Highlights
An issue with Mortal Kombat 1's multiplayer gives an unfair advantage to player one, making it difficult for player two to land combos.
Gamers have expressed frustration and accused the development team of rushed development due to the existence of the "player 1 advantage." NetherRealm is currently investigating the issue and is anticipated to address it in an upcoming patch for Mortal Kombat 1.
Despite the overall positive feedback received since its launch, Mortal Kombat 1 is facing an issue in its online and offline multiplayer modes. This issue grants an unfair advantage to player one during matches, creating an imbalance. The game's competitive community has been actively testing various characters to determine the best ones, and so far, Kenshi and Johnny Cage have emerged as popular choices. However, this new issue undermines the significance of character choices, as it seems to prevent player two from effectively executing combos while player one dominates the gameplay.
Mortal Kombat 1, the latest installment in the renowned fighting game franchise, represents a complete narrative reboot following the events of Mortal Kombat 11. Under the guidance of Fire God Liu Kang, a new era unfolds, characterized by a universe that has experienced a period of relative peace. Alongside this tranquility, the personal histories of many beloved characters have undergone alterations, some more subtle while others more drastic. However, Liu Kang's newfound peace is threatened when an enigmatic force begins influencing the new timeline, transforming select characters into the villains they were in the previous era.
The issue known as "player 1 advantage" has become more prevalent in both online and offline multiplayer games, greatly disrupting the gaming experience for some players. Redditor Bozeefus1991 describes this issue as player 1 being able to execute certain combos more easily, while player 2's attempts at the same combos are more likely to fail. This has caused frustration among gamers, leading to accusations of rushed development against Ed Boon and the NetherRealm team. As a result, the studio is currently investigating this issue.
Such issues can have a catastrophic impact on fighting games, where the outcome of a match can hinge on successfully executing a single combo. This is evident in major tournaments like the Evolution Champions Series (EVO) and Capcom Cup, where highly skilled players can dominate a match only to find themselves on the brink of defeat in a closely contested battle. However, the existence of "player 1 advantage" completely undermines the fairness of these competitions, depriving the second player of any legitimate chance to win.
NetherRealm is currently investigating the issue, and the next question is how long it will take for the studio to resolve it. The investigation strongly suggests that a fix will be included in one of the upcoming patches for Mortal Kombat 1, although it is uncertain which specific patch it will be included in. In the meantime, players will be taking a chance whenever they play multiplayer with characters such as Johnny Cage, Liu Kang, General Shao, or any other character of their choice.
Mortal Kombat 1 can be played on Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.