Mortal Kombat 1 Microtransactions Confirmed Through Dragon Krystals

Mortal Kombat 1 was confirmed to include microtransactions on 19 May 2023 after Warner Bros. Games disclosed Dragon Krystals as an in-game currency.

The information appeared alongside Mortal Kombat 1’s edition and pre-order details following the game’s official reveal one day earlier.

At the time, Warner Bros. Games had not fully explained what Dragon Krystals could purchase. Their inclusion nevertheless established that Mortal Kombat 1 would contain a premium currency alongside its standard purchase price.

The Premium Edition included 1,250 Dragon Krystals, while the Kollector’s Edition provided 2,700 Dragon Krystals.

Those amounts also indicated that Dragon Krystals would form a separate part of Mortal Kombat 1’s economy rather than functioning as a conventional currency earned solely through normal matches.

After launch, their purpose became clear. Dragon Krystals became Mortal Kombat 1’s premium currency, used primarily to purchase selected content through the Premium Store.

Premium Store offerings have included character skins, palettes, gear, announcer voices and other items. Additional Dragon Krystals can be purchased with real money, although limited amounts can also be earned through progression and selected gameplay rewards.

I think that distinction is important when looking back at the original announcement. The existence of Dragon Krystals confirmed a premium economy, but it did not mean every Krystal had to be bought with real money.

Dragon Krystals also remain separate from currencies such as Koins and Krowns, which serve different parts of Mortal Kombat 1’s progression systems.

The initial Premium and Kollector’s Edition allocations therefore provided the first indication of a monetised in-game economy before NetherRealm had explained exactly how the currency would function.

Mortal Kombat 1 subsequently launched on 19 September 2023, with Dragon Krystals forming the premium-currency layer of its wider economy.