Marvel Rivals Bot Conspiracy Unveiled

As *Marvel Rivals* continues to dominate the charts on Steam and Twitch, a lingering issue has sparked suspicion among fans regarding NetEase Games' latest hero shooter: the presence of bots. Launched in December to critical acclaim, the game has won hearts with its stylish execution and the inventive use of beloved characters like Spider-Man, Wolverine, and the newly introduced Fantastic Four. Despite its soaring success, with hundreds of thousands of daily players on Steam alone (via SteamDB), the game has not escaped scrutiny, particularly concerning the use of AI enemies in various game modes.

"I know people may feel differently but playing against bots in (Quickplay) just doesn’t feel good at all to me," expressed a Reddit user. "AI should be in AI modes and that’s it."

Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes

Like many multiplayer titles released in the last decade and a half, *Marvel Rivals* includes practice modes where players face off against bots. These AI opponents allow users to adjust difficulty levels, making them essential for honing skills or unwinding after competitive matches. However, the game's challenge lies in the alleged presence of bots in standard Quickplay matches.

Over the weeks, social media platforms have been buzzing with posts from players suspecting that they're matched against low-level bots, and occasionally, their teammates are replaced by AI as well. The prevailing theory suggests that *Marvel Rivals* might introduce these easier matches following a string of losses to prevent players from feeling discouraged and to reduce queue times. Yet, NetEase has remained tight-lipped on this matter, leaving players to decipher the signs themselves (IGN has reached out for comment). Key indicators include repetitive in-game behavior, similarly formatted names such as all caps or split names, and notably, every enemy's career profile being labeled "restricted."

"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 stated. "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, with players long discussing their impact on games like *Fortnite*. In the case of *Marvel Rivals*, opinions vary: some demand a toggle to opt out of bot matches, others want them removed entirely, while a few appreciate the chance to achieve hero-specific milestones in these matches. Reddit user ciaranxy, after noticing anomalies in their matches, urged the community to stay vigilant.

"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 more than a few hours playing *Marvel Rivals*, chances are you've encountered one of these suspicious lobbies. My own experience confirmed this with a match exhibiting telltale signs like stiff player movements, similar name formats, and multiple restricted profiles. We've contacted NetEase for further clarification on these concerns and the alleged use of bots in *Marvel Rivals*.

While the community investigates bots in gaming, learn more about how some *Marvel Rivals* players are using Invisible Woman to literally halt bots in their tracks. Looking ahead, NetEase has ambitious plans for 2025, starting with the introduction of the Fantastic Four in Season 1: Eternal Night Falls. Creative Director Guangyun Chen has promised at least one new hero every half-season, and fans can look forward to a new skin release this month, featuring Peter Parker’s Advanced Suit 2.0 from *Marvel’s Spider-Man*.