Marvel Rivals Season 1 Update Cracks Down on Mods
Marvel Rivals' Season 1 update has reportedly disabled custom-made mods, a popular feature among players since the game's launch. While not explicitly announced, the update effectively prevents the use of these modifications, reverting characters to their default appearances.
The January 10, 2025, Season 1 launch introduced significant content, including playable Fantastic Four characters (Mr. Fantastic and Invisible Woman initially, with Thing and Human Torch to follow), a new Battle Pass, maps, and a Doom Match mode. However, the simultaneous elimination of mod functionality has caused considerable player reaction.
NetEase Games, the developer, has consistently maintained that mod usage violates the game's terms of service, even for cosmetic changes, and has previously issued bans. The Season 1 update appears to have preemptively addressed this issue through hash checking, a technique verifying data authenticity and rendering existing mods ineffective.
This move, while not entirely surprising given NetEase's previous actions (including banning a controversial Donald Trump mod), has disappointed players who enjoyed customizing their experience. Some mod creators have expressed frustration, sharing unreleased creations now rendered obsolete.
While some mods featured provocative content, including nude character skins, the primary driver behind NetEase's decision likely stems from the game's free-to-play business model. Marvel Rivals relies heavily on in-app purchases of character bundles containing cosmetic items. The availability of free, custom-made cosmetics could severely impact the game's profitability. Therefore, the ban on mods is viewed as a necessary measure to safeguard the game's financial viability.
