Mortal Kombat 1 Roster - Every Confirmed Character So Far

It's a great time to be a fighting game fan, and between the recent launch of Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8's upcoming arrival in January 2024, Mortal Kombat 1 is throwing its lethal hat into the ring. Now available, this sort-of-reboot of the franchise takes place in the New Era timeline, one that developer NetherRealm Studios has described as a new spin on the series. Iconic characters have been reimagined, a new fighting system is in play, and the gory fatalities that the franchise has become infamous for have been kept intact.

The reveal trailer showed off several of the fighters who'll appear in the game, with the current roster consisting being a highlight reel of familiar faces. Liu Kang, Scorpion, Sub-Zero, Raiden, Kung Lao, Kitana, Mileena, Shang Tsung, and Johnny Cage are present and accounted for, while a few obscure faces from other Mortal Kombat games are included as well. Characters who mostly had a one-and-done appearance before they were relegated to filling out the crowds in later games are now once again playable.

DLC fighters have also been confirmed, and we know that Omni-Man from Invincible will release in November. As part of that announcement, we also got a rough release date for all six characters included in the first Kombat Pass:

• Omni-Man (November 2023)
• Quan Chi (Winter 2023/2024)
• Peacemaker (Winter 2023/2024)
• Ermac (Spring 2024)
• Homelander (Spring 2024)
• Takeda (Summer 2024)

At Summer Game Fest, the first gameplay trailer showed off more of the new status quo and revealed Johnny Cage flexing high kicks and Hollywood charm, and in the first Kombat Kast livestream, a deep dive into the campaign revealed the return of Smoke and others. We've updated this list with all of the confirmed characters, although you might want to be wary of spoilers now that the game is out in the wild.

For more details, you can check out everything that we know about Mortal Kombat 1, and you can read on below for a quick rundown on who'll be painting the town red in Mortal Kombat 1.

Liu Kang got a major power-up by the end of Mortal Kombat 11, as he ascended to godhood and defeated Kronika. Kang would eventually reset the timeline to what is known as the "New Era" and usher in an age of peace, but as the trailer shows, not everyone wants to take him up on that offer.

Hailing from the dark realm of Vaeternus, Nitara fights to protect her fellow vampires in Liu Kang's New Era. As you'd expect, she can rip and tear through opponents with her vampiric traits, and this incarnation of the fan-favorite character is voiced by none other than Megan Fox, Hollywood actress, Diablo 4 eulogist, and noted blood enthusiast.

A reimagined version of Shao Kahn, not even a complete reset of reality has managed to slake this Outworld commander's thirst for blood. Like his previous incarnation, General Shao is a ruthless powerhouse who uses a brutal fighting style to rip and tear through his opponents.

Outworld's scream queen, Sindel is still a force to be reckoned with in the new era. A lethal combo of sonic shrieks and a killer hairstyle make her dangerous at almost any range, as Sindel fights to protect not only Outworld but also her twin daughters Mileena and Kitana.

Introduced back in Mortal Kombat 11 as the right hand man of Kronika, Geras wields the sands of time to lethal effect. Last seen sinking into the bottomless Sea of Blood, Geras has been reassigned to guard the Hourglass of Time in Liu Kang's New Era. The former adversaries appear to be on friendlier terms in Mortal Kombat 1, and when it comes to combat, Geras is a dangerous opponent who can stop time, smash enemies into their time-displaced variant selves, and finish them off with a sand tornado.

Usually a savage beast masquerading as a barely human ninja, Reptile has come a long way since the original Mortal Kombat. This version of the fan-favorite character is a more cunning shape-shifter, and in battle, he can unleash his trademark acid attacks and instantly transform into his deadly reptilian form to dish out some lethal damage.

Chaos on two legs, Havik has clearly adopted a fighting style based on the Black Knight from Monty Python and the holy grail as he'll clobber you with his own severed arm if you give him the chance to do so. Relentlessly aggressive, Havik strikes hard, fast, and will even vomit his own blood into the face of an opponent so that he can stun them.

Another familiar face who first appeared in Mortal Kombat Deception, Ashrah is a NetherRealm demon who has purged the evil from her soul, making her appear more angelic and giving her an arsenal of light-infused weapons to wield in combat.

Everyone's favorite Shirai-Ryu ninja is back, and this time, it looks like Scorpion isn't out for blood, as he appears to be allied with his eternal rival, Sub-Zero. From his brief appearance in the trailer, it looks like not much has changed for Scorpion, as he's still sporting his trademark color scheme and his signature kunai weapon.

