Marvel Rivals Devs Focus on Game Development, Not Trolling Dataminers

The community of Marvel Rivals has been buzzing with speculation after dataminers unearthed lists of potential future characters hidden within the game's code. While some of these names, like the Fantastic Four, were quickly confirmed as real additions, others have led to rumors that the developers, NetEase and Marvel, might be playfully misleading dataminers with fake entries. However, Marvel Rivals producer Weicong Wu and Marvel Games executive producer Danny Koo have clarified that no such trolling is taking place, emphasizing their focus on developing the game rather than engaging in pranks.

Wu cautioned against tampering with the game's files and explained the complex process behind character design, which involves numerous concepts, trials, and prototypes. He noted that while some names found in the code might reflect past considerations, their inclusion in future updates is not guaranteed and depends heavily on player expectations and gameplay experiences.

Koo likened the situation to finding a notebook full of scratch work left behind, emphasizing that the team's priority is developing the game, not misleading the community. He also mentioned the impracticality of having a definitive long-term plan, given the team's constant experimentation with various play styles and heroes.

When directly asked about trolling, Koo firmly denied any such intentions, stating that their focus remains on the game's development. The conversation also touched on the process of selecting new characters for Marvel Rivals, revealing that the team plans updates approximately a year in advance and aims to introduce new characters every month and a half. This approach involves balancing the game's roster and adding variety by considering different character types and skill sets.

NetEase collaborates with Marvel Games on initial designs, taking into account community feedback and upcoming Marvel projects across various media to finalize character selections. This constant brainstorming and planning explain the presence of numerous hero names in the game's code, reflecting the team's ongoing exploration of ideas.

Marvel Rivals continues to thrive since its launch, with new characters like the Human Torch and The Thing set to join the roster on February 21, further enhancing the game's appeal. Additionally, Wu and Koo discussed the potential for a Nintendo Switch 2 release, details of which can be found in a separate article.