Marvel Rivals: Season 1 Update Patch Notes

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, the update effectively prevents players from using these modifications, reverting characters to their default appearances.

This move follows the game's successful launch in early December and the January 10, 2025, release of Season 1, which introduced The Fantastic Four as playable characters (with Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman initially available, and the Thing and Human Torch planned for a later release). The season also brought a new Battle Pass, maps, and a Doom Match game mode.

NetEase Games, the developer, has consistently maintained that mod usage violates the game's terms of service, even for purely cosmetic modifications, and has previously issued bans. The Season 1 update appears to have circumvented the need for individual bans by implementing hash checking, a technique verifying data authenticity.

The community anticipated this action, given NetEase's clear stance and past responses, including the banning of a controversial mod featuring Donald Trump. However, the update has disappointed players who enjoyed custom content, with some creators expressing their frustration over unreleased mods now rendered unusable.

While some provocative mods, including those depicting characters in nude skins, have drawn criticism, the primary motivation behind the ban likely stems from the game's free-to-play business model. Marvel Rivals relies heavily on in-game purchases of character bundles containing cosmetic items. The availability of free cosmetic mods would significantly impact the game's profitability. Therefore, eliminating mod use is viewed as a necessary business strategy for NetEase.