Marvel Rivals Season 1 Update Disables Mods

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 activity among players since the game's launch. While not explicitly announced, players discovered this change upon logging in, finding their custom character skins and other modifications no longer functional.

NetEase Games, the developer, has consistently maintained that mod usage violates the game's terms of service, even for purely cosmetic alterations. Previous actions, such as banning a mod featuring Donald Trump as Captain America, hinted at this crackdown. The Season 1 update appears to have employed hash checking, a technique verifying data authenticity, effectively eliminating widespread modding.

Season 1, launched January 10, 2025, introduced substantial 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" game mode. The unexpected mod ban overshadows these additions for some players. Many lament the loss of customizable content, with some creators sharing unreleased mods now rendered obsolete.

While some provocative mods, including those depicting nude heroes, sparked controversy, the primary motivation behind the ban likely stems from business strategy. As a free-to-play game, Marvel Rivals relies heavily on in-game purchases of character bundles containing skins and other cosmetics. The availability of free cosmetic mods could severely impact the game's profitability. Therefore, the elimination of mod support is viewed as a necessary measure to safeguard the game's financial viability.