Mortal Kombat 1 beta: how to access the beta, expected dates, and exclusives

By Sam Hill May 18, 2023

Shang Tsung stealing someone's soul in Mortal Kombat 1.

The next entry in the Mortal Kombat series has finally been announced and NetherRealm Studios is taking us back to the very beginning of the story. Mortal Kombat 1 — which launches on September 19 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC — is set to be a “new beginning for the franchise,” according to series co-creator Ed Boon.

We’ve still got a few months until the launch of what will essentially be a reboot, and the trailer didn’t give us a look at any gameplay, but the studio did confirm that there will be a beta of the game made available before its full release. Here’s what you need to know.

How to access the Mortal Kombat 1 beta

Key art for Mortal Kombat 1 shows Liu Kang.

We don’t know the exact date of the MK1 beta just yet, but it’s likely that it will be up sometime in August ahead of the game’s September launch.

In order to access the beta, you’ll need to preorder the game. Preorders for MK1 are expected to go live on May 19 — we’ll have more information here on retailers when those go live. Unfortunately, the beta will only be accessible on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S. In addition to getting beta access, anyone who preorders MK1 will also obtain Shang Tsung as an exclusive character.

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Sam Hill is a journalist and the gaming guides editor at Digital Trends. He's also written tech guides for Input and has…

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