Mortal Kombat 1 takes the series back to the start this September

By Giovanni Colantonio Published May 18, 2023

The next installment of the Mortal Kombat series is coming this year, but it’s not Mortal Kombat 12. Instead, a debut trailer from NetherRealm Studios revealed Mortal Kombat 1, which launches on September 19 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

https://twitter.com/MortalKombat/status/1659182088954986496

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Over the past few months, NetherRealm Studios has teased the next Mortal Kombat game. Fans assumed that it would be Mortal Kombat 12, but the series instead appears to be taking a reboot approach. In a press release about the game, series co-creator Ed Boon calls it a “new beginning for the franchise.”

The cinematic trailer doesn’t show gameplay, but it does give a tease of what to expect. The two-and-a-half-minute clip shows iconic characters like Scorpion and Sub-Zero living peacefully in a countryside … that is, until a red portal opens up in the sky. All hell breaks loose and violence ensues, as tends to happen in Mortal Kombat.

The game’s website gives more specific details. The story takes place in an alternate universe created by the Fire God Liu Kang. It’ll feature an “immersive story campaign” and new modes, as well as a new Kameo fighting system where players choose partners in battle.

Preorders for the game are now open and will get players Shang Tsung as a playable character. PS5 and Xbox Series X/S players who preorder will also get access to its beta this August. The base game will retail for $70 on all platforms.

There will also be a $110 Premium Edition that adds a Johnny Cage character skin fashioned after Jean-Claude Van Damme, early access to six characters, and five new Kameo fighters. A $250 Kollector’s Edition will include all that, plus a 16.5 inch Liu Kang sculpture and more.

Mortal Kombat 1 launches on September 19 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

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Giovanni Colantonio

Senior Gaming Editor

As Digital Trends' Senior Gaming Editor, Giovanni Colantonio oversees all things video games at Digital Trends. As a veteran…

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An ominous red portal opens up in a field in the Mortal Kombat 1 trailer.

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