What to Expect From Mortal Kombat 1's Khaos Reigns DLC

When Mortal Kombat 1 hit shelves back in September of last year, it was met with quite a bit of praise from critics, currently sitting at an impressive 84 on OpenCritic. Mortal Kombat 1's blockbuster story mode, varied roster, and intriguing new Invasions mode offered plenty of content on day one, but that content has since become a bit stale.

With the lack of a Krypt mode, a severe lack of online modes compared to past entries and its direct competition, and the most aggressive monetization the franchise has seen thus far, Mortal Kombat 1's legacy has certainly soured over time. But developer NetherRealm is hoping it can bring fans back with a new expansion. Titled Khaos Reigns, Mortal Kombat 1's paid story expansion is set to release on September 24 2024, and though its entry price is high, fans should get a lot of bang for their buck.

What Fans Can Expect to See From Mortal Kombat 1's Khaos Reigns Expansion

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Adds A New Chapter to the Story

One-half of Mortal Kombat 1's Khaos Reigns DLC is its new story content, which is set to continue the narrative of Liu Kang's new universe. This DLC ties in directly with Mortal Kombat 1's mid-credits scene, in which a powerful Titan version of the fighter Havik marched his way menacingly onto screen, and claimed that the next time there's a multiversal battle, the fighting will never end.

Based on the recently released trailer, Mortal Kombat 1's Khaos Reigns DLC will see this Titan Havik attempt to spread anarchy across Liu Kang's timeline, forcing the Fire God to once again summon his champions to aid him in battle. During the chaos, Havik tortures Bi-Han, turning him into a new version of Noob Saibot. Along the way, new versions of Sektor and Cyrax also join the fight.

While the length of Mortal Kombat 1's Khaos Reigns story expansion hasn't been officially revealed, fans can probably expect it to have a similar runtime to Mortal Kombat 11's Aftermath DLC. This means Khaos Reigns' story could feature around 5–8 chapters, and take around 3–4 hours to complete, around half the length of Mortal Kombat 1's main story.

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns will retail for $49.99, giving fans both the story expansion and second Kombat Pack. Or, for $59.99, fans can get the Khaos Reigns Bundle, which also includes the previously released Kombat Pack 1.

Mortal Kombat 1: Khaos Reigns Adds Six New Fighters

The other half of Mortal Kombat 1's Khaos Reigns DLC is the six new playable fighters it's bringing to the table. On launch day, players who've purchased Khaos Reigns will instantly unlock Cyrax, Sektor, and Noob Saibot, all of whom will seemingly play major roles in the DLC's story. Three guest fighters – Conan the Barbarian, Terminator 2's T-1000, and Scream's Ghostface – are also included in Mortal Kombat 1's Khaos Reigns expansion, though they'll appear in the game at a later, currently unspecified date.

It's also interesting to note that Mortal Kombat 1's Khaos Reigns DLC seemingly isn't adding any more Kameo fighters to the game's roster. Kameo fighters have been a fairly controversial aspect of MK1 since even before its launch, so it's interesting to see that they aren't a part of this expansion. Though recent rumors have suggested NetherRealm is waiting to release a handful more for the game's unconfirmed Kombat Pack 3.

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OpenCritic Reviews: Top Critic Avg: 84 /100 Critics Rec: 87%

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Released: September 19, 2023
ESRB: M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language
Developer(s): NetherRealm Studios
Publisher(s): Warner Brothers Games
Engine: Unreal Engine 4
Multiplayer: Online Multiplayer
Cross-Platform Play: PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S