Warner Bros. Games has officially announced Mortal Kombat 1 following months of speculation for September 19, 2023. The latest entry in the franchise will introduce a reborn Mortal Kombat universe created by the Fire God Liu Kang, ushering a new era of the Mortal Kombat franchise featuring re-imagined iconic characters, a new fighting system, game modes, and more. Mortal Kombat 1 also introduces Kameo Fighters, a new roster separate from the main characters to assist players during matches.
In the press release David Haddad, Warner Bros. Games President and Ed Boon, Chief Creative Officer at NetherRealm Studios and Co-Creator of Mortal Kombat, gave statements expressing their gratitude towards NeatherRealm and excitement on the new features introduced in the reboot.
“…The talented team at NetherRealm Studios continues to push the series forward in bold ways that have consistently expanded the global audience,” said Haddad. “and we believe Mortal Kombat 1 will continue to attract new players as well as thrill our core fans.”
“We’re also introducing our Kameo Fighter system which brings a unique roster of partner characters into the mix,” said Boon. “and we are looking forward to showing this feature as well as more new elements of the game very soon.”
Mortal Kombat 1 will be available for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store. While NetherRealm will have oversight on the game’s development across all platforms, the studio will only be developing the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S versions of the game. The Steam and Epic Games Store versions will be developed by QLOC, and the Nintendo Switch version will be developed by Shiver Entertainment and Saber Interactive.
Pre-orders for the game begin May 19 at 10 AM PT. Players who pre-order on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S will gain access to the Mortal Kombat 1 Beta in August 2023 and the playable character Shang Tsung. Additionally, Mortal Kombat 1 will be available in the Standard Edition, Premium Edition, and Kollector’s Edition. The Standard Edition will physically and digitally cost $69.99 on all platforms.
The Premium Edition will include all Standard Edition content, the Kombat Pack, early access to the game beginning Sept. 14, and in-game currency, costing physically and digitally $109.99 on all platforms. Lastly, the Kollector’s Edition will exclusive to PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S and will include all Premium Edition content, early access, a 16.5-inch Liu Kang sculpture designed by COARSE, an inspired Liu Kang in-game character skin, three exclusive art prints, a steel case, and additional in-game currency. The Kollector’s Edition will be available physically at select retailers for $249.99.
The Kombat Pack includes a Johnny Cage character skin, Jean-Claude Van Damme, early access to six new playable characters, and five new Kameo Fighters. For more information, head over to the official Mortal Kombat 1 FAQ on the game’s official website.