Mortal Kombat 1 announced, releasing September 2023

Apr 09, 2023

PC

Image: NetherRealm Studios

After weeks of official teases and unofficial rumours, Mortal Kombat 1 has officially been revealed, with a new trailer illuminating its rebooted world. As suggested by the narrative conclusion of Mortal Kombat 11, this next entry in the series will be a complete reimagining of the iconic franchise, starring familiar characters in a world re-created by ascended Fire God, Liu Kang.

As NetherRealm Studios has made clear, this is a new chapter for Mortal Kombat, with characters including Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Kung Lao, Kitana, Mileena, Shang Tsung, Johnny Cage, and more being given new backstories, motivations, designs, and abilities. What won't change is the franchise's devotion to bloody, over-the-top battles and gory fatalities – as made very clear in the game's cinematic trailer.

Beloved fighters may look slightly different, but they’ll still be able to cut villains in half, smoosh their heads, slice throats, and knife-punch through meat and tissue. Really, what more could you want from a Mortal Kombat game?

Mortal Kombat 1 will feature more ‘Story Mode’ content in regular gameplay, with ‘an immersive cinematic narrative featuring unexpected twists on classic rivalries and original backstories for a wide-ranging cast of legendary fighters.’

Another twist is the game's new Kameo Fighters system, which is described as, ‘a unique roster of partner characters that can assist during matches, creating expanded gameplay possibilities for players.’ While these fighters are yet to be revealed, some have speculated this is how guest characters will appear in the game – like rumoured fighters Homelander (The Boys), Peacemaker (The Suicide Squad), and Conan the Barbarian.

Mortal Kombat 1 is set to launch for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Windows PC, and Nintendo Switch on 19 September 2023. When it launches, it’ll be available in several Special Editions, including:

Preorders for all editions open worldwide on 19 May 2023. Those who preorder will get access to fighter Shang Tsung, and access to the game's beta.

Leah J. Williams is a gaming and entertainment journalist who's spent years writing about the games industry, her love for The Sims 2 on Nintendo DS and every piece of weird history she knows.You can find her tweeting @legenette most days.

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