- Mortal Kombat 1 unleashed a new launch trailer displaying the bloody action the series is known for. But there is a gaping hole in the roster revealed.
- The trailer for MK1 showcased the brutal moves and Fatalities, as well as new insight as to the overall plot in this new timeline.
- There seems to be one mystery slot in the Mortal Kombat 1 selection of fighters. With Early Access coming soon, fans might have to wait until then to find out who it is.
With only a couple of days before Mortal Kombat 1 releases to Early Access, the official launch trailer for the reboot of the classic fighting game goes live. And it's every bit as bloody and awesome as its MK predecessors, but is also missing at least one fighter in its roster.
Mortal Kombat celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2022, which is a milestone for any video game franchise. But unlike Street Fighter 6 which has moved the timeline forward, Mortal Kombat instead reboots back to the past with a new timeline after Liu Kang usurped Kronika and became the elder god of Fire. This is a great way to explore new stories, while still retaining most of the fan-favorite MK characters (though with altered histories) and introducing new ones to the arena.
There are more new details revealed in the Mortal Kombat 1 launch trailer compared to previous teasers, including the Mortal Monday homage with Dave Bautista. But what seems to be missing?
NetherRealm Studios Creative Director and Mortal Kombat co-creator Ed Boon shared the MK1 launch trailer on his X (formerly Twitter) feed.
Mortal Kombat 1 launch trailer! 🐉 pic.twitter.com/Ysc2GzGXgc
— Ed Boon (@noobde) September 12, 2023
The footage highlights the gameplay for the upcoming reboot of the classic fighting game, in all its brutal glory. X-ray moves are back, showing off the graphic violence in breaking bones and causing internal injuries to opponents. Likewise, the staple of Mortal Kombat since the first game, the Fatalities, are once again in full display.
But aside from the familiar trappings expected from a Mortal Kombat title, there are new details in terms of the story.
- Raiden and Liu Kang now have reversed roles, with the latter now the eternal god of fire mentoring the young lightning-powered champion of Earthrealm.
- Scorpion and Sub-Zero are literal brothers, with Kuai Liang taking on the mantle of Bi Han's past nemesis.
- General Shao now serves under Queen Sindel, but appears to have a hidden aspiration of taking over in the guise of protection by any means.
- Mileena is now Sindel's chosen heir instead of Kitana, but her emerging Tarkatan heritage may force a change in this status quo.
- Kronika is now working in the shadows and enlisting Shang Tsung to be her champion. It is unclear if Kronika has retained her memories of the previous timeline that was erased in Mortal Kombat 11.
- New snippets of Nitara (voiced by Megan Fox), Geras, Baraka, Havik, Ashrah, and Kenshi.
- Jean-Claude Van Damme gets his well-deserved spotlight. In fact, JCVD is being pushed to the forefront of this launch trailer (that certainly won't sit well with Johnny's ego).
The launch trailer also teased the new game modes, with what seems to be a single-player action RPG and a board game-style mode called Invasions, along with the team-ups in Kameo mode.
Fans reacted positively to the MK1 launch trailer, but some have pointed out that there seems to be one member of the roster missing. The earlier leaked information indicated Mortal Kombat 1 would have 24 characters playable at launch. However, one slot is unaccounted for in the footage included in the launch trailer.
who's the 24th character?
— Sindel💜 (@81daniel18) September 12, 2023
Some fans have formed their own speculation, based on Mortal Kombat characters from the past that have not appeared in any teaser or marketing for MK1, as of this date. One theory is that it will be the original Scorpion, Hanzo Hasashi who is noticeably missing from the biographies revealed by NetherRealm Studios.
Still others theorize it will be a surprise character from outside the MK universe; however, guest characters like Omni-Man, Peacekeeper, and Homelander in the Kombat Pack or the ones represented as Kameo strikers do not really count towards the official total. Regardless, it will likely be a tightly guarded secret until MK1 launches.
What did you think of the Mortal Kombat 1 launch trailer? Does it live up to the hype? And who could be the mystery member of the MK1 roster?
Published by Warner Bros. Games, Mortal Kombat 1 will release to Early Access for customers who pre-ordered the Premium and Kollector's Edition on September 14, 2023. The general public release of MK1 is set for September 19, 2023.
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