Amidst the soaring popularity of *Marvel Rivals* on Steam and Twitch, a cloud of suspicion hangs over NetEase Games' latest hero shooter: the presence of bots. Launched in December, this superhero-themed competitive multiplayer game has captivated fans with its stylish execution and the innovative use of iconic characters such as Spider-Man, Wolverine, and the recently introduced Fantastic Four. With hundreds of thousands of daily players on Steam alone (via SteamDB), *Marvel Rivals* has sidestepped many of the common pitfalls plaguing similar titles. However, the game's integration of AI enemies across various game modes has become a point of contention among its community.
"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 HeroesMarvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes
Like many multiplayer games of the past decade and a half, *Marvel Rivals* includes practice modes where players face off against AI-controlled "bots." These modes allow players to adjust the difficulty level, serving as essential tools for skill enhancement and a respite from the high-intensity matches against human opponents. However, the issue arises with reports of bots appearing in regular Quickplay matches, sparking frustration and debate.
Over recent weeks, social media has been abuzz with players expressing concerns about being matched against what they perceive as low-level bot players in Quickplay. Some have even noticed their teammates being replaced by bots. While the exact triggers for these bot matches remain unclear, speculation suggests that *Marvel Rivals* might insert players into these easier matches following consecutive losses. This strategy could prevent players from feeling discouraged enough to quit and ensure quicker match times, avoiding long queue waits.
NetEase has yet to provide clarity on the presence of bots in Quickplay, leaving players to rely on community observations and theories. Social media threads have highlighted various telltale signs of bot matches, such as repetitive in-game behavior, similarly structured player names (often single capitalized words or split names), and the "restricted" label on career profiles of all opponents.
"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 noted. "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 isn't new; similar discussions have surrounded games like Fortnite for years. Within the *Marvel Rivals* community, opinions vary: some players demand the ability to toggle bot matches on or off, others call for their complete removal, while a segment of the player base sees bot lobbies as opportunities to achieve specific hero milestones. Reddit user ciaranxy highlighted this issue shortly after the game's launch, urging the community to remain vigilant.
"So, you can choose to believe this is an issue or not – that is your CHOICE," ciaranxy stated. "But – for everyone else – when you press Quickplay, NetEase does not give you a choice."
If you've spent considerable time with *Marvel Rivals*, you might have encountered one of these questionable matches yourself. I can attest to experiencing a suspicious Quickplay session that exhibited several of the reported signs, including unnatural player movement, uniform naming conventions, and multiple restricted profiles. We've reached out to NetEase for more information on these matches and the alleged bot presence in *Marvel Rivals*.
As the gaming community continues to scrutinize the use of bots across various titles, you can discover how some *Marvel Rivals* players are cleverly using Invisible Woman to counter bot strategies (read more here). Regardless of the ongoing bot controversy, NetEase is poised for a promising 2025, starting with the introduction of the Fantastic Four in Season 1: Eternal Night Falls (details here). Creative director Guangyun Chen has committed to releasing at least one new hero every half-season, and fans can look forward to the new Peter Parker’s Advanced Suit 2.0 from Marvel’s Spider-Man, set to be available later this month (learn more here).
