Marvel Rivals' Update Blocks Mods

Marvel Rivals Season 1 Update Cracks Down on Mods

The Season 1 update for Marvel Rivals has reportedly disabled the use of custom-made mods, a popular feature among players since the game's launch. While not explicitly announced, players discovered their mods no longer function, reverting characters to their default appearances.

NetEase Games, the developer, has consistently maintained that mod usage violates the game's terms of service, regardless of whether the mods are purely cosmetic. Previous actions, such as banning a mod featuring Donald Trump's likeness, foreshadowed this broader crackdown. The Season 1 update likely incorporates hash checking, a technique verifying data authenticity, effectively eliminating widespread modding.

The move, while impacting players who enjoyed custom content and some creators who shared unreleased mods online, is unsurprising. Beyond NetEase's stated policy, the company's free-to-play model relies heavily on in-game purchases of cosmetic items like character bundles. The availability of free, custom cosmetics could severely undermine the game's profitability. While some mods sparked controversy due to their explicit nature, the primary driver behind the ban is likely the preservation of NetEase's revenue stream.

Season 1 itself introduced significant new content, including playable Fantastic Four characters (Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman initially, with the Thing and Human Torch to follow), a new Battle Pass, maps, and a Doom Match game mode. However, the unexpected mod restriction overshadows these additions for a segment of the player base.