The Marvel Rivals Bot Conspiracy, Explained

Marvel Rivals, NetEase Games' hit hero shooter, is enjoying immense popularity on Steam and Twitch, boasting impressive player counts and critical acclaim for its stylish gameplay and iconic Marvel characters. However, a growing concern among players centers around the suspected use of bots in Quickplay matches.

Many players report encountering matches where opponents exhibit suspiciously low skill levels and repetitive behaviors, leading to suspicions that they are AI-controlled bots. Some even claim their teammates are occasionally replaced by bots. While practice modes clearly utilize bots, the presence of AI in standard Quickplay is causing significant frustration. The triggers for these bot-filled matches remain unclear, but a prevailing theory suggests the game places players in easier matches after a series of losses, potentially to prevent player attrition and reduce queue times.

NetEase has yet to publicly address these concerns, fueling speculation and prompting players to identify potential indicators of bot matches. These indicators include unusual in-game behavior, similar player names (often single words or all caps), and team names with unconventional formatting. A particularly strong indicator is when enemy profiles are marked as "restricted."

Players express concerns about the lack of transparency regarding bot usage and the impact on skill development. Learning new heroes in competitive modes is challenging due to potential teammate frustration, while Quickplay matches may provide misleading feedback on improvement if bots are frequently encountered.

The use of bots in online games is not unprecedented, and the Marvel Rivals situation has sparked various responses. Some players advocate for a toggle to enable or disable bot matches, while others demand their complete removal. Conversely, some players view bot matches as opportunities to complete specific hero achievements. The lack of player choice regarding bot encounters is a major source of contention.

Several accounts describe encounters with suspicious Quickplay matches exhibiting characteristics aligned with player-reported bot indicators: stiff movement, similar names, and "restricted" profiles. NetEase has been contacted for comment.

Despite this controversy, NetEase's plans for Marvel Rivals in 2025 are ambitious, including the introduction of the Fantastic Four in Season 1: Eternal Night Falls, a new hero every half-season, and upcoming cosmetics like Peter Parker's Advanced Suit 2.0. The debate over bot implementation continues, but the game's popularity and ongoing development suggest a vibrant future, regardless of the outcome.