Marvel Rivals: Devs Rebuff Trolling Claims, Focus on Development
Marvel Rivals developers address datamining rumors: no intentional trolling, just a lot of ideas.
Dataminers have been uncovering a treasure trove of potential future characters hidden within Marvel Rivals' code. While some early discoveries, like the Fantastic Four, proved accurate, the sheer volume of names has sparked debate: are some intentionally misleading?
We directly questioned Marvel Rivals producer Weicong Wu and Marvel Games executive producer Danny Koo about this alleged "elaborate troll." While denying any deliberate deception, they acknowledged the presence of leftover code from numerous character concepts and prototypes. Wu explained that the development process generates substantial data, some of which may or may not reflect future plans. The final decision hinges on player expectations and maintaining balanced gameplay.
Koo likened the situation to finding a discarded notebook filled with brainstorming notes, emphasizing the extensive experimentation with character designs and play styles. He stated unequivocally, "No. We would rather spend our time developing the actual game."
The character selection process, they revealed, involves a year-long planning horizon, aiming for a new character release every six weeks. NetEase prioritizes roster balance and variety, focusing on adding new characters rather than extensively tweaking existing ones. This approach allows for addressing weaknesses, countering overpowered characters, and introducing fresh gameplay experiences.
Potential additions are presented to Marvel Games, considering community enthusiasm and aligning with broader Marvel plans (films, comics). The abundance of names in the code simply reflects the constant ideation within NetEase.
Marvel Rivals' success continues, with the Human Torch and The Thing set to arrive on February 21st. The conversation also touched upon the possibility of a Nintendo Switch 2 release (details available in a separate article). Therefore, while datamined character lists offer intriguing possibilities, they should be treated with caution.