Like Scorpion, Sub-Zero is an integral part of Mortal Kombat's history. The Lin Kuei assassin appears briefly in the trailer as he meets up with Scorpion, and looks like he hasn't lost his ice-cold touch. It's a pity that he gets his head curb-stomped into the floor, by Shang Tsung.

Mortal Kombat 1 has some royal class in its roster, thanks to the arrival of Princess Kitana. Dressed in regal blue and accompanied by her sister Mileena, Kitana appears to still be the princess of Edenia in this timeline judging by the prosperous people around her. She might want to watch out for her sister, though.

If Mileena is going to stab her sister Kitana in the back, at least she's brought the right tools for the job. In the previous timeline, Mileena was a genetic experiment that combined Edenian and Tarkatan DNA, resulting in a lethal clone of Kitana. She's back in the New Era, but she's still one princess that you don't want to have standing behind you and within stabbing distance of your spine.

It's not clear which Kung Lao is in Mortal Kombat 1, but this might be the original legend himself, the Great Kung Lao. Whichever incarnation this is, he appears to still have a fondness for sharp fashion as he's once again wearing some killer headgear.

By the end of Mortal Kombat 11, Raiden sacrificed his divinity so that Liu Kang would have the power to face Kronika and her forces. Rendered mortal, that Raiden spent his remaining years as a counsel to Kang and presumably died of old age. In the new timeline, he appears to have been reborn and is now standing side by side with both the Fire God and Kung Lao.

One of the most enduring villains in Mortal Kombat's long history, not even being wiped out of existence can stop this soul-stealing sorcerer from wreaking havoc in Liu Kang's new timeline. Up to his old tricks as usual, Tsung goes on a bloody rampage in the trailer and ultimately meets his fate when Kang serves up some divine justice.

While he doesn't appear in the trailer, Johnny Cage is confirmed to be part of the game's roster. It's not clear how the action movie star will be reimagined, but if you grab the Premium Edition of the game, you'll be able to dress him up as legendary movie star Jean-Claude Van Damme and hold your own Bloodsport Kumite with him.

The muscles from Brussels, the stars have finally aligned for Jean-Claude Van Damme to appear in Mortal Kombat. Available as an alternative skin for Johnny Cage, JCVD shares moves with the fictional character inspired by him and is also voiced by the real deal.

Where there's Smoke, there's fire! The fan-favorite ninja is back in playable action for the first time since Mortal Kombat 9. Like previous incarnations, Smoke is an agile assassin who use his special abilities to close gaps in an instant and attack from behind with lethal precision. Smoke has also added a deadly knife to his arsenal, which he can manipulate with his powers as either a close or mid-range weapon.

A waterbending master, Rain has an aquatic arsenal of special moves that he can unleash, making him adept at controlling the battlefield. From any range, Rain can unleash a torrent of attacks at anyone who tries to get close to him.

Another popular character in the Mortal Kombat mythos, not too much has changed with Kenshi. He's still a master swordsman who weaves deadly weapon strikes with ghostly assists, and one of his new fatalities turns his trademark sword into a gruesome blender.

Yes, you can see John Cena here, as this incarnation of the patriotic anti-hero is stepping into Mortal Kombat 1. He looks like he was pulled straight from his recent run on (HBO) Max, and he's packing some serious firepower to boot.

Also known as the worst dad ever, Omni-Man is flying out of Invincible and into Mortal Kombat 1. The Viltrumite, who is voiced once again by JK Simmons, was teased in the first Kombat pack, and he'll have plenty of superpowers to draw from, including flight, super-strength, and his trademark talent of inflicting ultra-violence on anyone who crosses him.

Similar to Omni-Man, Homelander from The Boys has the usual selection of Evil Superman powers to flex in battle. An inhumanly strong and bulletproof superhuman, Homelander has an extra trick up his sinister sleeves, as he can also unleash devastating laser-beams from his eyes that can cut through flesh with disturbing ease.

The first constable of the city of Sun Do, Outworld's capital city, Li Mei makes her big return in Mortal Kombat 1. A former head of the Umgadi, the royal Guard of the Outworld royal family, Li Mei's fighting style incorporates fireworks that can create bright and deadly effects in combat.

