Breaking: Bans Loom for Marvel Rivals Players

NetEase Games Issues Warning: Marvel Rivals Modders Face Bans

NetEase Games, developer and publisher of the popular team shooter Marvel Rivals, has issued a stern warning to players using mods. The company explicitly stated that any modification of the game, regardless of whether it's cosmetic or provides gameplay advantages, violates the terms of service and risks a permanent ban.

This announcement follows the launch of Season 1, which introduced hero adjustments, two new playable Fantastic Four members (Invisible Woman and Mister Fantastic), and a hidden anti-modding mechanism. Despite this, resourceful modders quickly found workarounds. Reports from IGN detail a Nexus Mods add-on that bypasses the game's asset hash checks, allowing modifications such as transforming Mister Fantastic into One Piece's Luffy. While the mod's creator, Prafit, acknowledges the ban risk, the mod remains available.

While NetEase Games hasn't publicly confirmed any bans for modding yet, the company's stance is firm. Although some mods, including one featuring Donald Trump, have been removed from Nexus Mods, Prafit's workaround boasts over 500 downloads. The situation highlights the ongoing cat-and-mouse game between developers and modders, and the potential consequences for players who choose to modify the game. NetEase Games' response to the widespread use of these workarounds remains to be seen. Marvel Rivals, nominated for Online Game of the Year at the upcoming DICE Awards 2025, continues to enjoy popularity despite this ongoing modding controversy.