‘Mortal Kombat 1’ Is Coming to All Major Platforms This Fall (Video)

“Mortal Kombat 1” was officially announced by Warner Bros. Games Thursday after months of teasing by franchise co-creator Ed Boon.

The title will debut Sept. 19 on all major platforms: PS5, Xbox Series X & S, Nintendo Switch and PC (Steam as well as the Epic Games Store). Worth noting: PS4 and Xbox One are not included in the platform lineup, despite other 2023 fighters such as “Street Fighter 6” going the cross-generation route.

The high-profile reboot resets the “Mortal Kombat” sequel lineage, as the last installment was “Mortal Kombat 11” in 2019. Now the franchise is back to “one.” This isn’t the first time a publisher has utilized this number trick to avoid numeric “sequelitis” fatigue — “Battlefield 1” did the same thing, releasing after “Battlefield 4” and before “Battlefield V.”

Expect fresh designs for franchise-favorite characters such as Scorpion and Mileena, new fatalities, and the same-old degree of over-the-top, copious gore that’s persisted throughout the series.

Though the fighting game formally releases in September, pre-orders for the title start Friday. If you pre-order, you’ll score character Shang Tsung and receive beta access, meaning early access to the game. Important note: In fine print, it’s stated that beta access will only be available for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X & S.

The standard edition of the game will cost $70 USD. The premium edition will cost $110 and include in-game currency as well as a special character skin, early post-launch character access, and five “Kameo” characters. The $250 “Kollector’s Edition” will feature all of the aforementioned content as well as extra in-game currency and a couple physical goodies: a 16.5-inch Liu Kang sculpture, three exclusive art prints and a steel case.