an match, just line Erron's.

If it is the ladder, we could still get Rain and others.

I agree Gilbob, that is the most likely scenario. But I will hope with all of my heart that we are wrong. LoL. I'm not a big fan of Baraka, but if he is in, then that means a handful more could be in as well. Come on Reiko, Rain, Noob, and Fujin!

There really is no reason for Baraka NOT to be in this game.

He likely has a role important to Mileena in the story events, not to mention the fact of being showcased as an "iconic character" throughout the series.

I'm not surprised by his inclusion.

The difference here is that the ones you could fight but not play as in Deception were playable in Deadly Alliance which shared the exact same syste with Deception and Armageddon so it wasn't a problem putting them if they already had their DA versions.

MKX is different from MK9 in multiple aspects so you can't just recycle MK9 characters. You can recycle their models with better textures for the cinematics, but if you put the gameplay, then you're expending a lot of resources and it's better to optimize it by making the character playable.