Marvel Rivals Season 1 Update Cracks Down on Mods
The Season 1 update for Marvel Rivals has reportedly disabled the use of custom-made mods, a popular pastime among players since the game's launch. While not explicitly announced, players discovered their mods are no longer functional, reverting characters to their default appearances.
NetEase Games, the developer, has consistently stated that mod usage violates the game's terms of service, even for purely cosmetic modifications. Previous actions against individual mods, including a controversial Donald Trump mod, foreshadowed this broader crackdown. The Season 1 update likely employs hash checking, a technique verifying data authenticity, to effectively prevent mod usage.
This move, while impacting players who enjoyed custom content, isn't surprising. Beyond the terms of service violation, NetEase's free-to-play model relies heavily on in-game purchases of cosmetic items like character skins and sprays. The availability of free, custom mods could severely undermine the game's profitability. The Season 1 update, which introduced The Fantastic Four as playable characters, a new Battle Pass, maps, and a Doom Match mode, also silently removed this modding capability. Some mod creators have expressed their disappointment, sharing unreleased creations now rendered obsolete. While some mods featured controversial content, including nude character skins, the primary driver for the ban appears to be financial.
