Mortal Kombat moves forward by going back… but not really?

NetherRealm’s Chief Creative Officer Ed Boon’s timeline is often inundated with inquiries as to when the next entry of Mortal Kombat will arrive and Ed is usually a good sport fielding these questions without showing his hand. Well on May 10th he finally got to officially go on record with a tweet which showed a clock’s seconds hand go from 11’to 1, skipping 12 all together. This led denizens of the internet to believe that the 12th entry of Mortal Kombat would be a reboot and today we finally got confirmation…

Yes and No. Warner Bros. Games and NetherRealm Studios revealed Mortal Kombat 1 will be taking place in a new timeline, but it is one crafted by Fire God Liu Kang (Spoilers for MK11?he ascended to godhood after merging and then separating from Raiden) so would you consider it a reboot? The trailer shows the ?New Era? which the new deity promised, showing familiar faces staring down an ominous sign in the sky. Will old enmities re-emerge in the New Era or will things play out completely differently?

The game’s reveal also came with a release date. Mortal Kombat 1 will be available on September 19th, with pre-orders beginning tomorrow on May 19th. It wouldn’t be a tentpole release without multiple SKUs and Mortal Kombat will offer 3 options. The base title which will cost $70, a premium version which includes the 1st Kombat Pack featuring a Johnny Cage which features the visage of Jean Claude Van Damme (coming full circle as Cage was inspired by JCVD) and a Kollector’s Edition which bundles the game, Kombat Pack 1, and a plethora of physical goods. All pre-orders will grant players access to Shang Tsung as a playable character and access to the beta that will be taking place in August.

Seems like the fighting game community will have plenty on their plate in 2023, with Street Fighter unleashing its sixth entry in less than a month and Mortal Kombat starting off the 4th quarter. Get those fingers limber cause it’s time to throw down!

Mortal Kombat 1 will be available on PC, Switch, PlayStation 5 and the Xbox Series X|S on September 19th, 2023.

Mortal Kombat 1 – Official Announcement Trailer:

Warner Bros. Games today announced Mortal Kombat 1, a brand-new title in the acclaimed Mortal Kombat videogame franchise that has sold more than 80 million units since its debut over 30 years ago. Developed by award-winning NetherRealm Studios, the upcoming game will introduce a reborn Mortal Kombat Universe that has been created by the Fire God Liu Kang, featuring reimagined versions of iconic characters as they’ve never been seen before. Mortal Kombat 1 is scheduled to release on Sept. 19, 2023, for PlayStation 5 (PS5), Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

NetherRealm’s genre-defining Story Mode returns with an immersive cinematic narrative featuring unexpected twists on classic rivalries and original backstories for a wide-ranging cast of legendary fighters, including Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Kung Lao, Kitana, Mileena, Shang Tsung, Johnny Cage, and many others. Mortal Kombat 1 will also introduce Kameo Fighters, a unique roster of partner characters that can assist during matches, creating expanded gameplay possibilities for players.

?With Mortal Kombat 1 we are bringing a reimagined universe to the legendary franchise which has captivated gamers for more than 30 years and continues to top itself,? said David Haddad, President, Warner Bros. Games. ‘the talented team at NetherRealm Studios continues to push the series forward in bold ways that have consistently expanded the global audience, and we believe Mortal Kombat 1 will continue to attract new players as well as thrill our core fans.?

?Mortal Kombat 1 marks a new beginning for the franchise and we couldn’t be more excited to share this original storyline and fresh take on classic characters with our fans,” said Ed Boon, Chief Creative Officer, NetherRealm Studios and Co-Creator of Mortal Kombat. “We’re also introducing our Kameo Fighter system which brings a unique roster of partner characters into the mix, and we are looking forward to showing this feature as well as more new elements of the game very soon.”

Starting tomorrow, May 19, Mortal Kombat 1 will be available for pre-order on all launch platforms*, including:

• Mortal Kombat 1 Standard Edition will be available physically and digitally for $69.99 (SRP) on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC, including Steam and Epic Games Store.

• Mortal Kombat 1 Premium Edition will be available physically and digitally for $109.99 (SRP) on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC (Steam and Epic Games Store) and will include all Standard Edition content, along with the Kombat Pack, early access to the game beginning Sept. 14, and 1,250 Dragon Krystals (in-game currency). The Kombat Pack will feature a Johnny Cage character skin with the likeness of famed actor and martial artist, Jean-Claude Van Damme (available at launch), early access to six new playable characters (available post-launch), and five new Kameo Fighters (available post-launch).

• Mortal Kombat 1 Kollector’s Edition will be available physically at select retailers for $249.99 (SRP) on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S only and will include all Premium Edition content, and early access, along with a 16.5-inch Liu Kang sculpture designed by COARSE and an inspired Liu Kang in-game character skin, three exclusive art prints, a steel case, and 1,450 additional Dragon Krystals (2,700 total).

All Mortal Kombat 1 pre-orders will receive Shang Tsung as an in-game playable character, and those who pre-order the game for PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S will also receive access to the Mortal Kombat 1 Beta, which will be available in August 2023.

To learn more about Mortal Kombat 1, please visit MortalKombat.com or join the community conversation on Instagram (@MortalKombat), TikTok (@MortalKombat), Twitter (@MortalKombat), Twitch (NetherRealm), YouTube (Mortal Kombat), Facebook (MortalKombat), Discord (MortalKombat), or Reddit (MortalKombat).