Marvel Rivals Bot Conspiracy Unveiled

As Marvel Rivals continues to dominate the Steam and Twitch charts, a growing concern among fans is casting a shadow over their experience with NetEase Games' new hero shooter: the presence of bots. Launched in December, the game has garnered critical acclaim and a dedicated fanbase, thanks to its engaging style and the creative use of iconic characters like Spider-Man, Wolverine, and the recently added Fantastic Four. With hundreds of thousands of daily players on Steam alone (via SteamDB), Marvel Rivals has managed to sidestep many common pitfalls in the competitive multiplayer genre. However, the implementation of AI enemies in various game modes has sparked weeks of debate among the community.

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

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Like many multiplayer games released in the past 15 years, Marvel Rivals includes practice modes where players face off against AI-driven "bots." These modes allow players to adjust the difficulty to their preference, serving as essential tools for skill improvement and a break from the intensity of matches against human opponents. However, the issue arises with the alleged presence of bots in standard Quickplay matches.

For weeks, social media has been abuzz with posts from players suspecting they are matched against low-level bots, with some even noticing their teammates being replaced by AI. The prevailing theory suggests that Marvel Rivals might introduce these easier matches after a series of losses to prevent player frustration and reduce queue times. Yet, NetEase has not provided clear information on whether bots are indeed part of Quickplay, leaving players to speculate and share their observations online.

Players have identified several red flags, such as repetitive in-game behavior, similar naming conventions among teammates (like all capital letters or split names), and restricted career profiles for every enemy. "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," another Reddit user pointed out. "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 is not new, with similar discussions occurring in games like Fortnite. In response to the situation in Marvel Rivals, some players advocate for an option to toggle bot matches, while others demand their complete removal. A segment of the community finds value in occasional bot matches for achieving specific hero milestones. Reddit user ciaranxy, who began questioning their matches post-launch, 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 significant time playing Marvel Rivals since its launch, chances are you've encountered one of these questionable lobbies. I can personally confirm encountering a suspicious Quickplay match with the telltale signs of stiff player movement, similar naming patterns, and restricted profiles across the board. We've reached out to NetEase for clarification on these matches and the alleged bot presence in Marvel Rivals.

While the community continues to investigate the bot issue, some players have found creative ways to counter them, such as using Invisible Woman to halt bots in their tracks (learn more here). Despite this controversy, NetEase is looking forward to a promising 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 a new skin, Peter Parker’s Advanced Suit 2.0 from Marvel’s Spider-Man, later this month.