Marvel Rivals' Popularity Shadowed by Bot Concerns

Despite topping Steam and Twitch charts, Marvel Rivals, NetEase Games' hero shooter, faces growing player suspicion regarding the prevalence of bots in its matches. The game, launched in December to widespread acclaim for its style and use of iconic Marvel characters, boasts hundreds of thousands of daily Steam players (via SteamDB). However, weeks of player discussion highlight concerns about AI opponents in various game modes.

Reddit users express frustration with encountering bots in Quickplay matches, arguing that AI should be confined to dedicated practice modes. While practice modes clearly indicate AI opponents with adjustable difficulty, the issue lies with suspected bots appearing in standard Quickplay.

Social media posts detail experiences of matches against low-level bots, sometimes with bot teammates. The suspected trigger is a series of losses, potentially designed to prevent player frustration and maintain quick matchmaking. However, NetEase's lack of transparency fuels the controversy. IGN has reached out to NetEase for comment but has yet to receive a response.

Players have identified potential indicators of bot matches: repetitive, unusual in-game behavior; similar player names (often single words in all caps or name fragments); and most notably, "restricted" career profiles for all enemy players. The lack of notification about bot matches further exacerbates the problem, hindering skill assessment and hero practice.

This isn't a new phenomenon; bot debates have long plagued multiplayer games like Fortnite. Marvel Rivals players are divided: some demand a bot toggle or complete removal, while others use bot matches for achievement completion. A Reddit user, ciaranxy, initiated community discussion on this issue, highlighting the lack of player choice regarding bot encounters in Quickplay.

The author confirms experiencing suspicious Quickplay matches with common indicators: unnatural player movement, similar names, and restricted profiles for opponents and teammates. NetEase has been contacted for clarification.

Despite this controversy, NetEase plans for significant future content, including the Fantastic Four in Season 1: Eternal Night Falls, a new hero every half-season, and a new Peter Parker Advanced Suit 2.0 skin later this month. The ongoing bot debate, however, remains a significant concern for the game's community. Further information on how some players are using Invisible Woman to counter bots can be found [here](insert link if available).