In a recent statement posted on the official Marvel Rivals X handle, NetEase has confirmed that it is aware of the growing trend within the community where players are deliberately throwing matches in exchange for third-party incentives.
Earlier this week, a third-party website made headlines after players discovered it was offering real cash “bounties” to individuals who deliberately threw their ranked games when matched with specific players.
“We have recently identified a disturbing trend within our community: ‘incentivized throwing,’ where players are enticed by third-party bounties to deliberately sabotage matches,” NetEase said in a statement. “This behavior not only undermines the integrity of our game but also tarnishes the experience for honest players who are committed to fair competition.”
NetEase further said that it has a “strict zero-tolerance policy” on this kind of malicious behavior, reassuring players that a “specialized investigation protocol” has been implemented, focusing on identifying negative gameplay linked to these external bounties.
“Accounts found to be violating our policies will face serious repercussions, including, but not limited to, permanent bans.”
The devs behind the hero shooter also confirmed that they have enhanced the regulations regarding negative gameplay in Marvel Rivals.
“Accounts found to be engaging in disruptive behaviors, such as malicious idling (AFK) or intentionally throwing matches, will incur significant penalties following reporting and verification,” the statement reads.
Lastly, they have also requested players to report any kind of malicious activity they come across when playing Marvel Rivals.
While the developers are now taking a firm stance against disruptive behavior, whether these measures will be enough to curb the problem still remains to be seen.
