Marvel Rivals Donald Trump Mod Reportedly Banned

Summary

• A Donald Trump mod for Marvel Rivals appears to have been banned due to sociopolitical issues, violating Nexus Mods rules.
• NetEase Games, developer of Marvel Rivals, hasn't responded to issues over character mods.

Since its launch nearly a month ago, Marvel Rivals has attracted millions of players worldwide, who are eager to master various Marvel heroes and climb the ranks. This hero shooter game offers an engaging experience where players can develop clever strategies and leverage unique character interactions to secure victories. Additionally, some players have enhanced their gameplay by using Marvel Rivals mods to alter the heroes' appearances, ranging from different skins inspired by Marvel Comics and movies to Fortnite models of Captain America and Spider-Man.

Recently, a Nexus Mods user uploaded a Donald Trump mod for Captain America, one of Marvel Rivals' popular Vanguards. This mod quickly circulated on social media, with some users even searching for a Joe Biden mod to face off against in matches. However, Nexus Mods appears to have banned and removed the Trump mod, as attempts to access it lead to an error page stating the mod cannot be found. Similarly, the Biden mod is also unsearchable on the site.

Why Was the Donald Trump Marvel Rivals Mod Removed?

In 2020, Nexus Mods announced a policy to ban mods related to sociopolitical issues in the United States, urging users to report any violations. This policy was introduced around the time of the highly-contested election between then-President Trump and challenger Joe Biden, who ultimately won. Many Marvel Rivals fans were not surprised by the ban, often citing the inappropriateness of using Captain America's model for Trump. A few users expressed dissatisfaction with Nexus Mods' decision to ban political imagery entirely. While this isn't the first instance of Trump being featured in a video game mod, many such mods have been removed from Nexus Mods, though some still exist for games like Skyrim, Fallout 4, and XCOM 2.

Meanwhile, Marvel Rivals developer NetEase Games has not yet addressed the issue of character mods, particularly those involving controversial or political figures. As a new game, NetEase has been focused on resolving gameplay bugs and addressing false bans on players.