Marvel Rivals players are risking account bans by continuing to use mods, even after a clampdown that coincided with the release of Season 1. Since the game's successful launch in December, players have been customizing skins with mods, despite warnings about potential account bans. Popular modifications include transforming Iron Man into Vegeta from Dragon Ball, Mantis into a goth, and even turning Jeff the Land Shark into Pochita from Chainsaw Man.
Last week, with the launch of the Fantastic Four and Season 1, Marvel Rivals introduced a secret mod restriction through asset hash checking. Developer NetEase had previously cautioned players against using mods, stating to IGN that the game's terms and conditions prohibit mods, cheats, bots, hacks, or any unauthorized third-party software. NetEase reiterated this stance in a statement to IGN: "It is not recommended to modify any game files, as doing so carries the risk of getting banned."
### Marvel Rivals Tier List: Best HeroesMarvel Rivals Tier List: Best Heroes
Despite these warnings, some players remain undeterred. A new workaround has been discovered and is circulating online, requiring more steps but still manageable for most PC users. Modder Prafit, who shared the workaround on Nexus Mods, issued a warning: “Use at your own risk,” Prafit stated in the mod's description. “By using this you are actually circumventing a system that was created to stop us from modding on the Season 1 patch start. No-one knows if NetEase will ban you, but they have never issued permabans as far as we know.”
Following the introduction of the Fantastic Four characters, new mods have emerged. For instance, Ercuallo's mod transforms Mister Fantastic into Luffy from the manga One Piece, and it has already been downloaded over 5,000 times in just two days since its release, according to Nexus Mods statistics.
Modding Marvel Rivals lives on but it needs extra steps to pull off pic.twitter.com/VEeiiHyxiA
— Marvel Rivals - Leaks & Info (@RivalsLeaks) January 12, 2025
The question now facing Marvel Rivals modders and users is whether NetEase will follow through with its threats of bans. So far, no instances of players being banned for using mods have surfaced, but the availability of workarounds could provoke further action from the developer.
NetEase's interest in banning mods stems from potential lost revenue from skin sales, intellectual property concerns, and the possible impact on gameplay balance and game performance. Modder Prafit noted that their temporary workaround should only be used by those with a “beefy” PC.
In the meantime, check out the Marvel Rivals Season 1 patch notes, and official stats that reveal Marvel Rivals' pick and win rates in Quickplay and Competitive modes for Season 0. Keep an eye on the latest Marvel Rivals codes for free skins, and vote on the strongest Marvel Rivals characters in our community tier list.
