Marvel Rivals Reverses Non-Cheater Banning Decision

Marvel Rivals Issues Apology for Unfair Bans; Players Advocate for Expanded Character Ban System

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 such as those used on macOS, Linux systems, and the Steam Deck.

The erroneous bans, implemented on January 3rd, were subsequently lifted after NetEase identified the root cause. The company acknowledged the inconvenience and urged players to report genuine instances of cheating while offering an appeal process for wrongful bans. The reliance on compatibility layers, particularly Proton for SteamOS, has been highlighted as a recurring issue in triggering anti-cheat systems.

Separately, a significant player outcry surrounds the game's character ban system. Currently, this feature—allowing players to remove specific characters from selection—is only available at Diamond rank and above. This limitation has sparked frustration among lower-ranked players, who argue that access to character bans at all ranks would enhance gameplay balance, encourage strategic diversity, and provide a more equitable competitive environment.

Reddit discussions reveal widespread support for extending the character ban mechanic to all ranks. Players emphasize that this would serve as a valuable learning tool for newer players, promote more balanced team compositions beyond simple DPS-focused strategies, and ultimately make the game more enjoyable for a wider player base. While NetEase hasn't yet publicly responded to this feedback, the player community's demand for change remains strong.