Marvel Rivals Dev Says They're Not Trolling Dataminers - 'We'd Rather Spend Our Time Developing the Game'

Marvel Rivals dataminers suspect the developers are playfully misleading them with lists of potential future characters hidden within the game's code. However, NetEase and Marvel claim their focus lies on game development, not elaborate pranks.

Last month, dataminers uncovered potential future heroes within Marvel Rivals' code, some of which were quickly confirmed with the official announcement of the Fantastic Four. As the list grew, speculation arose that some names were intentionally misleading.

The community remains divided on the authenticity of these datamined characters. We directly asked Marvel Rivals producer Weicong Wu and Marvel Games executive producer Danny Koo about this alleged "troll." While denying any deliberate deception, they advised caution when interpreting code findings. Wu explained that the character design process involves numerous concepts, prototypes, and iterations, leaving traces in the code that may or may not represent future plans. The inclusion of a character ultimately depends on player expectations and desired gameplay experiences. Koo likened the situation to finding an old, incomplete notebook of brainstorming ideas. He emphasized their preference for game development over elaborate hoaxes.

We also discussed the character selection process. Updates are planned roughly a year in advance, aiming for a new character release every six weeks. NetEase prioritizes balancing the roster and adding variety, considering character types and skill sets. Their strategy focuses on introducing new characters rather than extensively tweaking existing ones. This approach aims to keep the game fresh, address weaknesses, and counter overly powerful characters.

NetEase presents these suggestions to Marvel Games for initial designs. Community interest and upcoming Marvel film/comic plans also influence the final decisions. This explains the extensive list of heroes in the code—a reflection of NetEase's ongoing brainstorming and exploration.

Marvel Rivals enjoyed a strong launch, and each new character addition enhances the gameplay experience. The Human Torch and The Thing are the latest additions, arriving on February 21st. We also discussed the possibility of a Nintendo Switch 2 release for Marvel Rivals—details can be found [here].