Does Mortal Kombat XL come with all characters?

As both a hardcore Mortal Kombat fan and content creator focused on the fighting game genre, this is a question I get asked constantly by viewers excited about diving into MKXL. My answer? An enthusiastic yes – MKXL features not just a staggering roster of fighters, but lays claim to arguably the most ambitious and comprehensive character collection ever featured in a MK game!

Roster Breakdown: Base, DLC & Guest Characters

In total, MKXL boasts 34 playable fighters. This includes:

• 25 from the Mortal Kombat X base game
• 6 additional DLC (downloadable content) fighters released after launch
• 3 highly sought-after guest characters from horror and sci-fi franchises

Below is a breakdown of the full roster across these categories:

As you can see, MKXL encompasses fighters old and new across the entire Mortal Kombat X life cycle into one stellar package.

How the Roster Compares to Other MK Games

To appreciate the sheer size and scope delivered in MKXL, it‘s useful to compare it against rosters from previous Mortal Kombat installments:

• The original 1992 Mortal Kombat featured just 7 playable characters
• Mortal Kombat II expanded things to 12 fighters
• Mortal Kombat 3 upped the count to 15
• The prior record holder for most fighters was Mortal Kombat Armageddon in 2006, with a roster topping out at around 62 characters

So at launch, MKX nearly matched the size of MK3‘s roster from 20 years prior. And once all DLC and content updates wrapped, MKXL surpassed the counts from any and all previous MK titles!

Spotlight on Standout Playable Fighters

Now let‘s spotlight just a sample of amazing and deadly characters incorporated into MKXL:

Scorpion – The quintessential MK anti-hero and undisputable mascot of the franchise since the first game in 1992. His gruesome spear attacks and flaming teleports never get old!

Alien – Complete with acidic blood pools, face-hugger fatalities and chilling death animations. A slick addition that expanded the game‘s novelty factor.

Predator – Along with his arsenal of plasma cannons and wrist blades, Predator felt like a near perfect fit for the violent, over-the-top style of Mortal Kombat.

And we can‘t forget the horror icon guest characters of Jason Voorhees, his frequent off-screen teleports and environmental kill moves, as well as Leatherface of Texas Chainsaw Massacre fame. Having these pop culture legends incorporated into the game was a dream come true for longtime fans such as myself!

The list goes on – between ninjas, sorcerers, cyborgs and more, MKXL simply does not lack when it comes to diversity and appeal among playable fighters.

MK Fans Widely Praise the MKXL Roster

Given the above details, it‘s no surprise that upon its announcement and release, reception to MKXL‘s roster from critics and hardcore MK fans was highly positive. Gamers viewed it as a generous content update that helped provide Mortal Kombat X the send-off it deserved after an excellent run.

As a writer for gaming site IGN [1] put it:

MKXL makes the complete Mortal Kombat X experience available in one tidy, coherent package. And that‘s awesome.

Other reviewers shared similar sentiments, applauding just how many fighters had been incorporated:

This truly is the definitive edition with a stacked roster. If you don‘t already own MKX, MKXL is absolutely the version to get [2]

Fans on Reddit and forums echoed excitement for the breadth of the roster as well:

They actually managed to include basically everyone important from past games. I‘m stunned! [3]

The reception towards MKXL‘s playable fighter lineup seemed nearly universally positive from die-hard MK devotees such as myself. It was seen as both abundantly generous, while also strategically incorporating the most beloved characters from the entire MK universe into one epic collection.

Gameplay and Meta Impact

From a competitive gameplay perspective, MKXL‘s expansive character selection also had profound impact by massively increasing the viable roster size.

Whereas the initial MKX tournament scene revolved around a handful of top tier fighters, MKXL essentially "rebalanced" things by bolstering the ranks of competition ready characters. This helped establish variation-rich meta, while also letting more players compete with their signature mains.

The influx of DLC and guest characters added diversity in matchups and gameplans. This strategic depth is part of what‘s allowed MKXL tournaments and leagues to remain popular even years after release. The game still feels fresh thanks to the endless possibilities its roster provides.

No MK11 DLC Characters

It is however important to clarify that MKXL strictly includes Mortal Kombat X content – nothing from the sequel Mortal Kombat 11 is featured. So those hoping for MK11 DLC characters like The Joker, Spawn, or Robocop won‘t find them here.

MKXL instead focuses solely on providing the most complete and satisfying MKX experience possible. And with a stellar 34 fighter count, it undeniably pulls this off in XL fashion!

The Definitive MKX Package

In closing, I‘d be hard-pressed to imagine a more stacked and exhaustive character lineup than what MKXL provides. It covers all bases – from horror guests, to new and returning fan-favorites, to hidden old-school unlockables. That‘s on top of cool skin packs and variations for nearly every fighter.

So for anyone curious – yes, MKXL features virtually every playable character ever included in Mortal Kombat X by the end of its lifecycle. For fans like myself, that makes it rank among the very best of the legendary Mortal Kombat series!