MultiVersus Has To Quickly Fix Its Game-Breaking Issues To Stand A Chance

MultiVersus has seen a fair share of highs and lows since it came out in open beta in July 2022. Warner Bros.‘ Super Smash clone was given the benefit of the doubt despite having heaps of issues during its early phases. However, its final release was expected to go smoothly and address every dilemma faced by the players. Did Warner Bros. manage to quench everyone’s criticisms, you ask? No, everything has gotten even worse.

The title lasted for nearly a whole year in open beta before it started dying and went off the radar for a year. The radio silence was quite concerning for the entry, but many chalked it up to devs taking their sweet time to address everything for a successful release. That was also what I believed for a long time. However, now that MultiVersus has launched, it plays and feels worse than during the open beta, which has surprised everyone.

So, what went so wrong that such a promising entry has turned into a disaster of a launch for many players?

MultiVersus’ Launch Is Barred With Heaps Of New Issues

All the hard work of devs and bundles of player feedback in the open beta appear to have gone to waste. Many essential features are gone and replaced with a plethora of bugs and glitches that were not even there in the beta version of the game. To add more fuel to the fire, the main feature of MultiVersus, its combat, is now somehow slower and clunkier than it was back in the day.

The input delay is horrendous and makes the combat feel so laggy and sluggish that playing the brawler feels like a chore. While dealing with the disadvantages of slower combat, players also have to handle the flawed dodging and movement of characters.

Disappointing changes and direction of the game
by inMultiVersus

Matchmaking itself is shoddy now; new players have reported being matched with those who have played over 300 rounds.

The Worse Netcode And Server Lag Makes The Game Nearly Unplayable

Arguably, my biggest pet peeve with MultiVersus right now is the changes to netcode and insane server lag. Even if you are using a good local internet cable service provider like Spectrum, maintaining a decent connection with game servers is quite difficult. The number of network errors is embarrassing despite players having good internet. MultiVersus just boots you right out of a live match, which completely ruins a good game session.

As a beta player of the newly released Multiversus, I'd like to say… it's straight dogshit. It has gotten worse from what we had; it's just not the same. IMO, all you needed to do was better HITBOXES, BETTER NETCODE, and more things to grind for like the RIFTS. This Multiversus… pic.twitter.com/5sSE8UDMaC

— Unpainful (@UnpainfulGaming) May 30, 2024

It is not like the servers of MultiVersus’ open beta were perfect, but it was still playable. Now, the indefinite input delay added to netcode makes combat feel so icky that you can’t help but wonder what went so wrong during the game’s launch. So far, the devs or Warner Bros. have made no official statements to address the players’ concerns.

The recent reviews on Steam have plummeted to “Mixed” and are filled with negative remarks by the players. I reckon it’s only a matter of time before the scores drop further.

A Lot Has Sadly Changed For The Worst From The Beta Period

Okay, the added bugs and glitches can be ironed out over time, no matter how bad they are. But, what about the plethora of uncalled-for changes from the beta period? The list is honestly huge, so I’ve featured a Reddit post that dives into some major alterations that have ruined MultiVersus’ launch. The removal of leaderboards and after-reports of matches is also unclear since they were appreciated features in the beta.

Everything that changed for the worse from the beta period.
byu/sloppybuttons inMultiVersusTheGame

The devs have also severely downgraded the training mode and removed the offline mode entirely. The characters are also expensive, making grinding worse than it was. To add more salt, many essential options from the settings have also been slashed from the game. 

Now, mix in a motley of technical issues, and you’ve got a title that is not even a shell of its former self anymore.

MultiVersus Can Still Be Saved If Warner Bros. Gets Its Act Together

There is too much to be sour about. However, I still believe that the main crux that fans loved in the open beta is still buried within. If all the technical issues are resolved and the changes in the 2D fighter are reverted to resemble the beta version, it may bounce back stronger than ever. 

Or else, we may soon see a worthy smash clone ending up in the forgotten records of the gaming industry.

Overall, all my excitement for this new brawler has already gone down the drain. The open beta was quite a memorable experience, but the game showed the most promise in its potential. Here’s hoping—and maybe some coping—that Warner Bros. will take notice of the long list of player criticisms and fix all the game issues.