Marvel Rivals Season 1 Update Disables Mods

Marvel Rivals Season 1 Update Cracks Down on Mods

The Season 1 update for Marvel Rivals has reportedly disabled the use of custom-made mods, a popular activity among players since the game's launch. While not explicitly announced, players discovered their mods no longer function following the January 10, 2025 update.

Season 1 introduced significant content, including playable Fantastic Four characters (Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman initially, with Thing and Human Torch to follow), a new Battle Pass, maps, and a Doom Match mode. However, the simultaneous elimination of mod functionality has caused considerable disappointment among players who enjoyed customizing character appearances.

NetEase Games, the developer, has consistently maintained that mod usage violates the game's terms of service, even for cosmetic modifications. Previous actions, such as banning a mod featuring Donald Trump, foreshadowed this broader crackdown. The update likely incorporates hash checking, a technique verifying data authenticity, effectively preventing mod usage.

While some players created provocative or even inappropriate mods (including nude skins), the primary motivation behind NetEase's action is likely financial. As a free-to-play game, Marvel Rivals relies on in-app purchases of cosmetic items. The availability of free, custom mods could severely impact the game's profitability. Therefore, the ban on mods, though upsetting to some players, serves as a crucial business strategy for the game's continued success. This has led some mod creators to express their frustration on platforms like Twitter, sharing unreleased creations now rendered obsolete.