Mortal Kombat 1 devs address controversial Player 1 advantage issue

NetherRealm Studios has acknowledged a Mortal Kombat 1 issue that sees Player 1 gain an unfair advantage over Player 2.

Mortal Kombat players have spotted a glitch that puts online users in the Player 2 position at a technical disadvantage. MK1’s subreddit was flooded with these reports earlier this week, not long after YouTuber mrAPchem uploaded a video proving Player 1’s upper hand.

According to the YouTuber and other MK1 fans, Player 2 receives a larger hurtbox and deals less damage than their opponent. In addition, Player 1 will nail certain combos that Player 2 can’t land for reasons unknown. The YouTuber demonstrated as much with a Sub-Zero combo in their video.

Reddit user EyeGlittering6669 outlined the problem using the following example: “Let’s say Kitana vs Kitana, mirror match. If both do the same combo (online), P1 Kitana would have done 415 damage. P2 does the same combo with [the] same Kameo [but] P2 will end up doing 395 damage.”

As mrAPchem points out, this isn’t an issue exclusive to certain characters – it affects the entire Mortal Kombat 1 roster.

NetherRealm is aware of Mortal Kombat 1’s Player 1 advantage

Thankfully, NetherRealm Studios has been notified of the problem due to user reports. Redditor EvilAshySlashy shared a screenshot of what appears to be a report ticket that shows an investigation into Player 1 advantage is “in progress.” On WB Games’ “Bug Reporting” portal, this particular report does appear at the top of the “In-Progress” section.

NetherRealm CCO Ed Boon has since addressed the bug himself. In a Twitter post on September 27, Boon told fans, “The Player1 advantage bug has been fixed, and an update is being prepped for release very soon!”

As of writing, there’s no confirmation of when exactly the matter will be resolved. But at least players can rest assured that Mortal Kombat 1 developers found a solution.

In discussing the matter across several Reddit threads, MK1 fans concluded that this constitutes further evidence of the gaming being rushed.

Some similarly think a possible rush job could explain why the content for Mortal Kombat 1 feels so lacking, especially when compared to MK11.

NetherRealm and WB Games have big plans for the new Mortal Kombat going forward, however. Kombat Pack 1 will go live in early 2024, bringing the likes of Omni-Man, Homelander, and Peacemaker to the roster.