In addition to being a reboot, the game is a sequel to 2019's Mortal Kombat 11, taking place in a new timeline created by Liu Kang in his ending of 11's Aftermath expansion.

[5] In this new timeline, Fire God Liu Kang assembles a clique of fighters to participate in the latest Mortal Kombat tournament in Outworld while contending with an alliance formed by Titan Shang Tsung.

Mortal Kombat 1 features a story mode, online multiplayer with rollback netcode, and offline gameplay, as well as cross-play and cross-progression, a first in the series.

In the present, Shang Tsung, now a powerless Outworlder, struggles to make a living selling quack medicine until he is approached by a mysterious individual named "Damashi", who reveals to him that he has the potential to become a sorcerer and that unseen forces have been working against him.

With Baraka's aid, the group locates the lab and stops Shang Tsung from seemingly infecting Outworld's crown princess, Mileena, with the Tarkat virus.

The Earthrealmers and Baraka are taken to the Flesh Pits, but escape with help of Reptile, a shapeshifting outcast, and encounter Ashrah, a Netherrealm Demoness in search of absolution, who reveals that Quan Chi is building devices capable of stealing souls on a massive scale.

As Scorpion and Smoke escape, Geras, upon further investigation, informs Liu Kang that "Damashi" hails from a parallel timeline.

With Constable Li Mei's help, Liu Kang returns to Outworld to provide Sindel and her daughters with evidence of the sorcerers' treachery and reveal his influence on the current timeline.

Mileena defeats him, allowing the soul of her father and Sindel's husband, Emperor Jerrod, to manifest and take control of Ermac's body.

Liu Kang's group narrowly drives them off, though Sindel is fatally wounded and appoints Mileena her successor before dying and having her soul absorbed by Jerrod.

As the others leave to destroy the Dragon Army, Liu Kang regains his Titan powers and reunites with his friends from the previous timeline to recruit forces for the upcoming battle.

Following a grueling battle, Liu Kang's group prevails, allowing him to erase Titan Shang Tsung and his timeline from existence.

Due to them aiding and abetting Shao's rebellion, Liu Kang takes Sub-Zero and Sektor to be judged by Mileena and attempts to convince her to spare them to mend further conflict.

He soon learns from Havik that he intends to combine Geras' time crystals with six artifacts called the Kamidogu to destroy the multiverse and reshape it in his image before experimenting on Sub-Zero.

Knowing he and Mileena must remain in their timeline to protect it, Liu Kang sends Scorpion, Cyrax, and Sektor to Khaosrealm to rescue Geras.

Liu Kang allows Sektor to leave and become the Lin Kuei's grandmaster while promising to find a way to restore Saibot, keeping him at the Temple of the Elements for safety in the meantime.

Discovery CEO David Zaslav announced during a 2022 fourth-quarter earnings call that a twelfth installment in the series was set to be released later in that year.

It is the second reboot of the series and is set in the New Era timeline created by Liu Kang after he attained godhood in Mortal Kombat 11.

[18] The following month, actress Megan Fox was revealed to be voicing Nitara,[19] which was met with a very poor reception by players upon release.

[22] The first Kombat Pack was announced during San Diego Comic-Con 2023, consisting of three returning characters from Mortal Kombat X in 2015; Ermac, Quan Chi, Takeda and three additional guest characters; Omni-Man from the Invincible series by Image Comics, Peacemaker from DC Comics, and Homelander from The Boys by Dynamite Entertainment.

[27] Shortly around the game's release, Ed Boon revealed that there was an attempt to get John Wick as a potential guest character, alongside actor Keanu Reeves as a skin for Kenshi.

[28] In November 2023, actor Antony Starr revealed he would not be reprising his role as Homelander from the television series The Boys (2019–present) for the DLC through an Instagram comment.

[31] During a panel at San Diego Comic Con 2024, a DLC story expansion called Khaos Reigns was revealed, which contains a fighter pack featuring six new playable characters.

[47][48] Mitchell Saltzman of IGN, who had given the version on PlayStation 5 an 8 out of 10,[59] gave the Switch port a 3, stating, "There's a hint of a great fighting game still peeking through the blurry backgrounds, but its horrendous load times, inconsistent framerate, muddy visuals, and plethora of bugs make the Switch version an altogether aggravating way to play what is a great fighting game on other platforms.