With Street Fighter 6 launching this summer and Tekken 8 on the horizon, 2023 has undoubtedly been a good year for fighting game fans. Now, the community has even more to look forward to as Warner Bros. Games has announced the next entry in the FGC’s grisliest franchise, Mortal Kombat, and has even confirmed the Mortal Kombat 1 release date.
The oddly-named Mortal Kombat 1 marks a revamp of the series and it is set in a new universe created by the Fire God Liu Kang. Here’s everything you need to know about Mortal Kombat 1, including its release date, playable characters and early access information.
A new era has begun. #MK1 pic.twitter.com/gC0mHALFeF
— Mortal Kombat 1 (@MortalKombat) May 18, 2023
Mortal Kombat 1 release date and platforms
The Mortal Kombat 1 release date is currently scheduled for September 19, 2023, only four months after the announcement of the game’s existence. It will be available on the following platforms:
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X|S
- Nintendo Switch
- PC (Steam and Epic Games Store)
On each console, Mortal Kombat 1 will cost $70 at launch. Players will also be able to purchase a Premium Edition for $110 and a Kollector’s Edition for $250. In addition, competitive players should be eager to learn that the game will have rollback netcode.
Fire God Liu Kang in all his glory. Pre-Order the Kollector's Edition tomorrow at 10am pt. #MK1 pic.twitter.com/c6xmxBV7J4
— Mortal Kombat 1 (@MortalKombat) May 18, 2023
Who are the playable characters?
So far, Warner Bros. Games has confirmed that the following characters will be playable in Mortal Kombat 1:
- Liu Kang
- Scorpion
- Sub-Zero
- Raiden
- Kung Lao
- Kitana
- Mileena
- Shang Tsung
- Johnny Cage
It has also been confirmed that there will be “many others” in the playable roster. Beyond this, the game will also introduce a new type of character known as Kameo Fighters. The Kameo Fighters are a separate set of assist characters that players can select to help out temporarily during matches.
How to participate in Mortal Kombat 1 early access
Select players will be able to get their hands on Mortal Kombat 1 before the game fully launches in September, albeit only for a few days. Mortal Kombat 1 early access will begin on September 14, 2023. Everyone who purchases the Premium or Kollector’s Edition of the game will be eligible to participate in the early access period.
In addition, there will be a Mortal Kombat 1 beta prior to the early access period. This beta will exclusively be available to players who pre-order the game on either Playstation 5 or Xbox Series X|S. The exact release date for the Mortal Kombat 1 beta is unconfirmed, but it will happen sometime in August.
