- Roster Expansion: The 1.07 update marked the debut of Rick Sanchez (Mage), a pivotal moment in the 2022 character release cycle that significantly influenced the high-skill ceiling meta.
- Retention Mechanics: Player progression was decelerated by doubling the XP requirement for character mastery (Levels 3–15), a strategic shift toward long-term engagement over rapid unlocks.
- Combat Stability: Introduction of the Anti-Infinite Combo System established a 4-hit threshold for attack decay, a foundational mechanic that evolved into the tighter hit-stun standards seen in the 2026 competitive landscape.
The history of MultiVersus is defined by its rapid iterative cycles and its eventual transition from Unreal Engine 4 to Unreal Engine 5. Looking back at the September 28, 2022, Update 1.07, we see a snapshot of a platform fighter in its “Open Beta” hyper-growth phase. For analysts tracking the game’s lifecycle into 2026, this update represents the first major attempt to regulate the “grind” and establish technical guardrails against infinite combos that threatened the competitive integrity of the product.
The Rick Sanchez Debut: Analyzing the Mage Meta
The addition of Rick Sanchez as a Mage-class fighter wasn’t merely a content drop; it was a test of the game’s technical limits. Rick’s kit, which featured projectiles with “Light Projectile” classifications (dealing no knockback), necessitated a refinement of the game’s physics engine. Unlike the streamlined combat found in a Marathon Update 1.025 Meta Analysis, Rick’s 2022 kit introduced a level of complexity that required players to master portal placement and uncharged blaster management.
2026 Historical Note: Engine Migration
The loading performance improvements for PS4 and Xbox One mentioned in this 2022 update were eventually superseded by the 2024 full engine migration to UE5, which overhauled asset streaming entirely for legacy consoles.
Monetization and the Evolution of Mastery
From a business perspective, the most aggressive change in Update 1.07 was the doubling of XP required for Character Mastery levels 3 through 15. The developer’s stated goal—making the mastery track “more of a journey”—served as a strategic lever to increase daily active user (DAU) hours. This move coincided with the shift of Wonder Woman from a free tutorial unlock to a paid character (purchasable via Gold or Gleamium), signaling a pivot toward a more aggressive monetization funnel for the Warner Bros. Discovery IP.
| Feature | 2022 Implementation (1.07) | 2026 Current Context |
|---|---|---|
| Anti-Infinite Combo | Decay after 4 uses of same attack. | Stricter hit-stun decay; 3-hit soft cap. |
| Progression Currency | Focus on Gold and Gleamium. | Multi-currency model including Perk Shards. |
| Gizmo Stats | Jump Speed: 3700. | Normalized for UE5 physics parity. |
Gameplay Systems: Combating “Infinites”
The introduction of the Anti-Infinite Combo System was a response to high-level play where certain characters, specifically Harley and Iron Giant, could lock opponents in inescapable loops. By implementing a global soft-cap, the developers forced a shift toward “creative combo routes.” This systemic change is comparable to the balancing efforts seen in other live-service titles like the Crimson Desert Update v1.05.01, where individual character buffs are secondary to overarching system stability.
Core Character Adjustments
- Superman: A significant nerf to Ground Up Attack knockback scaling (2.0x to 1.5x) addressed the “wall-camping” meta that plagued early Season 1 competitive play.
- Garnet: Received necessary frame data buffs on Ground Up and Air Neutral attacks, improving follow-up potential and viability in 2v2 scenarios.
- Steven Universe: Horizontal kill power was increased through knockback scaling adjustments, a move that finally allowed the character to function as a viable Bruiser-Support hybrid.
For the full technical breakdown of the 2022 balance changes, the Official MultiVersus Patch Archive remains the definitive primary source for historical data. Understanding these early iterations is essential for grasping how the game eventually reached its current 2026 state, where technical debt from these early UE4 patches has been largely resolved through modern codebase rewrites.
“The goal is to put a global soft-cap on infinite combos and make combos more creative. We hope the change pushes players to explore new and more exciting combo routes.” — Player First Games Development Team, September 2022.
Ultimately, Update 1.07 was a maturing moment for MultiVersus. It signaled that the development team was willing to trade player-friendly “fast progress” for a sustainable economy—a theme that has persisted throughout the game’s various iterations and its current standing in the 2026 fighting game market.
