Last month, NetherRealm Studios released a major update for Mortal Kombat 11 to coincide with the release of the latest generation of consoles. As with any big fighting game update, Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate came with a variety of changes to the roster that alters each character's effectiveness. This means MK11's tier list has undergone some changes, but they aren't as drastic as one might think.
The most significant of the changes made in Ultimate is undoubtedly the addition of custom character variations. Similar to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's custom Mii Fighter, MK11 players can now customize certain moves in their characters' repertoires. This works well for some characters, since players can remove moves that were otherwise useless and replace them with ones that have more utility. Depending on the moves in question, changes like this can drastically improve a character's effectiveness in a whole range of situations.
However, According to pro MK11 players Dragon and HoneyBeeCMNDR, Mortal Kombat 11's tier list hasn't actually changed that much. The two broke down Ultimate in a video on fighting game YouTube channel ONEvONE, saying characters that benefited most from custom variations are mostly ones that already dominated the game's meta. As a result, MK11's higher tiers look fairly similar to what they were before Ultimate.
Why Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate's Top-Tier Characters Are Still Good
Despite these characters' increased power, it appears Mortal Kombat 11 has remained relatively balanced. Dragon and HoneyBeeCMNDR placed the majority of the game's cast in the three highest tiers, with only ten of MK11's 37 playable characters placed in the bottom two tiers, labeled "A+" and "A." It's unclear if this letter choice was meant to say that even the bottom-tier characters are competitively viable, as the two pros did not explain the specifics of their ranking system.
Either way, the ranking still means the majority of the MK11's cast is viable, even if the bottom-tier characters are not. This doesn't make tiers unimportant, however. When it comes down to it, the best characters will usually see the most victories. As a result, characters like Cetrion, Liu Kang, Sub-Zero, and Joker will remain MK11's top forces to be reckoned with. Players who pick characters from lower tiers will have to rely on either a good matchup or pure skill to win.
It should be noted that these tier placements are only initial impressions. Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate only came out a few weeks ago, and it takes months or years for a game's meta to develop fully. Even if NetherRealm makes no more MK11 updates, the tier list will continue to look different as players develop new strategies. Regardless, the placement decisions made by pros are still reflective of what strategies work at this point in time. Even if a character like Joker isn't actually top-tier, players should still face him with caution, unless they have a good counter-strategy in mind.
Source: ONEvONE/YouTube