Mortal Kombat 1 players slam devs for paywall-locked Invasions content
WB GamesMK1 players are slamming developers after realizing that some Invasions content is locked behind a paywall.
Ahead of launch, NetherRealm insisted the Invasions mode in its latest Mortal Kombat entry wouldn’t feature a Battle Pass or microtransactions.
Lead Systems Designer Derek Kirtzic mentioned in a Kombat Kast stream that the mode would run on “free content” and “passive reward structures.” Needless to say, such comments put worried minds at ease.
Yet, fans have learned that at least some of the mode’s content is only accessible with a playable Shang Tsung – a character available to pre-order buyers and those who purchase him as DLC.
MK1 fans blast devs for Invasions content locked behind paid DLC
The currently running first season of Invasions has a mesa level centered around Shang Tsung‘s Laboratory. It functions like any other level, tasking players with engaging in fights and other activities to progress to the next boss.
There’s one problem, though. In exploring the sorcerer’s lab, Reddit user T-Squeezy ran across a chest blocked by a barrier, which can only be destroyed if a player performs Shang Tsung’s second Fatality. Since the player doesn’t own the DLC fighter, this particular bit of MK1 Invasions content isn’t accessible.
“Content in the base game should not be locked behind owning DLC characters,” the Redditor wrote in frustration.
Based on the comments, others couldn’t agree more with the Redditor’s argument. Said one MK1 player, “Nah this is some actual bulls*** lmao.” To them, this further proves the fan theory that Shang Tsung was initially the reward for beating the story mode, only to be reduced to DLC content later.
Another comment reads, “I don’t know what to tell you. It’s despicable and cheap. But they are ABSOLUTELY going to do something similar with the Kombat Pack fighters each season.”
Worst still, the chest’s contents allegedly don’t feature Shang Tsung-centric items. Someone else in the thread claimed the unlockable items include gear for General Shao and Johnny Cage.
This MK1 Invasions fiasco isn’t the first time a Mortal Kombat game has come under fire for its monetization. MK11 notoriously received the community’s ire for excessive microtransactions.