Summary
- Marvel Rivals had a strong launch with 20 million downloads and a peak of 480,990 players on Steam.
- The game’s new surrender vote feature aims to address unfair matches & player disadvantage.
- Despite the positive reception, the surrender option risks encouraging toxic behavior in the community.
Marvel Rivals has enjoyed one of the strongest video game launches of 2024. More than 20 million players downloaded the game in its first two weeks, and the game had the fourth-largest Steam launch of the year, with a whopping 480,990 concurrent players, six times more than competitor Overwatch 2 ever achieved.
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While its launch was successful, that’s not to say the game is without its problems. A skewed meta, a lack of a role queue, and controversial seasonal buffs have all caused complaints so far.
In an attempt to make things better for players, though, the Marvel Rivals team has added a significant change that allows players to begin a vote to surrender in matches that aren’t going too well.
Marvel Rivals Players Can Now Vote To Surrender Matches
Imagine the scenario: A match has just kicked off in Marvel Rivals. One player is AFK, and another has disconnected, leaving you and your teammates at a significant disadvantage. Your only hope now is to disconnect from the game yourself, resulting in a disconnection penalty, or soldier on to an inevitable loss. It’s a lose/lose situation. Thankfully, the developers at NetEase have seen this problem and have added the option to vote to surrender.
On the pause screen, mid-match, the option to surrender now appears below Report and above Customer Support. Clicking this will begin a vote, where a majority ‘yes’ vote will end the match early, allowing you to move onto pastures new.
It’s a move that has been celebrated fondly within the Rivals community but one that could lead to additional toxicity in the game.
Fundamentally, it’s designed to allow you to skip out on games that are unfairly balanced. Unfortunately, people are using it when they’re losing, potentially ruining matches for everybody.
Over on the Marvel Rivals subreddit, players have already begun to see the negative effects of the new option, with one saying, “Today, during a competitive match, my team was losing, and two people wanted to give up because we were behind. However, the rest of the team refused, and in the end, we won.” It’s this behavior that led another to say, “Some people just genuinely can’t understand why they’re losing and can’t see the solutions. They think because they’re getting rolled now, it can’t possibly turn around.”
It’s a complex situation and one NetEase will have to consider carefully. Whether they impose penalties for failed surrender votes remains to be seen, but it needs to find a way to circumvent any toxicity arising from the feature.
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!