With very few registrations for EVO 2024 and a decline in its player base on Steam, Mortal Kombat 1 is slowly losing relevance and popularity in the fighting game community.
The addition of the Kameo system has made it challenging for casual players to grasp the game’s advanced mechanics, leading to waning interest.
Turning the game into a live service title has also diluted its identity as the iconic fighting game it once was.
But despite its huge success on launch, Mortal Kombat 1 doesn’t seem to be doing well these days. It seems to be losing players and is slowly being removed from relevancy. It is surprising to see a huge game like this suffer from a reduced player base.
Mortal Kombat 1 is steadily losing players. At launch, it had over 20,000 players on Steam but now averages just 1,500 daily. This decline isn’t limited to Steam; Mortal Kombat is more popular on consoles, yet console players are also leaving. Matchmaking times have increased significantly, making it harder for competitive players to find ranked matches.
EVO is the biggest fighting game tournament, where the best players of each featured game compete for huge prizes and fame. In the past, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and Street Fighter had the most registrations due to their competitive nature and the grand prizes offered. However, this year, Mortal Kombat 1 has significantly fewer registrations.
The Underwhelming Number Of MK1 Registrations On EVO 2024
Mortal Kombat 11, the title before MK1, was not well-received even at launch, contributing to its lack of relevance in the fighting game community. However, MK1 looked promising, and hardcore fans had high expectations for its performance in the competitive scene.
Despite being less than a year old, MK1’s performance is worse than older games like Guilty Gear Strive and the decades-old Street Fighter 3: Third Strike. This shift has left MK1 fans surprised, with many speculating that the game has lost most of its casual fanbase.
You might wonder how the competitive aspect of a fighting game relates to its casual audience. We all start as casuals and make our way up to higher ranks. A player only wants to improve and play professionally in a game if they like it.
Guilty Gear Strive is a great example, keeping casual players engaged years after its release and motivating them to improve. Mortal Kombat 1, however, seems to fail in this regard.
Kameo System
The Kameo mechanic is one of the biggest reasons the game started losing players. This feature is an assist system similar to those in other tag-team fighting games. With the press of the assist button, the Kameo character supports you in offense and defense.
Mortal Kombat 1 Kameo Select Screen
However, this system doesn’t fit the iconic Mortal Kombat gameplay. Since the earliest titles, the Mortal Kombat series has focused on traditional 1v1 fighting. Introducing an assist system in MK1 threw players off. Professional players saw it as an increase in the skill ceiling, but it was annoying and often difficult to manage for the rest.
Initially, fans were excited about the Kameo mechanic as it allowed developers to reintroduce memorable characters from previous titles. However, it quickly became a controversial feature, and players began to despise the overall game design.
Turning Into Live Service
“Live service” and “fighting games” are words that don’t usually go together; they feel mismatched. However, NetherRealm Studios has somehow combined both concepts. They’ve turned a fighting game into a live service experience by focusing less on the competitive aspect and more on content that players have to pay for or spend time on.
Seasonal Rewards And Items Of MK1
With the introduction of Seasons in Mortal Kombat 1, players’ time is not valued anymore. Most players cannot stick to the game and grind for the season rewards for long periods. If they miss the seasonal skins, they won’t have another chance to obtain them unless they return in the future. Introducing the concept of seasons with limited-time rewards is absurd.
Hoping For The Best
Mortal Kombat is supposed to be a fighting game easily accessible to casual players while offering room for professional players to improve. However, additions like Kameo and Seasons have made the game lose its identity. It is no longer the iconic fighting game known for its memorable ninjas like Scorpion and Sub-Zero and brutal finishers like Fatalities.
Mortal Kombat 1 does not retain the feel of previous Mortal Kombat games, but it still has time to improve, potentially increasing its presence in next year’s EVO tournament. However, modern gaming companies do not seem willing to change their ways, and even with the controversies MK1 faces, it is unlikely they will alter their game design approach.
Since getting my first Game Boy at age 11, I have loved playing a variety of games, with an emphasis on single-player adventure and RPG titles. My favorites include Mario and Zelda games (and spinoffs like Mario Kart and Smash Bros.), The Elder Scrolls series, and basically anything by Rockstar.