After Marvel Rivals Support Players Went on Strike, Dev Lays Out Plans to Buff Strategist Experience

The developer behind Marvel Rivals, NetEase Games, has announced a plan to ease the struggles faced by Strategists players, just days after a wave of Support class players initiated a community-led strike.

Much of Marvel Rivals Season 2 has been well received. Fresh heroes, new maps, and exciting modes have helped propel the game forward, with the development team promising shorter season cycles and an increasing roster of playable characters. However, recent balance adjustments have created fresh problems—particularly for the Strategist class, which functions similarly to the traditional Support role in hero shooters. These players are finding themselves at a disadvantage as Vanguards and Duelists gain increased power on the battlefield.

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Since the launch of Season 2, the declining effectiveness of the Strategist role has become a hot topic within the Marvel Rivals community. As other classes grow stronger, many Support players report increasingly frustrating—and often toxic—matches. Teammates frequently resort to blaming them in chat, even when they're performing well. This tension reached a peak last week when hundreds of players took to social media to announce they would avoid playing Support until NetEase addressed their concerns and improved the experience for all players.

"We’re not asking to be glorified or seen as the ‘hardest’ role – because I don’t think we are. We just want basic respect. It’s tiring to be called brain dead or worthless when your stats are solid and you’re playing your role the way it’s meant to be played."

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Whether the strike influenced change or players are simply avoiding a difficult role, NetEase has responded. In a Dev Talk post published today, the studio acknowledged the frustrations surrounding the Strategist class. Its solution is twofold: strengthening the Support class while also improving the Competitive mode experience.

According to NetEase, “threat levels” for Strategists will be increased in an upcoming patch. This could mean buffs for heroes like Invisible Woman or Jeff the Land Shark, while certain Vanguards such as Captain America and Groot may receive survivability nerfs. Additionally, Spider-Man’s Amazing Combo ability will see a reduction in damage range. Specific details on which heroes will be impacted are still under wraps.

“Since this is a mid-season balance adjustment, we aim to be cautious, keeping changes minimal to enhance the experience of certain heroes without drastically altering the overall meta,” NetEase explained. “As we move into S2.5, with Ultron's arrival and new Team-Up Ability adjustments, we'll consider broader, more comprehensive balance changes.”

Meanwhile, Competitive mode has seen stat shifts since Season 2 launched. Duelists have enjoyed performance advantages, while Vanguard and Strategist players have found themselves slightly behind. To address this, NetEase plans to recalibrate performance rating calculations “to ensure fairness across all heroes.”

“Balancing the game and rank adjustments is a challenging endeavor, and we can't guarantee perfection 100% of the time,” the Dev Talk continues. “However, we remain humble and attentive, striving to address issues promptly and enhance your experience. Stay tuned for official patch announcements for more updates. Thank you for your support and patience!”

Marvel Rivals Season 2 introduced Emma Frost as the latest Vanguard hero, and Season 2.5 will soon welcome Ultron into the fray. While fans await the results of these balance tweaks, you can check out a recent Marvel tease that could bring a collection of swimsuit skins into the game.