A fan-favorite since her introduction in Mortal Kombat 4, Tanya returns as an Umgadi warrior who protects the Outworld royal family, and specifically, Princess Mileena who is beginning to manifest some of the extreme symptoms of the Tarkat virus. In combat, Tanya wields a magical three-section staff that can deliver some brutal punishment.

One of the big rewrites to Mortal Kombat lore in the New Era timeline is that Tarkatans are now the victims of a deadly disease that turns them into flesh-eating monsters. As the leader of these outcasts, Baraka fights to protect his people using his newfound ferocity and trademark mutations to rip and tear through opponents.

More than just a red palette swap of Scorpion or Sub-Zero, Ermac is a hard-hitting warrior who traditionally wields incredible telekinetic powers. This version of the character has a more ghoulish design, and he'll be available alongside several other fighters in the Kombat Pack DLC.

One of of the more memorable new characters who was first introduced in Mortal Kombat X, Takeda is a versatile warrior who is equipped with an arsenal of weapons. No matter what range he's at, Takeda is usually incredibly lethal thanks to his powerful gear.

A nefarious NetherRealm sorcerer who is always scheming, Quan Chi joins Mortal Kombat 1 as a DLC character. It's not clear yet if he's a core or Kameo fighter, but usually, you can expect deadly skulls and soul-manipulating spells whenever he enters the arena.

General Shao's trusted--and lethal--second-in-command, Reiko hasn't appeared in a Mortal Kombat game since 2006's Armageddon. In Mortal Kombat 1, he's a brutal fighter who mixes in powerful slams, projectiles, and counters.

Laser beams! They're better than fireballs when you've got Kano on your side, and this version of the Black Dragon mercenary is dressed to kill in his original costume.

As lethal as ever, Sonya provides some powerful assists with both close and long-range attacks. For her fatality, she can deliver a kiss of death that'll leave your opponent feeling quite toasty.

Jax is rocking his original outfit in Mortal Kombat 2, and with him in your corner, he can deliver some hard-hitting offense and the biggest boot for a gruesome fatality.

What's better than using Kung Lao's deadly frisbee headwear to tear through opponents? Two hubcap hats to cause maximum damage. This Mortal Kombat 2 incarnation of Kung Lao can also wear down your foes with quick teleports and even quicker strikes.

An ice-cold killer with a modern twist on his original outfit, Classic Sub-Zero can freeze challengers and set them up for a brutal flurry of blows.

Mortal Kombat 3 boss Motaro stamps into the game as a powerful Kameo fighter. If you're faced with an opponent who likes to spam projectile attacks, he can be summoned to deflect them with a shield. In close-quarters combat, Motaro can shatter the ribcage of anyone who gets in your way.

The protagonist of Mortal Kombat Deception's Konquest story mode, Shujinko returns as a wise martial arts master who can set opponents up for a punishing juggle attack. For his X-Ray combo attack, Shujinko unleashes lightning-fast strikes on the torso and throat of an enemy.

Kurtis Stryker hasn't been a playable character since Mortal Kombat 9, but he's returning to the fold as a Kameo Fighter for the new game. As usual, expect this one-man SWAT team to assist players with an arsenal of firearms and explosives.

In comparison to Ashrah, Sareena has fully embraced her dark side as a NetherRealm demon and she assumes a fiery demonic form in battle. She joins several other characters like Frost, classic Jax, and Goro as one of the Kameo Fighters of Mortal Kombat 1.

For anyone who dreaded fighting a Sektor player back in the Mortal Kombat 9 days, prepare to relive some of that pain. This Kameo version of Sektor can be used to launch teleport attacks on opponents, plus he has a stockpile of missiles that he can unload in your general direction.

Everyone's favorite Lin Kuei cyborg returns as a Kameo fighter, and so far, it looks like he can be used to lob explosives at opponents or to charge forward and chest-bump them with his torso-saw.

We're not too certain what tactical advantages Goro will offer as a Kameo character, but when you're big and packing four arms loaded with killer intent, there's a good chance that this Shokan warrior will know exactly how to put them to good use.

Mortal Kombat's ice queen returns, and she's colder than ever with her ice-based offense. Only a brief snippet of gameplay has been shown, but it looks like you'll want to keep an eye open for her long-range ici-killattack.

Fans of the original Mortal Kombat get to wield the power of Scorpion's very first incarnation, as this Kameo fighter can unleash destructive hellfire when he's called upon.

The Sendo patriot who first appeared in Mortal Kombat Deception, Darrius has several useful abilities that can pin down enemies with grabs, as well as a fatality that literally disarms his opponent.