So what’s the next game after Mortal Kombat 11? Instead of increasing the total number right now by 1, developer NetherRealm Studios decided to remove the number in the tens digit and we’re now back to Mortal Kombat 1.
Mortal Kombat 1 is a reboot, where the Mortal Kombat Universe has been reborn by “Fire God Liu Kang”. So canonically it’s still a sequel to MK11, but the world and characters in MK1 are entirely reimagined.
Expect to see the likes of the aforementioned Liu Kang alongside series staples Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Kung Lao, Kitana, Mileena, Shang Tsung, Johnny Cage to return to the fighting game reboot.
There’s also “Kameo Fighters”, a new feature for this title. And from the FAQ page this seems to be assist fighters. Kameo Fighters are all different from the characters in the main roster
A cinematic Story Mode has been confirmed, as well as rollback netcode. Not word on cross-play yet, however.
As you can see from the trailer, MK1 is still the gruesome, gore-filled fighting game the series is known to be.
Interesting fact, the Mortal Kombat series already has two games simply titled Mortal Kombat: the original 1992 arcade game, and the 2011 release otherwise known as Mortal Kombat 9. This should explain why this one isn’t just called Mortal Kombat.
Mortal Kombat 1 will be out on September 19 for the PS5, PC (Steam, Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
With Mortal Kombat 1, Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8 all being releasing in 2023, it’s shaping up to be a busy year for fighting games.