How to Play Mortal Kombat 1 Early

The blood-soaked battles of Mortal Kombat 1 can be played almost a week ahead of the game’s standard release for those who simply can’t wait to get their hands on the new title to this iconic fighting franchise. Only the most dedicated of fans who invest in this title’s future are going to be able to rip off some heads sooner than everybody else. There are also a few restrictions that affect when you are able to access the servers as they go live.

Potential kombatants should keep in mind that you can pre-download the game on your system ahead of time if you have already pre-ordered Mortal Kombat 1. This will give you access to the pre-order bonus character Shang Tsung, the shape-shifting sorcerer who has a different fighting style over past iterations. Those looking to try out the new inventions of classic characters may want to set themselves up to dive in right away.

How to Join Mortal Kombat 1’s Early Access

To join players in Mortal Kombat 1 early, you need to purchase the Premium Edition of the game so that it goes live for you on September 14th instead of the Sept. 19th standard release date. These five days of access ahead of others goes live at different times depending on what region you live in. Here are the various times when you might be able to jump into the ultra-violent battles:

• West Coast North America – Sept. 14th, 10am PDT
• East Coast North America – Sept. 14th, 1pm EDT
• United Kingdom – Sept. 14th, 6pm BST
• Mainland Europe – Sept. 14th, 7pm CEST
• Japan – Sept. 15th, 9am JST

Buying the Premium Edition will also give you several rewards that are exclusive to anyone getting this elevated version of the game. The Johnny Cage Jean-Claude Van Damme skin modeled from the voice and appearance of the action star can be selected. In addition, this version comes with every character in the first Kombat Pack of Mortal Kombat 1, meaning you will get to play as the initial DLC roster ahead of time.

Around 1,000 Dragon Krystals with a +250 bonus will also be given to Premium Edition holders, giving you an opportunity to explore more customization options for your favorite characters in the new Invasions single-player mode. The benefits rewarded to those who play Mortal Kombat 1 early make the extra price worth it with tons of more content for die-hard fans of the series.