If Mortal Kombat 11’s Story Mode is red or unavailable, the most likely cause is that the game or its Story files have not finished installing. If the game has finished installing, check whether the Story content is installed for your platform, then restart the game and let any update complete. The exact fix depends on your device and the message on screen.
First, check whether MK11 is still installing
WB Games Support says red game modes accompanied by an “Estimated Time Until Available” message indicate that parts of the game are still installing. Wait for installation to finish; some modes and content become available as installation progresses. WB Games Support: Game Modes are Red when I Start the Game.
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If the game appears fully installed but Story Mode remains red, check for missing Story content using the instructions for your platform below. WB’s content guide covers PlayStation 5 and 4, Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Steam, and the Microsoft Store/Xbox PC app. WB Games Support: Mortal Kombat 11 DLC Installation.
Install or check the Story files on your platform
Xbox app on Windows
- In the Xbox app, find Mortal Kombat 11 and open View Details.
- Open the three-dot menu, choose Manage Game, and open Features.
- Select Story and Story 4K if they are not already selected, then apply the changes.
WB identifies these as optional files in the Xbox PC app and says the Story files are needed for in-game cutscenes. If Story Mode is red after the base-game download, check that these files are selected.
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Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S
- Open Manage Game and add-ons for Mortal Kombat 11.
- Go to Game Features.
- Select the available Story files and save or apply the changes.
WB describes these as Smart Delivery Story files. If your menu labels differ, use the game’s add-on management screen and look for the Story content.
Steam
- In your Steam Library, right-click Mortal Kombat 11 and open Properties.
- Select DLC and check whether the relevant Story content is selected for installation.
- If the content is selected but still inaccessible, use Steam’s Verify integrity of game files option.
- If the content remains missing, restart the Steam client.
PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4
Use WB’s platform-specific instructions to view owned add-ons and redownload available content. Confirm that the relevant content is owned and installed; these steps do not mean you need to buy an add-on to access the base-game Story Mode.
Nintendo Switch
Use WB’s Switch instructions to check and queue available content. Make sure any Story-related content you already own has finished downloading before launching the game.
Restart the game and finish any update
After installation or content changes, close Mortal Kombat 11 completely and launch it again. If the game prompts you to update, allow the update to finish before trying Story Mode. WB also recommends restarting the game if modes remain red after installation. WB Games Support troubleshooting guidance.
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Know the difference between Story Mode and Aftermath
Aftermath is a separate expansion that includes a new Story Expansion, three playable characters, and three character skin packs. It is not identified by WB as a requirement for installing or unlocking the base game’s Story Mode. WB documents the base-game Story and Story 4K files separately from Aftermath. WB Games Support: Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath.
When to check online or platform services
Check WB maintenance notices and your platform’s service-status page if you are also seeing connection problems or other online features are not working. WB suggests this check for connection-related symptoms; its guidance does not say that Story Mode universally requires an online connection. WB Games Support: red modes and connection troubleshooting.
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If Story Mode is still unavailable
Contact WB Games Support with the platform you use, the game edition, whether installation and updates have completed, the exact error or lock indicator, and which Story files appear in your platform’s content manager. Those details help distinguish an incomplete download from a platform-specific content issue; WB’s published steps do not establish one fix for every error.
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