Marvel Rivals Dev Dismisses Dataminer Allegations

Marvel Rivals developers address datamining rumors: No intentional trolling, just a lot of ideas.

Dataminers have been uncovering a treasure trove of potential future characters within Marvel Rivals' code. While some initial finds, like the Fantastic Four, proved accurate, the sheer volume of names has sparked debate: are some deliberately misleading?

We directly asked Marvel Rivals producer Weicong Wu and Marvel Games executive producer Danny Koo about this "elaborate troll" theory. While denying any intentional deception, they acknowledged the presence of unused character data in the game's code. Wu explained that the development process involves numerous concepts, prototypes, and trials, leaving remnants in the codebase. The inclusion of a character ultimately depends on player feedback and maintaining balanced gameplay. Koo likened the situation to finding a discarded notebook of brainstorming notes. He emphasized their priority: "We would rather spend our time developing the actual game."

The character selection process, they revealed, is a year-long endeavor. NetEase prioritizes roster balance and variety, generating a pool of potential characters based on needed skillsets and gameplay dynamics. These suggestions are then presented to Marvel Games, factoring in community interest and upcoming Marvel projects (films, comics) for potential synergy. This explains the extensive list of characters in the code – a reflection of NetEase's ongoing ideation.

Marvel Rivals continues to impress, with the Human Torch and The Thing slated for release on February 21st. The game's success is further bolstered by its consistent monthly character additions. We also discussed potential future platforms, including a possible Nintendo Switch 2 release (details available in a separate article). In short, while the datamined character list is extensive, it's a byproduct of the development process, not a deliberate attempt to mislead the community.