Summary
A Donald Trump skin mod for the video game Marvel Rivals has been removed from Nexus Mods, reportedly due to its violation of the modding platform's policy against sociopolitically charged content. NetEase Games, the developer of Marvel Rivals, has yet to comment on the matter or the broader use of character mods within the game.
Marvel Rivals, a recently released hero shooter, has quickly gained millions of players. Players are customizing their gameplay experience through mods, ranging from alternate skins based on Marvel comics and films to unexpected crossovers, such as Fortnite character models.
A mod replacing Captain America's in-game model with Donald Trump circulated on social media, prompting some users to search for a similar Joe Biden mod. However, both mods are now inaccessible on Nexus Mods, resulting in error messages.
Reasons for Removal:
Nexus Mods' 2020 policy prohibiting mods related to US sociopolitical issues is cited as the reason for the removal. This policy was implemented around the time of the 2020 US presidential election.
Social media reactions were mixed. Many players found the mod inappropriate given Captain America's established character, while others criticized Nexus Mods' stance on political content in mods. This isn't the first instance of Trump-themed mods; some remain available for other games like Skyrim, Fallout 4, and XCOM 2.
NetEase Games, the game developer, has not publicly addressed the issue of character mods, focusing instead on bug fixes and resolving player account issues within the newly launched game.
