After a few months of waiting, the Mortal Kombat 1 launch date – or rather, dates – are nearly here. Announced in May 2023, Mortal Kombat 1 follows Mortal Kombat 11 and presents a new timeline crafted by the Fire God Liu Kang, including new twists on the series' most iconic characters, as well as new mechanics like the Kameo system.
It releases at the same time on all available platforms – PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and perhaps surprisingly Nintendo Switch – but the exact time of day will change depending on the time zone. This guide explains when the Early Access and Standard Mortal Kombat 1 release dates are, and what exact time MK1 will become playable.
Mortal Kombat 1 Standard Release Time
Mortal Kombat 1 is slated to release on Tuesday, September 19, 2023 at the same time on all systems, though the exact time of day has not yet been confirmed. If the Standard edition of MK1 will unlock at the same time of day as the Early Access edition, though, it will likely become playable at 10 a.m. PDT / 1 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. BST on September 19.
Though Netherrealm Studios has not yet officially announced what time players can expect to pre-load Mortal Kombat 1, it will likely become downloadable in the days before. According to the PlayStation Store, Mortal Kombat 1 pre-load begins 48 hours before the Early Access period starts, which means it will become downloadable sometime on September 12.
Mortal Kombat 1 Early Release Time (Premium Pre-Order)
An increasingly common practice is to offer Early Access with special pre-orders of a game. In the same vein as Diablo 4 and Starfield, those who pre-order Mortal Kombat 1 Premium edition will be able to play MK1 earlier than normal.
The Premium edition costs about $109.99, $40 more than the base price of $69.99. In addition to Early Access, MK1 Premium includes Kombat Pack 1, which adds Kameo fighters and playable fighters such as Omni-Man, Ermac, Homelander, and Quan Chi. For pre-ordering the game, players will also unlock Shang Tsung for play, one of the series' most iconic foes.
MK1 releases on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, but by pre-ordering the Premium edition, players can access Mortal Kombat 1 five days earlier on Thursday, September 14. For Early Access players, MK1 will unlock at 10 a.m. PDT / 1 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. BST.
Mortal Kombat 1 releases September 19, 2023 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch