Marvel Rivals Bot Conspiracy Unveiled

As Marvel Rivals continues to dominate both the Steam and Twitch charts, a growing concern among fans has emerged regarding the presence of bots in NetEase Games' latest hero shooter. Launched in December, the game has garnered widespread acclaim for its engaging superhero-themed gameplay and the creative integration of iconic characters like Spider-Man, Wolverine, and the newly added Fantastic Four. With hundreds of thousands of daily players on Steam alone (via SteamDB), Marvel Rivals has successfully sidestepped many of the common issues plaguing similar titles. However, the community's enthusiasm is tempered by ongoing discussions about the use of AI enemies across various game modes.

"I know people may feel differently but playing against bots in (Quickplay) just doesn’t feel good at all to me," expressed one Reddit user. "AI should be in AI modes and that’s it."

Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes

Like many multiplayer games over the past 15 years, Marvel Rivals includes practice modes where players face off against "bots," AI-driven opponents. These modes allow users to adjust the difficulty to suit their skill level, serving as essential tools for honing gameplay or relaxing between intense matches with human players. However, the game faces criticism due to the alleged presence of bots in standard Quickplay matches.

For weeks, social media platforms have been inundated with posts from players suspecting they are matched against bot players in Quickplay, with some even reporting that their teammates are occasionally replaced by bots. While the exact triggers for these bot matches remain unclear, the prevailing theory suggests that Marvel Rivals may employ bots to ease the experience for players who have suffered multiple losses, potentially preventing player attrition and reducing queue times.

NetEase has yet to provide clear transparency about the use of bots in Quickplay, and the company has not responded to inquiries from IGN. In the absence of official information, players have taken to social media to identify potential signs of bot matches. These include repetitive in-game behaviors, similarly structured names (such as all capital letters or split names), and restricted career profiles for all enemy players.

"The fact that you can even get bot games after wins and that the game doesn't tell you that you're against bots is what gets me about this," another Reddit user stated. "You don't want to learn new heroes in comp because people will understandably rage at you for doing that, but if you try to learn a hero in (Quickplay) you now have to second guess if you actually are getting any better on that hero or if the game is just making you think you are because it's handing you free wins in the form of bots."

The debate over bots in multiplayer games is not new, with similar discussions occurring in communities like Fortnite. Within Marvel Rivals, opinions vary: some players advocate for an option to toggle bot matches on or off, while others demand their complete removal. Conversely, a segment of the player base appreciates the occasional bot lobby as a chance to achieve specific hero milestones. Reddit user ciaranxy, who began questioning their matches post-launch, encouraged the community to scrutinize their own experiences.

"So, you can choose to believe this is an issue or not – that is your CHOICE," ciaranxy stated in their post. "But – for everyone else – when you press Quickplay, NetEase does not give you a choice."

If you've spent significant time playing Marvel Rivals since its launch, chances are you've encountered one of the suspicious lobbies that have stirred community unrest. My own experience confirms encountering at least one questionable Quickplay match, exhibiting the telltale signs of bot presence, such as unnatural player movements, similar naming conventions, and restricted profiles across teammates and opponents. We have reached out to NetEase for clarification on these matches and the purported use of bots in Marvel Rivals.

While players continue to investigate the bot issue, some have found creative ways to counter them, such as using the Invisible Woman to halt bots in their tracks (learn more here). Looking ahead, NetEase has ambitious plans for 2025, starting with the Fantastic Four in Season 1: Eternal Night Falls. Creative director Guangyun Chen has committed to introducing at least one new hero every half-season, and fans can look forward to acquiring Peter Parker's Advanced Suit 2.0 from Marvel's Spider-Man later this month.