With the launch of season 1 on Friday, players flocked to the Marvel Rivals Discord with a pressing question: why weren’t their mods working anymore? The reason: the game now incorporates a process called asset hash checking, which scans the game’s files to detect any alterations. Any modified files that the system doesn’t recognize are simply disabled.
In response to this shift, MerryJoyKey, the mind behind the Marvel Rivals mod manager on NexusMods, commented today, “Although it’s not very likely, a workaround could emerge, and I’ll keep everyone updated if we stumble upon a solution.” For now, updates to their mod are on hold until they can find a feasible fix.
Interestingly, NetEase kept this adjustment under wraps—neither a heads-up was given to the players nor was it mentioned in the season 1 patch notes. The studio’s sole statement regarding mods came on Wednesday, remarking to Polygon, “Modifying game files is not advisable as it carries the risk of account bans.”
Despite this, no incidents of penalties have surfaced. While the game’s terms of use have always prohibited mods, with a potential ban as the consequence, that didn’t deter players from diving into the modding scene. In fact, thousands have been sharing and downloading mods on NexusMods over recent weeks, bringing Marvel Rivals almost shoulder to shoulder with giants like Skyrim and Cyberpunk 2077 in the mods popularity contest. However, custom skins inspired by U.S. presidents Donald Trump, Joe Biden, and Barack Obama were removed due to NexusMods’ policies against mods dealing with sociopolitical issues in the U.S.
Many online competitive multiplayer games take a strict stance against mods because they can sometimes alter the game to provide players with unethical advantages, such as removing obstacles from maps. Although most Marvel Rivals mods remained harmless, the potential for more disruptive mods loomed on the horizon.
Players will now need to kit out their favorite heroes in the traditional manner—by forking out money for skins from the online shop. Regrettably, it appears the era of Iron Man Vegeta and Iron Fist Goku has drawn to a close.
