The highly anticipated Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection has finally fatality-sliced its way onto modern platforms, but for many players, the experience has been less of a "Flawless Victory" and more of a frustrating stumble. Developed by the renowned preservation experts at Digital Eclipse and published by Atari, this $50 compilation aimed to be the definitive way to experience the franchise's brutal roots. However, since its release on PC via Steam, Xbox Series S|X, and Nintendo Switch, a wave of player backlash has surfaced, focusing on significant input lag, audio problems, and underwhelming online play.
The collective frustration is starkly visible on the game's Steam store page, where the Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection currently holds a "Mixed" review rating, with only 45% of over 550 user reviews being positive at the time of writing. This negative reception stands in sharp contrast to the excitement that preceded the collection's launch.
You can see the user reviews for yourself on the official Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection Steam page.
The Core Complaints: Input Lag, Audio Bugs, and "Social Distancing" AI
The primary culprit behind the player uproar appears to be pervasive input lag. In fighting games, where split-second reactions are the difference between a spectacular combo and a crushing defeat, even milliseconds of delay can ruin the experience. Players report noticeable lag not just during online matches, but also in offline arcade modes and even navigating menus.
The severity of the issue varies dramatically by platform. Technical analyses, such as tests run on Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3, reveal a wide disparity:
- PC fares the best with approximately 22ms of lag.
- Xbox Series S|X comes in at around 51ms.
- Nintendo Switch sits at 73ms.
- PS5, surprisingly, suffers the most with a whopping 108ms of input lag.
In response to these reports, Digital Eclipse has publicly recommended players switch to wired controllers to help mitigate the problem, a suggestion that has been met with mixed reactions from a community that expects a smooth experience out of the box.
Beyond input lag, the online multiplayer has been lambasted for its limited features. The current "quick-play-only" matchmaking restricts players to a single game at a time, lacking the persistent lobbies that fighting game communities thrive on. Furthermore, players have criticized the collection's netcode, with one user famously quipping that the AI behavior in online matches resembles "social distancing and staying 6 feet away," avoiding engagement.
Audio issues also plague the package. Fans have reported missing tracks in the Sega 32X version of Mortal Kombat II and general audio bugs across other titles. Additional grievances include low-resolution ending cutscenes that detract from the preservation effort the collection is supposed to represent.
Developer Response and the Road to Fixes
Acknowledging the rocky launch, Digital Eclipse has taken to social media to address the community's concerns directly. The studio published a statement on its official X (formerly Twitter) account, promising fixes are in the works.
The developer stated, "We appreciate all the #MKLK feedback we’ve received, including audio and lag issues. We’re planning a hotfix that should address multiple issues, while others will require more time. We’ll have more details next week, but know that we’re aware and we’re working on it. Thank You!"
You can read the full statement from Digital Eclipse on X.
True to their word, the team has already rolled out an initial hotfix on Steam, which addressed audio buffering, fixed the specific 32X MKII audio problems, and enhanced stability for MK4 and the Sega Genesis ports. However, this is just the first step. Digital Eclipse has confirmed that console patches, improvements to matchmaking lobbies, and fixes for the Switch's rewind bugs are next in the queue.
A Silver Lining in the Storm?
Despite the bumpy launch, it's not all doom and gloom. The Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection succeeds in its core mission of game preservation. It brings together arcade-perfect ports and obscure console variants that have been incredibly difficult to play for decades. A standout for hardcore fans is the revival of the WaveNet Edition of UMK3, a version that has been largely unseen since 1997.
Digital Eclipse has a stellar track record with collections like Street Fighter 30th Anniversary and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Cowabunga Collection. Given their history of post-launch support, there is a strong hope within the community that, with time and patches, the studio can polish this collection into the definitive experience it was meant to be.
For those still looking to commit to the klassic kombat, a physical edition is available for pre-order.
Pre-order a physical copy of Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection on Amazon.
The journey to a "Flawless Victory" for the Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection has just begun, and the community is now watching closely, waiting for the fixes that will let the classics truly shine once again.