Marvel Rivals developer NetEase Games has laid out its plans to take some of the pressure off of Strategists players just days after fans launched a community-wide Support strike.
Much of Marvel Rivals Season 2 has gone over swimmingly. New characters, maps, and modes helped the hero shooter push forward as the team promises quicker seasons and even more playable heroes, but its balance changes have introduced entirely new issues. Strategists – a character class that largely functions as Marvel Rivals’ Support pool – aren’t having much fun as Vanguards and Duelists have taken power.
The decreased viability of the Support class has been the topic of discussion in the Marvel Rivals community since Season 2 launched earlier this month. With other roles given more power on the battlefield, many Strategist players have reported not only an abundance of punishing matches but toxic ones, too, as teammates hop into text and voice chats to place the blame on them. It all reached a boiling point this past week when hundreds of players began taking to social media to declare they would stay away from the healer spot until NetEase explained how it might make the experience more enjoyable for all.
“We’re not asking to be glorified or seen as the ‘hardest’ role - because I don’t think we are,” one Reddit user commented. “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
Whether the strike has been successful or if players are simply choosing to stray from a challenging class, NetEase says it wants to take action. In a Dev Talk post published to its website today, NetEase addressed the concerns revolving around the Strategist class. Its approach to relieve some of the pressure is two-pronged and involves buffing the Support role while also making its Competitive mode more rewarding.
The team says Strategist “threat levels” will be elevated in an upcoming patch. This means potentially buffing heroes like Invisible Woman or Jeff the Land Shark while hitting Vanguards like Captain America and Groot with nerfs to their survivability, while Spider-Man's Amazing Combo ability will get decreased damage range. Details on exactly which characters will receive changes have yet to be revealed.
“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.”
Meanwhile, Competitive is a Marvel Rivals offering that has seen slightly altered stats since the launch of Season 2. Duelists, in particular, have had an advantage when it comes to performance ratings, while Vanguard and Strategists have been at a slight disadvantage. As a result, NetEase plans to adjust performance rating calculations “to ensure 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 adds. “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!”
Marvel Rivals Season 2 introduced Emma Frost as its newest playable Vanguard hero, with Season 2.5 set to include Ultron in the near future. While we wait to see if the upcoming balance changes please those participating in the Support strike, you can read up on a recent Marvel tease that could see a collection of swimsuit skins joining the game.
Michael Cripe is a freelance contributor with IGN. He's best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).
