We received the first official gameplay trailer for Mortal Kombat 1 at Summer Game Fest 2023, giving us a closer look at the fighters and stages we can expect to see in the new installment. At four minutes long, the trailer covered a lot of ground, featuring original characters like Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Johnny Cage, and Mileena. While we can expect to receive much more between the time of writing and the new entry’s September 19 release date, some long-time players are curious as to whether Mortal Kombat 1 will take the place of the twelfth mainline installment or mark the beginning of a new universe altogether.
Is Mortal Kombat 1 essentially going to be Mortal Kombat 12? According to Ed Boon, co-creator of Mortal Kombat and CCO of NetherRealm Studio, Mortal Kombat 1 is a reintroduction of sorts to the characters and their roles within the franchise. With that, lets go over the details about the new title’s place in the long-standing fighting game series.
Is Mortal Kombat 1 a Continuation or a Reboot?
Ed Boon recently joined a Kommunity Chat in which he talks at length about the new entry, explicitly stating that Mortal Kombat 1 is not a continuation of Mortal Kombat 11. Instead, the new title marks the start of an all-new universe within the franchise. As such, we will see familiar characters from the original games reintroduced with new roles and relationships. In this way, Mortal Kombat 1 is neither a continuation nor a reboot, but rather the beginning of a brand-new timeline.
Boon goes on to dub this “Liu Kang’s universe,” which seems to lend some weight to popular fan theories that the fire god may be corrupted in the new timeline. Of course, we’ll need to wait for more information about the plot of the new installment as well additional characters to confirm or deny this. In the meantime, franchise fans are free to speculate how the new title will play out with a new fighting system that features Kameos, or additional fighters that enter battle on either side.
Mortal Kombat 1 is set to arrive in full on September 19. Until then, players are eagerly looking forward to the start of the game’s stress tests, which begin this Friday. Sign up for a chance to participate in the exclusive fist-hand experience of the new installment.
Today’s best deals
- Logitech G903 wireless gaming mouse – Save $30
- Logitech G G923 – Save $50
- Samsung Odyssey G65B – Save $150
Follow us on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Discord, and Twitter for more from N4G Unlocked!