Mortal Kombat 1,orMortal Kombat12,has been in development for ages, with confirmation from the developers that this was the longest they have spent on a single title. With the vacuum of any news for this game after the release ofMortal Kombat 11 Aftermath, and the vexation athow quickly support forMortal Kombat 11fell through, players have been anticipating something huge.
While there have been a ton of press releases and little information dumps at this stage, the trailer itself set the scene for a new era ofMortal Kombat.It has foreshadowed a ton of upcoming changes that can alter the direction of the entire franchise.
7Raiden Is Human
The initial parts of the trailer focus ontwo kombatants with hats on. While one is obviously Kung Lao, there is some confusion as to who the other person is, with some speculating it is the ‘great’ Kung Lao. However, it is much more likely that this is Raiden without his power. Not only is the hat the same style as Raiden’s, he is wearing Raiden’s medallion near his waist, and of course, there was a thunder visual cue as well.
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While there is no confirmation for this yet, it seems very likely players will get to see a human Raiden in this game, something that has never happened before. This has led to questions of his role in the story and how his moveset may change.
6Liu Kang Is A Fire God
Liu Kang took center stage inMK11and theAftermathexpansion. Near the end of the game, not only did he possess some of Kronika’s powers, but was fully unleashed as a Fire God with the visual changes to support this.
From the trailer, it is clear that Liu Kang was successfully able to reshape the world as he deemed fit, and is now presiding over it in a role similar to Raiden. He is clearly able to reset the timeline back to before the firstMortal Kombat tournament and accompanying invasion.
5A Different Scorpion & Sub Zero Dynamic
The Scorpion and Sub Zero rivalry is one of the most iconic and recognizable feuds in video games. Not only are both of these kombatants legendary,their rivalry is oftena major plot point. WithMK11showing players a different dynamic with the two working together and having mutual respect, it seems in Liu Kang’s new timeline the two are allies, standing together in the face of adversity.
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Along with this is another subtle change. When Sub Zero was showing off his cyromancy, his companion did not burst into flames. It seems as if this is the mortal Hanzo Hashashi, and he hasn’t yet become Scorpion.
4Hints To Konquest Mode?
A big focus ofMK11was player choice. This was especially apparent inAftermath,whereplayers could choosebetween the ‘good’ ending, which lets Liu Kang reset the timeline, and the ‘bad’ ending, where Shang Tsung is successful.
This new trailer gives a lot of focus towards Liu Kang’s narration and his monologue, in large bits seems to be directed towards choices and how he values consequences. “In my new era, the choice is yours.” The entire trailer seems like a warning directed towards the player. While this might not lead to a fully fleshed out Konquest mode, it does make it clear that a big focus of this game is going to be on the choices of players or certain characters.
3Edenia Is Not Destroyed
Edenia, Kitana’s homeland, is very clearly not razed to the ground. This is a big change in direction considering the last fewMortal Kombatgames, which always seem to take joy from wrecking the place. While this might just be bait, and Shao Kahn could easily come in and ruin it, for now the place seems like it’s in pretty good shape.
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This might lead to a larger focus on Edenia, as opposed to Earthrealm and Outworld. Maybe some Edenian characters such as Tanya, Rain, and Daegon will get some love in the upcoming game.
2Mileena Is Back
Netherrealm Studios seem to have avoidedall drama and controversyby straight-up confirming Mileena to be a part of the base game, as opposed to all the hinting and teasing last time. Moreover, she has a slightly changed design and seems to not want to destroy her sister Kitana’s life.
In fact, the two are seen traveling together, and it is likely that one of them is the ruler of Edenia with the other being their bodyguard. This is another fresh direction hinted by the trailer and works well with the promise ofre-imagined original characters.
1Shang Tsung Is Stronger Than Ever
Shang Tsung is back in the main storyline ofMortal Kombat, and he seems brutally strong. Shang is shown to effortlessly destroy some of the most powerful characters in the franchise’s history, including Sub Zero, Scorpion, Kung Lao, and Kitana. While Shang was always a force to be reckoned with, this added power may hint that he somehow also won the climactic battle inAftermath.
With the new direction around time-travel and timelines, it is possible that this Shang Tsung is from a split timeline, where he defeated Liu Kang and is now able to come into Liu Kang’s perfect world to destroy it. While this is just a theory, the factors pointing towards it are his immense strength and the fact that he pops out through a magic teleportation ring of some kind. Regardless, it is clear Shang Tsung will be an important antagonist inMortal Kombat 1,which is a big change considering his limited roles inMKXand baseMK11.
Mortal Kombat 1is set to release on Playstation, Xbox and PC on July 21, 2025.
