Summary
- A new trick with Invisible Woman fuels suspicion of bots in Marvel Rivals.
- The addition of Fantastic Four characters boosts the game's popularity.
- Fans suspect bot presence due to unusual gameplay behaviors.
A Marvel Rivals player has shown off a trick using Invisible Woman that gives support to the theory that NetEase's hero shooter is incorporating bots into quickplay matches. While NetEase has yet to confirm the presence of bots in Marvel Rivals, many players have been suspicious about them since the game's launch, and the new evidence lends credence to that suspicion.
Since its release on December 6, 2024, the free-to-play hero shooter has attracted a lot of attention, and the launch of its Season 1 content on January 9 has only seen its popularity grow, with a record number of concurrent players in excess of 560,000 on the season's launch date. Part of that popularity is owed to the addition of The Fantastic Four to the character roster, and while fans will have to wait a few weeks for the Thing and the Human Torch to arrive, Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman are already a big hit in Marvel Rivals.

Marvel Rivals Can Now Be Played On Almost Any Device
Marvel Rivals debuts on a new service that lets players play it on almost any device and not just gaming consoles and powerful PCs.
But one unintended consequence of putting Sue Storm in the character roster is the boost it's given to the Marvel Rivals bot lobby theory. Many fans have suspected for some time that the game has been throwing bots into quickplay matches, particularly as opponents for players who have lost multiple matches in a row. A video released on Reddit by user barky1616 seems to be lending support to this theory, as it shows three different heroes becoming bottlenecked by Sue as she stands next to a staircase with her invisibility powers activated, running up to her location and stopping dead in their tracks, seemingly unable to figure out how to navigate around the invisible obstacle she caused with her presence.
Invisible Woman May Have Revealed Bots in Marvel Rivals
Although the video does show some unusual behavior, it's not the only evidence that players are using to support their theory of bot presence in the game. A fan's controversial report of Marvel Rivals bots from the end of December used collected data to theorize that after two consecutive quickplay losses, players will be placed on a team that includes two bots and will face off against a team composed entirely of bots. This report also claims that players can identify bots by their profiles, which are all set at level 1 and show the profiles under "restricted access," as opposed to some human profiles, which show "limited access."
Even without using Sue's invisibility, players think they have identified other ways of sussing out bots without digging into their profiles. Some of these theories are based simply on watching characters' movements, with reports of bot-controlled versions of Marvel Rivals' Jeff the Land Shark performing odd circular movements and Iron Man repeatedly wiggling while flying when controlled by a bot.











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Marvel Rivals is a Super Hero Team-Based PVP Shooter!
Assemble an all-star Marvel squad, devise countless strategies by combining powers to form unique Team-Up skills and fight in destructible, ever-changing battlefields across the continually evolving Marvel universe!
A Deep and Varied Marvel Roster
Choose from a vast array of fan-favorite and cult-classic Marvel Super Heroes and Super Villains from across the Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, X-Men, and many more from across the Marvel Multiverse.
Fast and Fun 6v6 Action with Ever-Changing Game Dynamics
With intricate environments, fast-paced gameplay, and ever-changing battlefields, there's never a dull moment in Marvel Rivals! Battle as Super Heroes and Super Villains with incredible abilities and combine your powers to bring unexpected fun to the battlefield in a matter of seconds.
Dynamic Hero Synergy
Coordinate unique combinations between characters to ignite surprising Team-Up Skills! Unleash the synergy of combined superpowers and invent new tactics that can turn the tide of combat. Ride on Groot's back as Rocket Raccoon to take on your enemies as a dangerous duo, unleash Gamma energy as Hulk to charge Iron Man's armor for massive damage, and so much more!
Creative Environment Destruction
Tear your way through iconic Marvel worlds across destructible environments! From Asgard to the Tokyo of 2099, use superpowers to alter these environments, reshape the terrain, and craft a strategic advantage on the battlefield! Take cover to dodge attacks or use makeshift weapons to strike down enemies. Players will find countless ways to utilize the environment to claim victory!
Continually Evolving Universe and Robust Post-Launch Updates
The Marvel Multiverse brings infinite possibilities! Each seasonal drop will introduce new Super Heroes to the battlefield along with challenging and diverse maps! Unlock new content to implement across various gameplay strategies while experiencing thrilling action and endless possibilities in these adventurous team battles!
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- Top Critic Rating: 78/100 Critics Recommend: 82%
- Franchise
- Marvel
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC
- Released
- December 6, 2024
- Developer(s)
- NetEase Games
- Publisher(s)
- NetEase Games
- Multiplayer
- Online Multiplayer, Online Co-Op
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
- ESRB
- T For Teen // Violence
- How Long To Beat
- 7.5 hours
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- File Size Xbox Series
- 20 GB
- Number of Players
- 1-6
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
- Cross Save
- No
- Cross-Platform Play
- Limited - console crossplay, no PC crossplay
- PC Release Date
- December 6, 2024
- PS5 Release Date
- December 6, 2024
- Xbox Series X|S Release Date
- December 6, 2024
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