Marvel Rivals Dev Plans Buffs for Strategist Experience After Support Player Strike

NetEase Games, the developer behind Marvel Rivals, has responded swiftly to the community's concerns just days after fans initiated a widespread Support strike. Season 2 of Marvel Rivals has introduced a variety of new characters, maps, and modes, propelling the game forward with promises of faster seasons and an expanding roster of heroes. However, the recent balance changes have sparked new challenges, particularly for the Strategist class, which serves as the game's Support pool.

Since the launch of Season 2, the diminished effectiveness of the Support class has dominated discussions within the Marvel Rivals community. With other classes like Vanguards and Duelists gaining more battlefield power, Strategist players have faced not only tough but also toxic gameplay experiences. Frustrations have mounted as teammates frequently blame Support players in text and voice chats, leading to a community-wide strike where hundreds of players vowed to avoid the healer role until NetEase addressed these issues.

"We just want basic respect," expressed one Reddit user. "We're not asking to be glorified or seen as the 'hardest' role - because I don't think we are. We just want basic respect. It's tiring to be called brain dead or worthless when your stats are solid and you're playing your role the way it's meant to be played."

I Need Healing

In response to the strike and the broader community feedback, NetEase has outlined a plan to alleviate the pressures on the Strategist class. In a Dev Talk post on their website, NetEase detailed a dual approach to enhance the Support role and make the Competitive mode more rewarding for all players.

An upcoming patch will elevate the "threat levels" of Strategists, potentially buffing heroes such as Invisible Woman and Jeff the Land Shark. Conversely, Vanguards like Captain America and Groot may see nerfs to their survivability, and Spider-Man's Amazing Combo ability will have its damage range reduced. While specific details on the affected characters are still under wraps, NetEase emphasized a cautious approach to mid-season balance adjustments.

"Since this is a mid-season balance adjustment, we aim to be cautious, keeping changes minimal to enhance the experience of certain heroes without drastically altering the overall meta," NetEase explained. "As we move into S2.5, with Ultron's arrival and new Team-Up Ability adjustments, we'll consider broader, more comprehensive balance changes."

In the Competitive mode of Marvel Rivals, slight changes in performance ratings since Season 2 have favored Duelists, placing Vanguards and Strategists at a disadvantage. NetEase plans to recalibrate these performance rating calculations to promote fairness across all heroes.

"Balancing the game and rank adjustments is a challenging endeavor, and we can't guarantee perfection 100% of the time," the Dev Talk added. "However, we remain humble and attentive, striving to address issues promptly and enhance your experience. Stay tuned for official patch announcements for more updates. Thank you for your support and patience!"

Season 2 of Marvel Rivals introduced Emma Frost as a new Vanguard hero, with Season 2.5 set to bring Ultron into the fray. As we await the impact of these upcoming balance adjustments on the Support strike, keep an eye out for a potential new addition to the game - a collection of swimsuit skins teased by Marvel.