Marvel Rivals Bot Conspiracy Unveiled

As Marvel Rivals continues to dominate the Steam and Twitch charts, a significant issue has emerged that's stirring suspicion among its dedicated fanbase: the presence of bots. Launched in December, NetEase Games' new hero shooter quickly garnered critical acclaim and fan praise for its distinctive style and innovative use of iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Wolverine, and the recently introduced Fantastic Four. The game's success is evident with hundreds of thousands of players logging in daily on Steam alone, according to SteamDB. Despite successfully navigating many of the common pitfalls that plague other games in this genre, concerns about the integration of AI enemies in several game modes have been a persistent topic of discussion among players.

"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

Much like other multiplayer games released in the past 15 years, Marvel Rivals includes practice modes where players face off against "bots," AI-controlled opponents whose difficulty can be adjusted to suit the player’s skill level. These modes serve as essential training grounds for players looking to hone their abilities or unwind between more competitive matches against human opponents. However, the game has encountered issues with what many players believe to be bots appearing in regular Quickplay matches.

Over the weeks following its launch, social media platforms have been inundated with reports from users suspecting that they are being matched against low-level bots, with some also noticing their teammates being replaced by AI. The community's working theory suggests that Marvel Rivals might be using bot matches to ease players back into the game after a string of losses, potentially to prevent player attrition and reduce queue times.

Unfortunately, NetEase has not provided clear information on whether bots are present in Quickplay matches, and the company has remained silent on the issue despite inquiries from IGN. Social media posts have highlighted various signs that players are using to identify bot matches, including repetitive in-game behavior, similar teammate names such as those composed of single capitalized words or split names, and the "restricted" label on every enemy's career profile.

"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 remarked. "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, as seen with ongoing discussions about their impact on games like Fortnite. In the case of Marvel Rivals, some players advocate for an option to toggle bot matches, while others demand their complete removal. However, a segment of the player base finds value in occasional bot lobbies as an opportunity to achieve specific hero milestones. Reddit user ciaranxy, who began questioning their matches soon after the game's 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 in their post. "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 contentious lobbies. I can personally attest to experiencing at least one suspicious Quickplay match that displayed several of the telltale signs mentioned by players, including unnatural player movement, uniform naming conventions, and multiple restricted profiles on both my team and the enemy team. We have reached out to NetEase for more information on these matches and the rumored presence of bots in Marvel Rivals.

While the community continues to investigate the bot situation, you can explore how some Marvel Rivals players are ingeniously using Invisible Woman to halt bots in their tracks. Regardless of this ongoing issue, NetEase is looking forward to a promising 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 soon look forward to acquiring a new skin in the form of Peter Parker’s Advanced Suit 2.0 from Marvel’s Spider-Man.