Mortal Kombat 1 will be a reboot but retains series' signature gore

NetherRealm and WB Games have announced Mortal Kombat 1, a reboot of the fighting game series. The game will feature new fighting mechanics, game modes, and characters, as well as the return of the series' signature gore. Mortal Kombat 1 will be released on Sept 19 for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X/S.

Gamers who pre-order the game will also be able to participate in a beta in August.

The reboot follows right after the ending of Mortal Kombat 11 and its Aftermath add-on, but also giving NetherRealm an opportunity to rethink the gameplay and story. It remains to be seen how much has changed, but the reinvention of Mortal Kombat 1 is not a surprise given what rivals are doing. Capcom, for instance, is also shaking up its formula with the World Tour mode in Street Fighter 6.

We also know there will there will be new game modes, including a story mode and a multiplayer mode. Mortal Kombat 1's roster will feature some of our favourite characters such as Scorpion and Sub-zero but will feature some new faces too. What's not going to change, however, is the series' signature gore.