Marvel Rivals Apologizes for Banning Non-Cheaters

Marvel Rivals Issues Apology for Unfair Bans

NetEase, the developer of Marvel Rivals, recently issued a public apology for mistakenly banning numerous innocent players. The mass ban, intended to target cheaters, inadvertently flagged a significant number of non-Windows users employing compatibility layers like those used on macOS, Linux, and Steam Deck.

The erroneous bans, implemented on January 3rd, affected players utilizing compatibility software to run the game on non-Windows platforms. NetEase's community manager, James, acknowledged the error on the official Discord server, explaining that the anti-cheat system incorrectly identified these players as cheaters. The developer has since rectified the situation, lifting the bans and offering sincere apologies for the inconvenience. They encouraged players to report genuine cheating instances and utilize the in-game or Discord support channels for appeal in case of wrongful bans. This issue highlights the challenges posed by anti-cheat systems when dealing with compatibility layers, particularly Proton on SteamOS, known for triggering false positives.

Calls for Rank-Inclusive Character Bans

Separately, the Marvel Rivals community is advocating for a change to the game's character ban system. Currently, the feature—allowing players to ban specific characters from matches—is only available at Diamond rank and above. This limitation has sparked frustration among lower-ranked players, who feel disadvantaged by the lack of strategic depth and balancing provided by character bans.

Reddit users have voiced their concerns, highlighting the impact of unbalanced matchups at lower ranks. Many believe extending the character ban mechanic to all ranks would improve gameplay fairness, introduce newer players to the system, and encourage more diverse team compositions beyond simple DPS-focused strategies. While NetEase hasn't yet responded to these requests, the community's strong sentiment suggests a potential future update.