NetherRealm is currently hosting a stress test forMortal Kombat 1, meaning that select players can try out the upcoming fighting game all weekend long. After a few years of rumors and speculation, NetherRealm formally announced the next installment of the famedMortal Kombatseries in May.Mortal Kombat 1is a continuity reboot, with the newly-minted Fire God Liu Kang using Kronika’s reality-altering Hourglass to create a peaceful new timeline. However, Shang Tsung soon returns, forcing Liu Kang and his allies back into battle once more.More ofMortal Kombat 1was shown off during this month’s Summer Game Fest, asMortal Kombatco-creator Ed Boon took to the stage to discuss some of the game’s newest features. While most of the brutal and bloody fighting action fans have come to expect fromMKwill be present and accounted for,Mortal Kombat 1isshaking things up with Kameo Fighters, supporting fighters who can be called upon to assist the player during a match. While most fans will have to wait untilMortal Kombat 1makes its official release in September, a lucky few will get to step into the blood-soaked arena a bit early.RELATED:Ed Boon Challenges Players to Decide if Mortal Kombat 1 Ideas Are Truth or TrollingBack in May, NetherRealm set out invitations for aspecialMortal Kombat 1stress test, and now it is being held this weekend. The officialMortal KombatTwitter account heralded this testing period by announcing that codes for the game had been sent out to participating players yesterday. Anyone with said code can tryMortal Kombat 1from now until 11 AM Eastern Time (or 8 AM Pacific) on June 26.
NetherRealm also revealed that theMortal Kombat 1development team noticed an unspecified issue in the testing a day before sending out the codes for the stress test, but was able to fix it in short order. This stress test is meant to testMortal Kombat 1’s online functionality, so players will compete against each other in 1v1 matches and play against AI-controlled opponents in a limited version of the game’s Klassic Towers mode. However, it isn’t available on Nintendo Switch or PC, nor is there any cross-platform support on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Mortal Kombat 1looks promising already, and the feedback generated from this weekend’s stress test could help make the game even better when it finally launches in September. For now, select fans can get a small preview of the brutality to come when the forces of Earthrealm return to do battle once more this fall.
Mortal Kombat 1is scheduled to release July 28, 2025, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
