Mortal Kombat 1 announced for September release with first trailer

Warner Bros. Games has announced Mortal Kombat 1.

Following plenty of teasing and several leaks in recent weeks, the next entry in the long-running fighting game series was officially revealed on Thursday.

The debut trailer for the game, which is viewable below, confirms that it will be released on September 19, 2023.

The NetherRealm developed title will be available for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.

Warner said the 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”.

Its Story Mode promises “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”.

Pre-orders for the game will open on May 19 and three editions will be available:

All Mortal Kombat 1 pre-orders will grant players Shang Tsung as an in-game playable character, and players who pre-order for PS5 or Xbox Series X/S will receive access to a Mortal Kombat 1 beta in August.

Players who buy the Premium Edition or Kollector’s Edition will get early access to the game beginning on September 14.

Further reading

Report claims Mortal Kombat 1 DLC could include Peacemaker and Homelander

The anticipated reboot is said to be targeting a September release

In an FAQ, Warner said it plans to add cross-play and cross-progression support post-launch, and that the game will have rollback netcode to support online play.

The Mortal Kombat series launched in 1992 and has sold 80 million games, including over 12 million copies of the latest mainline release, 2019’s Mortal Kombat 11, according to Warner.