Well, the day is finally here, and the next Mortal Kombat, aptly called Mortal Kombat 1, has officially been revealed. And just as we speculated, this is a new timeline that was created by Fire God Lui Kang during his ending in Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath, and as such, things have changed, such as giving the fighters that were once mortal enemies an actual choice instead of throwing them into battle. Preorders for the game will go live on May 19, 2023.
We’ll have to see how that plays out when the game gets released on September 19, 2023. And while this is a new game, I would advise anyone who hasn’t played Mortal Kombat 11 Aftermath to do so, just to see how this new timeline came to be.
The game will feature a new fighting system, game modes, finishers, and of course, the cinematic story mode that the series has become known for. More on that at a later date. I wonder if this means that Nettherrealm will finally get rid of the block button. I’m praying that this becomes a thing, Netherrealm.
As the leak had mentioned, the game is being released for the PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Switch, and PC. The PS5 and Xbox Series X|S versions are being handled by Netherrealm, Switch is being handled by Saber Interactive, and the PC versions (Steam, Epic Games Store) by QLOC. I’m a bit worried, as QLOC has had issues porting titles over to the PC in the past, so we’ll have to see how this one turns out.
Apparently, with the new addition called Kameo Fighters, there will be assist characters that will help out during the matches. Think of it similar to that of Marvel vs. Capcom, as these Kameo Fighters will be separate from the in-game fighters.
“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.”
Everyone who preorders the game will also get access to Shang Tsung. Man, are we doing this preorder crap to get certain characters again? I hope this doesn’t lock anyone out who doesn’t preorder the game. Preordering also gains anyone access to the MK1 beta that beings in August 2023.
- The Standard edition ($69.99) PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. It will be available digitally and physically for all platforms.
- The Premium edition ($109.99) will be available digitally and physically for all platforms. Includes all content from the standard edition, Kombat Pack that includes a Johnny Cage charter skin with the likeness of Jean-Claude Van Damme, 1250 Dragon Krystals (in-game currency), early access on September 14, 2023
- The Kollector’s edition ($249.99) will only be available as a physical edition for PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Will include everything in the Premium Edition, early access, and a 16.5-inch statue of Lui Kang, inspired Lui Kang-in game character skin, three exclusive art prints, a steel case, and 2700 Dragon Krystals.
So far, only these characters have been mentioned as being part of this new timeline, Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Kung Lao, Kitana, Mileena, Shang Tsung, and Johnny Cage. It’s interesting to see the characters that were added in Mortal Kombat 2 in this line-up, but there’s mention of other characters also making an appearance as well.
While the game will support cross-play and cross-progression, it will be added after the launch of the game. No word on just how long that will be. But the good news is that rollback netcode will be available day one, and that’s great news. I’m glad to see more developers embracing the superior netcode.
