Marvel Rivals Esports Bans Escalate

NetEase Games Issues Warning: Marvel Rivals Modders Face Potential Bans

NetEase Games, developer and publisher of the popular team shooter Marvel Rivals, has issued a stern warning to players utilizing modifications (mods). The company explicitly stated that any form of modding, from cosmetic alterations to performance-enhancing add-ons, violates the game's terms of service and risks permanent account bans.

This announcement follows the launch of Marvel Rivals Season 1, which introduced new playable characters (Invisible Woman and Mister Fantastic from the Fantastic Four) alongside hero adjustments. Despite attempts in Season 1 to deter modding through asset hash checks, workarounds quickly emerged. Reports from IGN detail a mod on Nexus Mods that bypasses these checks, allowing players to modify game assets. The mod's creator, Prafit, acknowledges the risk of bans, advising only high-spec PC users to utilize it. Further highlighting the modding activity, a mod transforming Mister Fantastic into One Piece's Luffy, created by Ercuallo, circulated on social media.

While NetEase Games hasn't publicly confirmed any bans for modding yet, the company reiterated its zero-tolerance policy toward modifications, cheats, and hacks. Although some mods, including one featuring US President-elect Donald Trump, have been removed from platforms like Nexus Mods, Prafit's workaround remains available, boasting over 500 downloads.

The situation underscores the ongoing tension between developers striving to maintain game integrity and players seeking modification options. NetEase Games' response to the prevalent modding activity remains to be seen, though the company has clearly defined the potential consequences. The future will determine the extent of enforcement against Marvel Rivals modders.