The Marvel Rivals Bot Conspiracy, Explained

Marvel Rivals: The Bot Controversy in NetEase's Popular Hero Shooter

Despite topping Steam and Twitch charts, Marvel Rivals, NetEase's hero shooter, faces a growing controversy: the suspected use of bots in Quickplay matches. The game, lauded for its stylish gameplay and iconic Marvel characters like Spider-Man and Wolverine, boasts a large player base. However, weeks after launch, players are voicing concerns about encountering AI opponents in standard matches, not just in the designated practice modes.

Reddit users have expressed frustration, stating that battling bots in Quickplay diminishes the experience. The consensus is that AI opponents should be confined to practice modes. While practice modes clearly indicate AI opponents and allow difficulty adjustments, the presence of suspected bots in Quickplay is causing concern.

Social media is rife with posts detailing encounters with what players believe are low-level bots, sometimes even replacing human teammates. The suspected trigger for these bot matches appears to be a string of losses, potentially a tactic to prevent player frustration and maintain quick matchmaking.

NetEase has remained silent on the issue, offering no transparency regarding the use of bots in Quickplay. Players have attempted to identify bots through various indicators: repetitive and unusual in-game behavior, similar player names (often single words or capitalized names), and, most notably, "restricted" career profiles for enemy players.

The lack of information from NetEase fuels the controversy. Players argue that the inability to distinguish between human and AI opponents hinders skill development. Learning new heroes in competitive modes risks upsetting teammates, while Quickplay matches may be artificially inflated with easy wins against bots.

The use of bots in online games is not unprecedented, but the lack of transparency in Marvel Rivals is a key issue. Players are demanding either a toggle to enable or disable bot matches or their complete removal. Some players, however, utilize bot matches for achievement completion. One Reddit user, ciaranxy, initiated a community discussion, highlighting the lack of player choice regarding bot encounters in Quickplay.

The author confirms encountering a suspicious Quickplay match exhibiting characteristics reported by other players: unnatural player movement, similar names, and restricted profiles for opponents and teammates. NetEase has been contacted for comment.

Despite the controversy, NetEase’s plans for Marvel Rivals in 2025 are ambitious, including the introduction of the Fantastic Four and a new hero every half-season. A new Peter Parker skin is also expected later this month. The bot issue, however, remains a significant point of contention within the community. For further information on player strategies to counter suspected bots, see the linked article on Invisible Woman tactics.