Since its release in December 2024, Marvel Rivals has been impossible to ignore, thanks to its nonstop action, legendary characters, and superhero mayhem.
The game has sparked a conspiracy theory among players. The Bot Conspiracy has many people questioning whether their wins are truly earned or if AI teammates give them a free pass.
This article will explore the whole bot situation, how to identify them in your games, and what it means for your Marvel Rivals experience.
What Is The Bot Conspiracy?
The main idea behind the Marvel Rivals bot conspiracy is that players who rack up losses in Quickplay mode are more likely to face bots or even be matched with them.
After a bunch of losses, these bots will appear to give you a little break and keep things from getting too annoying.
This theory suggests that giving players an "easy win" after a tough stretch could boost their confidence and keep them hooked on the game.
Although bots are usually found in practice or AI-driven events, there’s a worry that they’re entering Quickplay matches, which are intended to be more competitive in Marvel Rivals.
The theory goes that after losing a couple of games in a row, the game’s algorithm will likely match you up with bots, either on your team or against you.
This tactic artificially inflates a player’s sense of achievement, helping them win a match they would otherwise have lost.
Marvel Rivals can make it hard to tell bots from humans, but if you know what to look for, it’s not too tough to figure out.
One of the most reliable indicators is the profile. In the game, bots usually have Level 1 accounts, and their profiles say "restricted access," which differs from the "limited access" human players get.
Apart from the profile info, players might catch some odd behavior in-game.
Bots usually move in a weird, robotic way that doesn’t match how players act.
They might walk in circles, bump into things, or fail to respond to threats.
Players have seen bots act weird when facing Invisible Woman, usually stopping dead when they reach her invisible barriers.
On top of that, bot names tend to be basic or nonsensical, often in all caps or with odd spacing, unlike the unique usernames most human players go for.
You’ll start picking up on these quickly once you’ve been in the game long enough.
The question on many players’ minds is: Why would Marvel Rivals include bots in Quickplay at all? The most likely explanation is player retention.
Research in gaming psychology shows that players are more likely to continue playing a game if they experience victories, especially after a losing streak.
When players are stuck in a losing cycle, being suddenly thrown into a match where they can easily win (thanks to bots) can help them feel like they've got their groove back.
That dopamine rush keeps them playing, which means they might buy skins or the Battle Pass.
There has been a range of responses to this possible conspiracy.
On one hand, some players are frustrated by the idea of bots skewing their experience.
After all, no one wants to feel like they’ve "earned" a win against an opponent that doesn’t exist.
Many people have complained about encountering bots after losing several times on various platforms.
Some argue that fighting bots isn’t satisfying and that tracking real progress with a hero or strategy is harder.
However, some players may not mind as much, especially if they are not focused on keeping things competitive.
The community is still divided on whether bots should be removed from Quickplay entirely.