Update: Johnny Cage has also been confirmed for the roster via the official FAQ, bringing the total number of confirmed playable characters to nine.
Original story follows.
Mortal Kombat 12 is officially called Mortal Kombat 1, and it will be available to the masses beginning September 19. Mortal Kombat 12 leaks have been spilling online for months now, with some of the finer details about the fighting game revealed ahead of its release date trailer.
Prior to the official confirmation, leakers let it be known that Mortal Kombat 12 would actually be called Mortal Kombat 1, and that it would effectively be a reboot of the series. This was proven true by the official release date trailer, which confirmed story details, the aforementioned release date, and eight of the characters that will make up the game's roster come its launch in September.
Once the September 19 release date rolls around, Mortal Kombat fans can look forward to playing as eight series mainstays. This includes Kitana, Kung Lao, Fire God Liu Kang, Mileena, Raiden, Scorpion, Shang Tsung (as a pre-order bonus), and Sub-Zero. It's almost certain that many other characters will join the Mortal Kombat 1 roster, including longtime favorites and new faces, but fans will have to wait for more official reveals on that front.
Mortal Kombat 12 Characters
- Kitana
- Kung Lao
- Fire God Liu Kang
- Mileena
- Raiden
- Scorpion
- Shang Tsung (pre-order bonus)
- Sub-Zero
Besides confirming the playable characters for Mortal Kombat 1, the trailer also revealed what fans can expect from the game's story. It seems that the canon ending for the Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath expansion is the one where Liu Kang creates a new universe. Despite Liu Kang eliminating Shang Tsung in that ending, though, the longtime Mortal Kombat villain has somehow returned in the new game.
While the Mortal Kombat 1 trailer doesn't appear to show any gameplay, it may still give fans an idea of what to expect from Fatalities. The trailer ends with an onslaught of extremely graphic and over-the-top violence as the various members of the Mortal Kombat 1 roster are eviscerated in the most brutal ways possible. It could be that these are CGI representations of actual Mortal Kombat Fatalities that will be used in the new game, but fans will have to wait on that front.
Luckily, fighting game fans won't have to wait quite all the way until September to try Mortal Kombat 1 for themselves. A beta will go live in August for those that pre-order on PlayStation and Xbox, though the extent of it has yet to be detailed. It's unclear when more official information on Mortal Kombat 1 will come to light, but there are some strong choices in the near future. Sony is hosting a PlayStation showcase event on May 24, while Xbox is hosting its own event on June 11. It wouldn't be a surprise at all to see the game make an appearance at one or both of those big events, but fans should keep their expectations in check just in case.
Mortal Kombat 1 launches September 19 for PC, PS5, Switch, and Xbox Series X.