Mortal Kombat fans are on the edge of their seats as we approach the launch of Mortal Kombat 1, which will release on September 19 for the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S/X, Nintendo Switch, and the PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store.
While the anticipation builds, so does the number of leaks sprouting online. Case in point, the final roster for Mortal Kombat 1 has leaked online, revealing Nitara as the 24th playable character and the final addition to the base roster.
This exciting news comes just ahead of the Early Access period exclusive to Premium Edition owners on September 14.
Mortal Kombat 1 leaked roster
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The roster leak originated from a Twitter user named thetiny, who disclosed that someone had secured an early copy of Mortal Kombat 1 on the Nintendo Switch. This allowed for a complete unveiling of the game’s launch roster, with Nitara taking up the 24th slot. Although fans had been eagerly hoping for characters like Jade or Sonya Blade to be featured, Nitara’s inclusion was quite a shock. Nitara, who made her debut in Mortal Kombat: Deadly Alliance, has not appeared in a Mortal Kombat title since Armageddon. She’s one of the series’ more popular characters from the 3D era, making her an exciting pick for many die-hard fans.
https://youtube.com/shorts/QHTuYPOnR_E
On Reddit, another user named rearisen also leaked the full roster as well as a comprehensive list of Kameos or support fighters. It’s worth noting that Havik appears to be a story mode unlockable character, judging by the locked symbol next to his name on the roster. He will likely join Shang Tsung, a pre-order bonus character, as an unlockable addition to the lineup. A greyed-out character slot also hints at a potential secret character or a placeholder for the first DLC fighter.
While 24 playable characters might not seem like much, keep in mind that Mortal Kombat 1 has a much more expansive roster if you factor in the 16 Kameo Fighters at launch. Given NetherRealm Studios’ history, we’re easily looking at a combined total of nearly a hundred characters by the time the studio is finished supporting the game a few years from now.
In addition to the roster details, rearisen provided insights into the game’s performance on the Nintendo Switch. They pointed out that the early copy of the game suffered from significant screen tearing and stuttering during cutscenes, going as far as to caution prospective buyers about the subpar performance. However, it’s important to remember that the game is still two weeks away from official release, and day-one patches could resolve many of these issues. Still, the leaks have led to debates on whether the Nintendo Switch’s somewhat dated hardware can adequately handle Mortal Kombat 1.
Those who pre-order the game will receive Shang Tsung as a playable character. On the other hand, buying the pricier Premium Edition will let you enjoy five days of early access. Post-launch, six DLC characters are slated to join the fray: Quan Chi, Omni Man, Ermac, Takeda, Peacemaker, and Homelander.
So while fans might be buzzing or venting about the leaked roster, the game’s final performance is still unknown. Leaks have always been a part of the game’s journey to its official release, but they also act as a double-edged sword. On one hand, they fuel the anticipation, and on the other, they expose potential drawbacks. Either way, the leaks are setting the stage for what promises to be a robust conversation post-launch about Mortal Kombat 1’s character choices and performance, especially on the Nintendo Switch.
As we count down the days to the official release, we can only hope that the final product will deliver on its promises and perhaps offer some surprises along the way.
But, hey, if the problem is its Switch performance, didn’t we just hear news that the next Nintendo console will be released next year and will come with backwards compatibility?
