Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection lands with a PS5 problem — here’s what matters for players

This caught my attention because latency ruins fighting games

Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection should’ve been a clean victory lap for a legendary series: the original 90s entries, arcade and console cuts, and a treasure trove of interviews and restored archives, all wrapped up for modern hardware on October 30, 2025. On PC and Xbox, players are praising responsiveness and stability. But on PlayStation 5, creators and competitive-minded fans are flagging something far less celebratory: heavy input lag that makes a precise genre feel mushy. For a franchise built on razor-timed blocks, juggles, and dial-a-combos, that’s a deal-breaker.

• Reports point to significantly higher input lag on PS5 versus PC and Xbox.
• Creator Maximilian Dood called the PS5 version “atrocious,” suggesting sub-50ms as a target.
• No official developer response or patch timeline yet.
• If you care about timing, play on PC or Xbox for now.

Breaking down the problem

Early impressions said the collection felt great on PC and Xbox Series X|S – snappy inputs, stable performance, the works. Then the PS5 feedback started piling up. On social media, players describe a noticeable delay between button press and on-screen action. Maximilian Dood, who regularly measures and compares fighting game latency, didn’t mince words: “As expected. Xbox and PC versions run great. But the PlayStation version is atrocious… Getting that down to 50ms will do wonders to make the game feel significantly better.”

There’s no official data yet, and the developers haven’t issued a statement or promised a fix. That matters because in a 60 fps fighter, every 16.7ms is a frame. When end-to-end latency creeps up, your punish windows shrink and confirms become guesswork. It’s the difference between stuffing a jump-in with a clean uppercut or eating a full combo for trusting your read.

Why this keeps happening with retro collections

We’ve seen this pattern before. Emulation and wrappers can introduce extra buffering, vsync strategies, or audio sync paths that add frames of delay. Some collections – think the better work from Digital Eclipse or post-patch Capcom compilations – have nailed “low-latency modes.” Others shipped with sluggish inputs on specific platforms and needed months to fix. The PS5’s 60 Hz output path, system overlays, and certain engine settings can also compound latency if they’re not tuned per platform.

That’s not to let anyone off the hook. If you’re selling classic arcade fighters, low latency isn’t a “nice to have” — it’s the product. PC and Xbox getting it right shows it’s achievable. The PS5 version simply needs platform-specific care to match.

What you’re getting in the Kollection (and where it shines)

On paper, this package is exactly what fans have been asking for: the formative Mortal Kombat entries from the 90s, both arcade originals and noteworthy console ports, plus documentary features, creator interviews, and restored archives that add context to why these games hit like a freight train back then. When responsiveness is right — as players report on PC and Xbox — it’s a fantastic way to rediscover MK’s chunky normals, nasty chip kills, and that unmistakable arcade cadence. It’s also a smart history lesson for anyone who came in via MK9, MKX, or MK1 and wants to feel where the meta began.

Advice for players right now

• If you have the choice, play on PC or Xbox at launch. The consensus is they feel responsive and stable.
• Locked to PS5? Try these mitigations while we wait on a patch:
  • Enable your TV’s Game Mode and disable post-processing.
  • Use a wired controller and a 120 Hz output mode if the game and your display support it — some titles reduce internal buffering at 120 Hz.
  • Close background apps and check for hotfixes frequently.
• Competitive curiosity? Keep an eye on community measurements (high-speed camera, LDAT); they’ll paint a clearer picture than vibes alone.

What the developers should do — and quickly

Transparency helps. Publish target latency numbers per platform, outline the fixes (reduced buffering, improved vsync strategy, input sampling changes), and ship a PS5 patch fast. The ask here isn’t “more content” — it’s to make the content playable in the way these games demand. A simple patch note that says “Reduced input latency on PS5 by X ms” will restore goodwill overnight.

Why this matters beyond Mortal Kombat

Retro fighters are having a moment, but they live or die by feel. We’ve watched communities rally around collections that respect that — strong rollback for online, low input latency offline, and accurate emulation. When a platform version lags behind, it splits player bases and sours the celebration. The upside is obvious: with PC and Xbox already in good shape, we’re one thoughtful patch away from this Kollection being easy to recommend everywhere.

TL;DR

Mortal Kombat Legacy Kollection delivers the right games and some great historical extras, but early reports say the PS5 version suffers from heavy input lag. Until there’s a fix, PC and Xbox are the way to go — because in MK, timing isn’t optional.