The new Mortal Kombat 1 reboot has a confusing name since it is obviously not the first Mortal Kombat. Such positioning implies that it is a new world, but that might be unclear upon first booting up the game. So is MK1 a reboot or a remake?
Is MK1 a reboot?
Mortal Kombat 1 is a reboot of the Mortal Kombat franchise, but with a small caveat. It does technically take place in a new universe and new twists on established characters. For example, Scorpion and Sub-Zero are brothers in the Lin Kuei clan, Tarkatans are infected with a diseased called Tarkat, and Shao Kahn is just General Shao. Most of the cast has undergone some sort of twist like this.
However, it is still has some continuity with the last batch of games. Liu Kang and Geras are knowledgeable of the events of Mortal Kombat 11. Liu Kang became the Keeper of Time and was able to shape the universe how he saw fit. Everything in Mortal Kombat 1 is of his design. Geras is a being who exists outside of time, which is why he knows about what came before. There are certain other characters that know about Mortal Kombat 11’s events, but those reveals come in the latter half of the story mode.
Mortal Kombat 1 is not a remake of the first Mortal Kombat, as there are not many parallels events. This is also not like Mortal Kombat 9, which retold the story of the first three games.
Series co-creator Ed Boon talked about this new beginning in an early stream about the game.
“This is really the beginning of a universe, in a sense,” said Boon. “It is not a continuation of the Mortal Kombat 11 story. The characters have completely different rules in this timeline. We really wanted to punctuate that and emphasize that with our title. So this is Mortal Kombat 1. This is a brand-new beginning. You’re going to be seeing these characters reintroduced in their new roles with new relationships with each another.”
Is MK1 a Reboot? FAQ
A: The new Mortal Kombat 1 is a reboot of the franchise and not a direct remake of the first game. While it introduces a new universe with new twists on established characters, it doesn’t parallel the events of the original Mortal Kombat. The characters and their relationships have been reimagined, creating a fresh start for the series.
A: Yes, there is some continuity. Characters like Liu Kang and Geras are aware of the events of Mortal Kombat 11. Liu Kang, as the Keeper of Time, shaped the universe of Mortal Kombat 1. Geras, existing outside of time, has knowledge of the events that preceded. Some other characters also have knowledge about Mortal Kombat 11’s events, but these are revealed later in the story mode.
A: Ed Boon, the series co-creator, described Mortal Kombat 1 as the start of a new universe. It’s not a continuation of the Mortal Kombat 11 story. Boon emphasized that the characters in this reboot follow different rules and have new relationships, marking it as a brand-new beginning for the franchise.
