Marvel Rivals mods exploded in popularity alongside its massively successful launch. On Nexus Mods alone, NetEase’s hero shooter has over 4.7 million downloads on their 800-plus mods. These mods range from customs kins of other famous characters, in-game setting changes, visual optimizations, and of course, the infamous mods that would be embarrassing to explain if someone walked in on you using it.

However, the enjoyment was short-lived when many users reported broken mods when the first season dropped. Despite that, the modding community is still active and continuously uploading mods. But before you dive further in, you should know the risks involved and whether or not you can get banned for modding in Marvel Rivals.

Risks of Modding in Marvel Rivals

The relevant statement regarding how NetEase treats modding comes from their terms of service: “3.3.3 use cheats, automation software (bots), hacks, mods or any other unauthorized third-party software designed to modify any part of the Services, collect any information of the Services or connect to the Services including but not limited to simulating game user operations, changing the operating environment, modifying data to disrupt other users' game experience through the employment of external software, including but not limited to scripts (robots), plug-ins, button wizard software or third-party tools (e.g. the multi-open function under the simulator, synchronizer, record macro, keyboard mapping, cloud phone etc.)”

From this statement, NetEase has stated that modding isn’t supported in their game in any shape or form. Yet there may be a small wiggle room for client-sided mods. As an online multiplayer game, the only acceptable mods should be client-sided, meaning these changes will only display on your device without affecting other players in the lobby.

Ideally, these mods offer no competitive advantage and only serve a cosmetic purpose. The most common mods were ones that altered the game's skins or even gave them alternate costumes seen in the comics. Additionally, mods that changed the Marvel Rivals cast into characters from Grand Theft Auto, Dragonball, and other media were hilarious and weren’t ruining the game for others.

Mods in gray territory were the ones that allowed players to tweak settings in the game. While automatically skipping the numerous introductions when booting up the game is convenient for the user, mods that let you severely change the graphics could provide a visual clarity unintended by the developers. At the very least, NetEase should consider adding popular ones that make sense like the mod that lets players disable mouse acceleration.

Future of Modding in Marvel Rivals

As of season one, users have not reported any bans for using mods in Marvel Rivals. On the other hand, NetEase has enforced ban waves on players who gain an unjust advantage over others, such as using keyboard and mouse adapters on console. Nevertheless, the community continues to upload new mods and workarounds to circumvent potential issues.

Even though NetEase quickly patches these out, there are still no reports of bans for attempting to mod the game. The fact that they haven't posted a strong stance on modding means there might be some hope for the future. Their official stance on modding is only found through communicating with their representatives in support tickets, reminding us not to use third-party software.

If the reason for disabling mods is to keep competitive integrity, they can filter and approve mods on their merit, like Left 4 Dead 2 and Vermintide 2. But if the reason is to encourage players to purchase their skins, they’re within their right to enforce it.

Many other online games embrace or tolerate modding within reason. Games like Fortnite, League of Legends, and Dota 2 have an active and open modding community. These online free-to-play games remain a commercial success despite their lax stance on modding.

Ultimately, players should weigh the risks and rewards of using mods in Marvel Rivals. While modding can enhance the gameplay experience, it’s important to proceed cautiously and be aware of the potential consequences. Mod at your own risk and always respect the developers' guidelines to ensure a fair and enjoyable gaming environment for everyone.