Mortal Kombat 1 is finally upon us. Mortal Kombat 1 arrives on September 19, 2023, but was available in early access from September 14. The anticipated fighting game graces gamers' screens in all its gory glory, we've put together a list featuring every character. Whether you're looking to find your main or just see if one of your old favorites is making a return in this narrative reboot, we've got you covered.
We've also included a list of kombatants that have been rumored to make an appearance, or whose presence on the roster has previously been leaked. That means if you're hoping to jump into the game without getting any surprises ruined for you, we recommend you avoid the last section of this article.
Playable fighters
As its title suggests, Mortal Kombat 1 marks a new beginning for the franchise. In 2019's Mortal Kombat 11, Liu Kang remade the universe, effectively resetting the timeline back to where Mortal Kombat 1 started just with a few changes.
This narrative reset allows for Mortal Kombat 1 to play around with what we know; heroes and villains may have different allegiances or motivations than they did in the original. It also allows for fan favorites like Rain or Smoke to show up at different points than they did in the original games' timeline. One of the biggest examples of this is that Raiden and Liu Kang have effectively switched roles, with Liu Kang taking on the mantle of Fire God and Raiden being a Shaolin monk.
- Ashrah
- Baraka
- General Shao
- Geras
- Havik
- Johnny Cage
- Kenshi
- Kitana
- Kung Lao
- Li Mei
- Liu Kang
- Nitara
- Mileena
- Raiden
- Rain
- Reptile
- Scorpion
- Sindel
- Smoke
- Sub Zero
- Tanya
Confirmed DLC characters
Mortal Kombat 1's DLC roster was a lightning rod for speculation in the lead-up to the game's announcement earlier this year. After some of the DLC roster leaked via an Amazon listing, speculation swirled around the inclusion of characters like Omni-Man from Invincible and Homelander from The Boys. Here are all the DLC characters headed to MK1's first DLC; Kombat Pack 1.
- Ermac
- Homelander
- Omni-Man
- Peacemaker
- Quan Chi
- Takeda
Technically, Shang Tsung is also a DLC fighter, as he's included in the game as a pre-order bonus.
Kameo fighters
Kameo fighters are by far Mortal Kombat 1's biggest addition—and arguably one of the biggest innovations in series history. Functioning like normal assist fighters in other fighting games, like the Marvel vs Capcom series, Kameo fighters can assist in extending combos, interrupting your opponents' combos, and even performing special combination finishing moves.
- Cyrax
- Darrius
- Frost
- Goro
- Jax Briggs
- Kano
- Motaro
- Sareena
- Sektor
- Shujinko
- Sonya Blade
- Stryker
In addition to all the Kameo fighters in the list above, Netherrealm confirmed that every playable character in Mortal Kombat 1 can also be selected as a Kameo fighter.
Leaked/Rumored characters
So far, Netherrealm has confirmed almost every playable fighter in the base game, but Reddit user u/rearisen leaked a screenshot of the Nintendo Switch version of MK1's character select screen which included a few more fighters that NRS has yet to reveal. While we already knew about almost every fighter on the roster, the leak still offered a surprise or two. As we noted above, the following contains unannounced info for MK1, so proceed with caution!
- Reiko
While Netherrealm hasn't officially confirmed either of these characters' additions to MK1, series creator and MK1 director Ed Boon.
Mortal Kombat 1's roster of DLC, Kameo, and playable fighters is looking absolutely stacked. Netherrealm hasn't said much more about its future DLC plans, but it's fair to expect more classic MK characters alongside newcomers from other beloved IP. If you're interested in learning more about the game, you can read our preview from Summer Game Fest, or check out our guide to catch up on everything you need to know about MK1.
Mortal Kombat 1
Mortal Kombat's sure to be an essential grab for any fighting game fan. And if early impressions are anything to go on, it's likely to be one of the fall's must-play games. Plus, if you pre-order the game before it comes out, you'll be able to secure Shang Tsung as a playable character in your roster.
