A gruesome war is brewing in the upcoming release of Mortal Kombat 1. Earthrealm is under attack once again, as players are tasked with mutilating and dismembering each other for glory. Celebrating 30 years, Netherrealm Games doesn’t seem to be slowing down on their iconic fighting game franchise, while finding ways to reinvent the series every few entries to keep things fresh.
As a fighting game, Mortal Kombat has always been accessible but controversial in how it looks and feels. Its simple but flashy combos along with the gory fatalities help separate the franchise from its peers. In this case, players will take a trip to the alternate universe that Liu Kang created. It seems like we’ll be seeing a few familiar faces, along with a couple of new ones.
Related: Mortal Kombat 1 Announcement Trailer Confirms Returning Characters
Why are we going back to 1?
Mortal Kombat 1 signals a new beginning for the franchise. Thirty years is a long time, and in a plot-heavy series like Mortal Kombat, it starts to get a little too big to manage while at the same time introducing new elements like characters and worldbuilding. With the ending of Mortal Kombat 11, Netherrealm is now able to explore new stories and reinvent old ones. New players shouldn’t be worried about coming in at a disadvantage, everything is looking to be fresh for newcomers and veterans alike, with what we’ve seen so far.
When can we expect Mortal Kombat 1 to release?
Mortal Kombat 1 is slated for release on September 19, 2023. Those who have pre-ordered the Premium and Kollector’s Edition will have access to the game earlier on September 14, 2023.
What Platforms Will It Be On?
Mortal Kombat will be released on all current-gen consoles and PC. This includes the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch consoles. Unfortunately, for last-gen console owners, there are currently no plans for release. For Xbox Gamepass users, there’s no word of it being available for current subscribers on release.
All Mortal Kombat 1 Editions Available for Pre-Order
Mortal Kombat 1 has a slew of pre-order options for those who are interested. In addition to digital goodies, there’s also a physical Kollector’s edition if you have room in your gamer room for some large sculptures. The editions are as follows:
- Mortal Kombat 1 Standard Edition – Comes with the base game, an exclusive playable character (Shang Tsung), and access to the pre-order beta. (Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch)
- Mortal Kombat 1 Premium Edition – Comes with all the Standard items, plus 6 new playable characters, 5 new kameo characters, 1-week early access to DLC characters, Jean Claude Van-Damme skin for Johnny Cage, 1250 Dragon Krystals (in-game currency). (Steam, Epic Games Store, PlayStation, Xbox, Switch)
- Mortal Kombat 1 Kollector’s Edition – Comes with all the Premium and Standard items, plus Liu Kang sculpture designed by COARSE, with signature glow-in-the-dark details and standing an impressive 16.5″ tall (PlayStation, Xbox)
All Mortal Kombat 1 Trailers
Here are the currently released trailers for Mortal Kombat 1. Netherrealm Studios has released a total of seven trailers so far. Here are the trailers available at the time of writing.
The official announcement trail was announced on the Mortal Kombat Official YouTube channel, with Liu Kang narrating what happened between the last game and his new reality. Throughout the trailer, we see some familiar characters.
The next trailer would release soon after the announcement showcasing some actual gameplay between multiple playable characters. Kameos also make an appearance.
For fans of the Lin-Kuei, Netherrealm would release this trailer showcasing more stories and brutal fatalities.
This next trailer showcases Mileena and her new role in this reimagined universe. It seems like Mileena and Kitana are still butting heads, with a cool twist for each of their backstories. Also, Li Mei makes her long-awaited return to the franchise along with a Kameo of Darius.
The next teaser showcased the upcoming DLC characters available in the Premium Edition. The lineup looks better than ever, with appearances by Homelander, Omni-man, Peacemaker, Quan-Chi, Ermac, and Takeda Takahashi.
A blast from the past makes his return in this latest trailer, as Geras appears in front of a meditating Liu Kang. These once pair of foes are now allies and share the responsibilities of protecting the timelines. Some new gameplay is displayed as well.
Reptile is back in this newly released trailer. It seems to have regained its human-like form and the ability to transform into its newer reptilian form. Some more story is shown, showcasing more tension between Mileena and Kitana.
It seems as though Shao Khan is back in a new role as General Shao. Once again, he’s plotting with Sindel to take over the Outland, and Lord Liu Kang is getting in the way. The new trailer also showcases some sick new fatalities with special guest appearances from Motaro and Shujinko from Mortal Kombat: Deception.
The final launch trailer is here. The last two characters, Reiko and Shang Tsung, make their appearance along with Jean-Claude Van Damme as a unique skin for Johnny Cage. The previously revealed Nitara makes an appearance as well. Lastly, it seems that Kronika is back to more mischief; hopefully she’s not as powerful as she was in the previous title.
Related: Ed Boon potentially hints at the return of Konquest in Mortal Kombat 12
Current Kombatants
- Ashrah
- Baraka
- Geras
- Havik
- Johnny Cage
- Kenshi
- Kitana
- Kung Lao
- Li Mei
- Liu Kang
- Mileena
- Raiden
- Rain
- Reptile
- Scorpion
- Shang Tsung (Pre-order Bonus)
- Smoke
- Sub-Zero
- Tanya
- Shao Khan
- Sindel
- Reiko
- Motaro (Kameo)
- Jax (Kameo)
- Shujinko (Kameo)
- Sub-Zero (Kameo)
- Scorpion (Kameo)
- Kung Lao (Kameo)
- Kano (Kameo)
- Kurtis Stryker (Kameo)
- Sonya (Kameo)
- Darrius (Kameo)
- Frost (Kameo)
- Sektor (Kameo)
- Cyrax (Kameo)
- Darrius (Kameo)
- Sareena (Kameo)
- Goro (Kameo)
- Omni-Man (DLC)
- Homelander (DLC)
- Quan-Chi (DLC)
- Ermac (DLC)
- Peacemaker (DLC)
- Takeda Takahashi (DLC)
Judging from the trailers, the art direction and graphic fidelity are excitedly next-gen – so much so that it makes you wonder how it will run on the aging Nintendo Switch. If anyone can pull it off, it’s Netherrealm Studios, with their history of porting similar titles to the Switch. Soon, fans everywhere will be painting the arena with red, green, and whatever colors they come up with for blood and body parts.
