Mortal Kombat 1, like other major fighting games, hosts a thriving competitive community alongside its casual audience. While casual players make up the bulk of any game's player base, titles that qualify as esports will often have their direction shaped by competition; Mortal Kombat 1 is no different. East Coast Throwdown, a major fighting game tournament, was held at the end of October, and immediately following it, MK1 received its first balance patch. While a major patch shouldn't be expected after every big appearance for the game, the rhythm of following up a major tournament with an update is prevalent throughout the genre.