Mortal Kombat 1 Reveals 8 Characters, Release Date, and New Trailer

Warner Bros. Games officially revealed Mortal Kombat 1 on 18 May 2023, confirming a reborn universe created by Fire God Liu Kang and a 19 September release date.

The announcement resolved weeks of teasers and leaks surrounding NetherRealm Studios’ next game. Rather than adopting the Mortal Kombat 12 name previously used during a Warner Bros. Discovery earnings call, the series restarted at one.

That title had already been strongly hinted at by NetherRealm’s clock teaser, which skipped 12 and stopped at one. A subsequent MK1 leak then reported the title, platforms and editions one week before the official reveal.

The cinematic trailer showed eight characters: Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Kung Lao, Kitana, Mileena and Shang Tsung.

Johnny Cage did not appear in the footage, but Warner Bros. Games also named him among the returning cast in its announcement.

Mortal Kombat 1 takes place in the New Era created by Fire God Liu Kang following Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath. The reset allowed NetherRealm to rework established characters, histories and relationships rather than simply continue the previous timeline.

The reveal already demonstrated some of those changes. Raiden appeared as a mortal rather than the thunder god who had guided Earthrealm throughout much of the series, while Scorpion and Sub-Zero were presented together as Lin Kuei warriors.

Later story details established that Kuai Liang became Scorpion, with his older brother Bi-Han retaining the Sub-Zero mantle. NetherRealm subsequently expanded the Lin Kuei side of the roster with Smoke and Rain.

The announcement also introduced the Kameo Fighter system, although NetherRealm initially provided only a broad description of the new partner-character mechanic.

Premium Edition details separately confirmed a Jean-Claude Van Damme skin for Johnny Cage, fulfilling a connection between the actor and Mortal Kombat that stretched back to the series’ original development.

Mortal Kombat 1 was announced for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch and Windows PC. PlayStation 4 and Xbox One versions were not released.

I think the reveal’s biggest surprise was not the Mortal Kombat 1 title itself. NetherRealm’s preceding teasers and leaks had made the reset increasingly obvious. The more significant change was Liu Kang’s New Era giving the studio a way to rebuild familiar characters and relationships without abandoning the established cast.

The cinematic trailer therefore marked more than the confirmation of another Mortal Kombat game. It established the new timeline, showed the first eight returning Fighters and provided the foundation for NetherRealm’s subsequent roster and gameplay reveals.

Source – businesswire