• Guide

Mortal Kombat 1 Closed Beta dates & how to access

Here's when and how you can download and play the Mortal Kombat 1 Closed Beta.

Donovan Erskine

July 27, 2023 11:30 AM

NetherRealm

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We’re less than a couple months away from the release of Mortal Kombat 1, which will reset the series timeline and deliver yet another high-profile fighting game for fans to dig into. Prior to release, fans will have a chance to go hands-on with the game through an upcoming Closed Beta. If you’re interested in playing it yourself, we’ll run down the dates and how you can download the MK1 Closed Beta.

Mortal Kombat 1 Closed Beta dates

The Mortal Kombat 1 Closed Beta will begin on August 18, and will run until August 21, 2023. This will give fans a full weekend to get a taste of the chaos before the game’s full release date on September 14.

How to access the Mortal Kombat 1 Closed Beta

The August Mortal Kombat 1 Closed Beta is exclusively available to players who pre-order the game. Luckily, you don’t need to buy a deluxe version in order to gain access — pre-ordering the Standard Edition will do. The beta will only be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Mortal Kombat 1 Closed Beta characters and content

Developer NetherRealm has confirmed the roster of Fighters, Kameos, and stages featured in the upcoming Closed Beta:

• Fighters: Liu Kang, Sub-Zero, Kenshi, Kitana, Johnny Cage, and Li Mei
• Kameos: Kano, Sonya, Jax, and Frost
• Stages: The Teahouse & Johnny Cage's Mansion

That’s everything you need to know about the Mortal Kombat 1 Closed Beta and what you need to do in order to play it. As we get closer to the game’s launch, stick with Shacknews for everything you need to know about Mortal Kombat 1, including the game’s growing roster of playable characters.

Donovan Erskine

News Editor

Donovan is a young journalist from Maryland, who likes to game. His oldest gaming memory is playing Pajama Sam on his mom's desktop during weekends. Pokémon Emerald, Halo 2, and the original Star Wars Battlefront 2 were some of the most influential titles in awakening his love for video games. After interning for Shacknews throughout college, Donovan graduated from Bowie State University in 2020 with a major in broadcast journalism and joined the team full-time. He is a huge Scream nerd and film fanatic that will talk with you about movies and games all day. You can follow him on twitter @Donimals_