Marvel Rivals Players Risk Bans

Summary

• NetEase Games has warned that modders of Marvel Rivals risk permanent account bans for violating the game's terms of service.
• Season 1 introduced a hidden deterrent to modding, but workarounds were quickly discovered.
• It remains unclear if NetEase Games has issued any bans for modding Marvel Rivals to date.

NetEase Games, the developer and publisher behind the popular team shooter Marvel Rivals, has issued a stern warning to players: continue to mod the game at your own peril. Any modifications, whether they're cosmetic hero mods or gameplay-enhancing add-ons, are in direct violation of the game's terms of service, and could result in a permanent ban.

This announcement follows closely on the heels of the launch of Season 1, which not only brought balance changes to heroes but also introduced Invisible Woman and Mister Fantastic from the Fantastic Four to the playable roster. The remaining members of the Fantastic Four, Human Torch and The Thing, are slated for future updates. Since its debut in December 2024, Marvel Rivals has captured the hearts of Marvel Comics enthusiasts and team shooter fans alike, earning a nomination for Online Game of the Year at the upcoming DICE Awards 2025, set to be broadcast live from Las Vegas on February 13.

Despite efforts to curb modding with the introduction of a hidden deterrent in Season 1, some users have found ways to circumvent NetEase Games' measures. As reported by IGN, a mod available on Nexus Mods during Season 1, created by user Prafit, bypasses a system that checks asset hashes to detect modifications. Prafit has made it clear that anyone downloading this mod does so at their own risk, especially recommending it for users with high-end PCs. Following Prafit's workaround, another mod surfaced on social media, transforming Mister Fantastic into Luffy from One Piece, due to their similar superpowers. This mod, crafted by Ercuallo, gained attention through a video shared by RivalsLeaks on Twitter.

Marvel Rivals Warns Users to Stop Modding or Risk Bans

While it's not confirmed whether NetEase Games has handed out any bans specifically for modding, the company has reiterated the prohibition of any modifications, cheats, or hacks in the game's terms of service. Some mods, including one depicting US President-elect Donald Trump, have been taken down from Nexus Mods, but Prafit's Season 1 workaround remains available, with over 500 downloads at the time of writing.

Despite issues with false bans since its launch, NetEase Games has made the risks associated with violating the game's terms of service abundantly clear. The community now waits to see how the developer will address this ongoing situation.