Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection faces backlash over input lag, audio, and online issues as devs promises fixes

Developed by Digital Eclipse and published by Atari, Mortal Kombat Legacy Collection has finally been released for PC via Steam, Xbox Series S|X, and Nintendo Switch. Priced at $50, the Legacy Kollection has unfortunately garnered Mixed reviews on Steam, with a user rating of 45% out of 550 reviews after launch.

The reason behind the negative reception is persistent input lag, which is noticeable when playing the game online, offline, and in menus. Furthermore, players have lambasted Mortal Kombat: Legacy Kollection’s online multiplayer for its quick-play-only matchmaking, which restricts players to a single game at a time.

Furthermore, the Legacy Kollection has been criticized for its inferior netcode, with users complaining that AI behavior is similar to “social distancing and staying 6 feet away.” The Legacy Kollection also has audio bugs, including missing tracks in the Sega 32X Mortal Kombat II, and low-resolution ending cutscenes.

Input lag varies widely across platforms. Testing on Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3 shows that the PS5 version suffers the most, with around 108ms, compared to just 22ms on PC, 51ms on the Xbox Series S|X, and 73ms on the Nintendo Switch 2. Digital Eclipse, on the other hand, recommends players switch to wired controllers to mitigate the issue.

Addressing the various problems, Digital Eclipse published a statement on X:

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!

To mitigate some of the issues mentioned above, Digital Eclipse rolled out a Steam hotfix that improved audio buffering, fixed 32X MKII audio, and enhanced stability for MK4 and the Sega Genesis ports. However, this is just a hotfix for PC. Next on the queue are consoles, matchmaking lobbies, and fixes for the Switch’s rewind bugs.

Despite the bumpy launch, Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection fares well in its effort to preserve older titles, like reviving the WaveNet Edition of UMK3, which has been under the radar since 1997.

Digital Eclipse has a solid track record, and in time, it’s possible the studio could polish the collection into a “Flawless Victory.”

Preorder a physical copy of Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection on Amazon