Mortal Kombat 1 Officially Revealed, Launches in September

Warner Bros. Games and developer NetherRealm Studios have announced a “reborn” Mortal Kombat 1, a new game for PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox Series X | S, Nintendo Switch, and PC, and it has a release date of September 19, 2023. Mortal Kombat 1 will become available for preorder tomorrow, May 19, with a $69.99 standard edition, $109.99 Premium Edition, and a $249.99 Kollector’s Edition, and anyone who preorders the game at all ahead of the release date will receive Shang Tsung as a playable character. Anyone who preorders on PS5 or Xbox Series specifically will also receive access to a beta available this August.

Mortal Kombat 1 Trailer, Release Date, Story, and Preorder Details

As its name would suggest, Mortal Kombat 1 is basically a reboot of the original game that nonetheless fits within the larger mythology that has been built in the franchise. Fire God Liu Kang has created this “reborn Mortal Kombat Universe” with “reimagined versions of iconic characters as they’ve never been seen before.” Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Kung Lao, Kitana, Mileena, Shang Tsung, Johnny Cage, and “many others” will appear, so it will definitely have an expanded roster over the original Mortal Kombat game. Story Mode will return as well to offer “unexpected twists on classic rivalries and original backstories.”

Although not seen in the cinematic announcement trailer, Mortal Kombat 1 will feature a new fighting system, game modes, and Fatalities, including a “Kameo Fighters” mechanic that offers “a unique roster of partner characters that can assist during matches, creating expanded gameplay possibilities for players.”

Meanwhile, regarding the different versions of the game available for preorder, the Mortal Kombat 1 Premium Edition will include the game, 1,250 in-game currency called Dragon Krystals, early access to six new playable characters post-launch, five new Kameo Fighters post-launch, and an official Jean-Claude Van Damme skin for Johnny Cage, which is random and rad. That $250 Kollector’s Edition will then offer all of those same things, plus early game access, a SteelCase, three exclusive art prints, an extra 1,450 Dragon Krystals, and “a 16.5-inch Liu Kang sculpture designed by COARSE and an inspired Liu Kang in-game character skin.”

That’s all WB and NetherRealm have revealed about Mortal Kombat 1 as far as release date, its announcement trailer, and preorder details. Now the hype cycle begins anew.