Mortal Kombat X is getting better and better this year. With the ESL Finals coming up at the end of this month, more characters on the way with the second Kombat Pack and now, a beta test for improved online matchmaking for NetherRealm’s bloody brawler. While MKX works great offline, many players have complained that the current netcode for Mortal Kombat X is not as great as other fighters, resulting in a lot of laggy matches and problems with connections when you try to play with someone who may not be on the same continent as you.

So, with this closed online beta, NetherRealm are trying to move away from a dynamic input latency model, where you inputs are delayed slightly to compensate for lag issues, and move towards a model which is similar to GGPO, with a rollback, simulate forward model of input latency which should better preserve inputs when playing on dodgy connections. As long as you have played 1 hour of MKX’s online, you can go onto their signup site and register for a chance to be a part of this closed beta test of the new online system. You should hear back on Tuesday the 19th if you were successful for getting into this first round of testing.

Not everyone will get into the beta upon sign up but similar to the Street Fighter V betas, the pool of players will increase as the tests go on. Only 4 characters will be available for this test to start off (Scorpion, Sub Zero, Jacqui Briggs and Johnny Cage) but like with the players, more characters will be adding to the testing environment as the beta rolls forward.

At the end of each match, there will be a short questionnaire for players to fill out, allowing them to comment and feedback on the current status of the netcode. Try to answer these questions as honestly as possible, as these answers will determine the future development of the new online. You can also go to the official Mortal Kombat X forums to give more detailed feedback, should the questionnaire not give you enough space to write your response. Streaming is encouraged, so get your capture cards ready if you do get into the beta, to help gather as much information as possible.