NetherRealm Studios has announced that Mortal Kombat 1 has now sold over 6.2 million copies worldwide. This milestone shows continued momentum for the 2023 fighting game, which had already reached 5 million sales earlier this year. Alongside the sales update, the studio confirmed its commitment to making the title the most balanced Mortal Kombat entry to date.
This week’s August hotfix delivers a big list of gameplay changes aimed at improving character balance and competitive fairness. Main roster fighters, like Ashrah, Havik, Kenshi, Li Mei, and Liu Kang, have received tweaks to damage, move properties, and recovery frames. Several characters now have improved special-cancel abilities, changes to attack hit areas, and faster recovery times, while others have had damage values reduced to tone down their effectiveness.
The patch also brings numerous improvements for Kameo fighters, including changes to wake-up invulnerability frames, cooldown adjustments, and altered refill rates for certain assist moves. Characters like Sub-Zero, Frost, and Darrius get significantly improved defensive options, while others like Mavado face reduced support availability. In total, the update covers a wide range of fighters, showing NetherRealm’s active approach to post-launch balance.
Mortal Kombat 1 launched on September 19, 2023, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC. It’s the twelfth mainline entry and the second major reboot in the series, taking place in a new timeline shaped by Liu Kang following the events of Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath. While praised for its visuals, roster variety, and new gameplay mechanics, the game has also faced criticism over microtransactions and certain story choices. The Switch version, in particular, got negative feedback for performance and graphics issues.
With sales momentum continuing and updates like the August hotfix coming out, NetherRealm seems focused on making sure Mortal Kombat 1 keeps its competitive edge while addressing community feedback—an approach that could help establish its reputation as the most balanced entry in the franchise’s long history.
