Marvel Rivals Bot Conspiracy Unveiled

As Marvel Rivals continues to dominate the charts on Steam and Twitch, a significant issue has emerged that's causing fans to question their experience with NetEase Games' latest hero shooter: the presence of bots.

Launched in December, Marvel Rivals quickly garnered critical acclaim and fan adoration for its stylish execution and innovative use of iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Wolverine, and the newly introduced Fantastic Four. The game has enjoyed immense success, with hundreds of thousands of players engaging daily on Steam alone, according to SteamDB. Despite avoiding many of the typical pitfalls seen in similar games, the implementation of AI enemies in various game modes has sparked weeks of fan concern.

"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."

Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes

Similar to other multiplayer games over the past 15 years, Marvel Rivals includes practice modes where players face off against bots, AI-driven opponents whose difficulty can be adjusted. These modes serve as excellent resources for skill enhancement or as a break from intense human-versus-human matches. However, the game faces criticism due to the alleged presence of bots in regular Quickplay matches.

Over recent weeks, social media has been inundated with user posts expressing concerns about being matched against low-level bots, with some even reporting their teammates being replaced by bots. The community theorizes that the game might introduce these easier matches after a series of losses to prevent player frustration and shorten queue times. Yet, NetEase has not provided clear information on the use of bots in Quickplay, leaving players to speculate and investigate on their own.

Social media discussions have highlighted several red flags that might indicate a bot match, such as repetitive in-game behavior, similar naming conventions among teammates (like all capital letters or split names), and restricted career profiles for all opponents. "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; it's a topic that has been discussed in relation to games like Fortnite for years. In the case of Marvel Rivals, some players advocate for an option to toggle bot matches, while others demand their complete removal. A segment of the player base finds value in bot matches for achieving specific hero milestones. Reddit user ciaranxy, who began questioning their matches post-launch, encouraged the community to scrutinize their games as well. "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 considerable time with Marvel Rivals since its launch, chances are you've encountered one of these controversial lobbies. I personally experienced a suspicious Quickplay match exhibiting several warning signs, including unnatural player movements, 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 gaming community continues to investigate the bot issue, some players have found creative ways to counter them, such as using the Invisible Woman to halt bots in their tracks, as detailed in this article. Looking ahead, NetEase has ambitious plans for Marvel Rivals in 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.