Marvel Rivals Bot Conspiracy Unveiled

While *Marvel Rivals* continues to dominate the Steam and Twitch charts, a lingering issue has sparked suspicion among fans regarding their experience with NetEase Games' latest hero shooter: the presence of bots.

Launched in December, *Marvel Rivals* has garnered critical acclaim and widespread fan appreciation for its distinctive style and innovative use of iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Wolverine, and the newly introduced Fantastic Four. The game's soaring popularity is evident, with hundreds of thousands of players engaging daily on Steam alone, as reported by SteamDB. Despite successfully sidestepping many common pitfalls in the competitive multiplayer genre, the game has faced persistent concerns about the integration of AI enemies across various game modes.

One Reddit user commented, "I know people may feel differently, but playing against bots in (Quickplay) just doesn’t feel good at all to me. AI should be in AI modes and that’s it."

Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes

Similar to other multiplayer titles released over the past 15 years, *Marvel Rivals* includes practice modes where players face off against what are commonly known as "bots." These AI opponents allow users to adjust difficulty levels, making them invaluable for honing skills or unwinding between more competitive matches. However, the game has run into issues with what many players suspect are bots appearing in regular Quickplay matches.

For several weeks, social media platforms have been inundated with posts from players worried about being matched against low-level bot players, and some have even noticed their teammates being replaced by bots. The prevailing theory suggests that *Marvel Rivals* may introduce these easier matches following a string of losses, aiming to prevent player discouragement and reduce queue times. However, NetEase has not provided clear information about the presence of bots in Quickplay, leaving many questions unanswered (IGN has sought comment from the company).

Since the game's launch, numerous posts have gained traction on social media as players attempt to identify bot indicators. Signs include repetitive in-game behavior, similar naming conventions such as single-word, all-caps names, or combinations of full and partial names. The most definitive clue is when all opposing players' profiles are marked as "restricted."

Another Reddit user expressed frustration, stating, "The fact that you can even get bot games after wins and that the game doesn't tell you that you're against bots is what gets me about this. You don't want to learn new heroes in comp because people will understandably rage at you for doing that, but if you try to learn a hero in (Quickplay) you now have to second guess if you actually are getting any better on that hero or if the game is just making you think you are because it's handing you free wins in the form of bots."

The debate over bots in multiplayer games isn't new, with similar discussions occurring in games like Fortnite. For *Marvel Rivals*, some players advocate for an option to toggle bot matches on or off, while others demand their complete removal. There are also players who find bot lobbies useful for achieving specific hero milestones. Reddit user ciaranxy, after suspecting bot matches shortly after the game's release, urged the community to stay vigilant.

"So, you can choose to believe this is an issue or not – that is your CHOICE," ciaranxy stated. "But – for everyone else – when you press Quickplay, NetEase does not give you a choice."

If you've spent more than a few hours playing *Marvel Rivals* since its launch, chances are you've encountered one of these suspicious lobbies. My own experience includes running into a questionable Quickplay match with telltale signs such as stiff player movements, similarly formatted names, and multiple restricted profiles. We have reached out to NetEase for further clarification on these matches and the alleged bot presence in *Marvel Rivals*.

While the gaming community continues to investigate the bot situation, some players are finding creative ways to counter them, such as using Invisible Woman to literally stop bots in their tracks. Looking ahead, NetEase has ambitious plans for *Marvel Rivals* in 2025, starting with the introduction of the Fantastic Four in Season 1: Eternal Night Falls. Creative director Guangyun Chen has committed to introducing at least one new hero every half-season, and fans can look forward to acquiring a new skin in the form of Peter Parker’s Advanced Suit 2.0 from Marvel’s Spider-Man later this month.