The Potential Evolution of Mortal Kombat 1's Tournament Meta

Article Key Points

The impact of Mortal Kombat 1's triumph in the competitive gaming realm is clearly demonstrated by its prominence in smaller tournaments like ECT, where it secured the second-highest participation rate, surpassing even SF6—a remarkable feat for the franchise.

After ECT, patching the game enables competitors to grasp the effects of MK1's primary balance patch prior to the upcoming major event, mirroring the approach taken in Street Fighter 6.

The balance of Mortal Kombat 1 will be heavily influenced by the competitive scene and tournament performance, as evidenced by the nerfing of Cyrax following their dominant play at ECT. This showcases the significant impact of high-level competitive play on game balance.

Mortal Kombat 1, similar to other popular fighting games, has a thriving competitive community that coexists with its casual player base. While casual players make up the majority of the game's players, competitive tournaments often influence the direction of esports titles, and Mortal Kombat 1 is no exception. Following the East Coast Throwdown tournament held at the end of October, the game received its first balance patch. While it's not common to have a major patch after every tournament appearance, it's a common practice in the genre.

Unlike other areas of esports, fighting games have maintained their success and popularity. Events like EVO 2023 have set attendance records, with a significant turnout for Street Fighter 6. The competitive scene for Mortal Kombat 1 also seems to be thriving. Although ECT is a relatively smaller tournament, MK1 was the second-most-played game after SF6. Guilty Gear: Strive had dominated the fighting game scene before the release of SF6 and still remains one of the most popular games. Therefore, surpassing it is a significant achievement, especially for a renowned franchise like Mortal Kombat.

While the game's entrance numbers at EVO 2024 will be a better litmus test of its health, it is getting a strong start.

Mortal Kombat 1 Patches Will Arrive During Competitive Breaks

East Coast Throwdown marked the inaugural major competitive event for Mortal Kombat 1 and serves as one of the final prominent fighting game tournaments of the year, excluding game-specific championships. Notably, the official MK1 North American esports page does not list any other events for 2023, further highlighting the significance of ECT. Considering this, it is sensible to update the game following the tournament in order for competitors to familiarize themselves with the effects of MK1's initial major balance patch before the next significant competition. It is worth mentioning that while character balance changes were not implemented, Street Fighter 6 underwent a substantial update one month after its release in preparation for EVO 2023. This allowed players ample time to adapt to the transformative modifications that influenced crucial aspects of the game.

Mortal Kombat 1's Next Balance Patch Could Take a Long Time

Balance updates and new character additions in Mortal Kombat 1 are often addressed through patches during breaks in competitive fighting games. The next significant balance patch for MK1 is expected to be released either before the end of January or alternatively, during the summer following EVO 2024. However, it is more likely that the patch will be introduced at the conclusion of Mortal Kombat's dedicated competitive season for 2024. In general, one can anticipate the following:

Patches impacting system mechanics and balance will happen during off-seasons.

Minor patches with bug fixes and character additions typically occur at least two weeks before major events.

Updates and characters released immediately before events may result in the event using an older version of the game.

Character releases may immediately follow a major event like EVO.

Competitive Play Will Dictate Balance for MK1

The balance of Mortal Kombat 1 is not only affected by updates and content releases but also by tournament performance and the opinions of the competitive scene. A prime example of how competitive events can influence balance is Leroy Smith in Tekken 7. At EVO Japan in 2020, Leroy was used by 6 out of the top 8 players, leading to the character being nerfed. Similarly, in the case of MK1, the first balance patch was made before ECT, a tournament where Cyrax was heavily favored by players. However, in a controversial move, Cyrax was nerfed in the subsequent update. It is clear that high-level competitive play serves as a reliable indicator of a fighting game's balance.

Mortal Kombat 1's balancing could potentially require more frequent updates than other competitive fighting games due to several factors. Firstly, Mortal Kombat games are released more frequently and have shorter lifespans compared to other major franchises in the genre. Moreover, the introduction of the Kameo system in MK1 adds a novel element to the series. The inclusion of assist characters from the Kameo system alters the dynamics of balancing. Making adjustments to a support character not only affects that specific Kameo character but also has implications for each primary fighter. Consequently, NetherRealm may find it necessary to implement more balance changes than in previous games and at irregular intervals, as they continue to adapt to this new system.

Mortal Kombat 1

Franchise: Mortal Kombat

Platforms: PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S

Release Date: September 19, 2023

Developer: NetherRealm Studios

Publisher: Warner Bros. Games

Genre: Fighting

ESRB Rating: M for Mature 17+ (Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Strong Language)

Game Length: 7 Hours

Metascore: 83

PS Plus Availability: N/A

Editor's P/S

As a Gen Z fan, I am excited about the potential evolution of the Mortal Kombat 1 tournament meta. The competitive scene has already had a significant impact on the game's balance, and I expect this trend to continue. I am also looking forward to seeing how new characters and balance changes will affect the meta. I think that the developers are doing a great job of listening to the community and making changes that will improve the game for everyone.

Overall, I am very optimistic about the future of Mortal Kombat 1's competitive scene. I believe that the game has the potential to be one of the most popular fighting games in the world, and I am excited to see how it evolves in the years to come.