NetEase banned between 485 and 500 players from Marvel Rivals for using unauthorized third-party cheats after a weekend game update on August 15, 2026, triggered a surge in cheating activity [1, 2]. The banned accounts included a wide range of ranks, from Bronze players to those at the top Celestial or One Above All rank [1, 2].
The developer shared a public list of banned player names, user IDs, and ranks as part of the crackdown [1, 2]. NetEase said their automated penalty system, trained to detect cheating based on a combination of telemetry and exploit signatures, triggered the bans immediately following the update introducing new exploits [1, 2].
In a statement, NetEase said, "Recently, our telemetry detected that following the weekend update, a faction of rogue players began promoting and deploying unauthorized third-party enhancements. This blatant disruption of our fair battlefield has sparked widespread concern across the Chronoverse. In response, our security teams have initiated an immediate, targeted purge" [1]. The company emphasized maintaining "a fair and honorable arena" through multi-layered anti-cheat methods including "abnormal behavior detection, historical data reviews, and manual verification" [2].
Only 3 accounts received hardware bans for severe violations amid the nearly 500 banned [2]. Repeat offenders face harsher penalties such as hardware or IP bans [1, 2]. Players who believe they were unjustly penalized can appeal through official customer support channels for review [1].
Cheating increased after the weekend update, with some cheaters even streaming their exploits online, prompting the enforcement wave [2]. Marvel Rivals remains a popular free-to-play hero shooter with a strong player base despite competition from titles like Overwatch [1].
NetEase continues to monitor cheating using a combination of automated detection and manual verification methods to protect game integrity [2]. The immediate action against nearly 500 accounts came within a day as the company reacted swiftly to the post-update cheating spike starting August 15 [1, 2].
