NetEase's Marvel Rivals mistakenly bans innocent players
NetEase, the developer of Marvel Rivals, recently issued a public apology for mistakenly banning a significant number of innocent players. The mass ban, intended to target cheaters, inadvertently flagged numerous non-Windows users employing compatibility layers like those used on macOS, Linux, and Steam Deck.
The incident occurred on January 3rd. Community manager James, via the official Marvel Rivals Discord, confirmed the error and stated that the bans had been lifted for affected players. NetEase attributed the issue to a flaw in their anti-cheat system that misidentified compatibility layer software as cheating programs. Players experiencing future cheating issues are encouraged to report them, and those wrongly banned are advised to appeal through in-game support or Discord.
This isn't the first time Proton, the SteamOS compatibility layer, has triggered anti-cheat systems, highlighting ongoing challenges in detecting cheating while avoiding false positives.
Calls for universal character bans
Separately, Marvel Rivals players are advocating for the expansion of the in-game character ban system. Currently, this feature—allowing players to remove specific characters from selection—is only available at Diamond rank and above. Many players, particularly those in lower ranks, believe this restriction limits strategic gameplay and creates imbalances.
Reddit users have expressed frustration, arguing that the lack of character bans in lower ranks hinders fair competition. They contend that implementing the ban system across all ranks would benefit players of all skill levels, fostering a more balanced and engaging experience. While NetEase hasn't yet responded to these calls, the community's feedback is clear.
